Though masonic fraternal groups have existed for centuries, their rites and methods have long been shrouded in secrecy.
folk art
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Portraits by John Brewster Jr., a Prolific Deaf Painter, Gifted to American Folk Art Museum
The sought-after artist communicated with his clients through gestures or in writing.
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Unique Folk Art Recreates the World Before the Armenian Genocide
The models recreate a world that no longer exists.
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The Idiosyncratic Paintings of Maud Lewis, a Beloved Canadian Folk Artist
Lewis may have operated on, or even outside of, the fringes of the art world, but the McMichael Canadian Art Collection believes she deserves a place within its halls.
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Folk Artist and Abolitionist Sheldon Peck to Be Honored with Historic Marker
A roadside marker in Jordan, New York, will commemorate the former home of 19th-century folk artist and abolitionist Sheldon Peck.
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The Vivid Violence and Divine Healing of Ex-Voto Paintings
The ex-voto painting is a Catholic folk art tradition depicting individual misfortunes that were mollified by divine intervention.
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The Skeletal Welsh Horse You Must Beat in a Battle of Rhymes
In the Welsh folkloric tradition of Mari Lwyd, a horse skull visits your home around Christmas, and you must best it in poetry or allow it inside.
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Smithsonian American Art Museum Acquires Nearly 100 Works by Self-Taught Artists
The Margaret Z. Robson Collection is the institution’s largest acquisition of its kind in two decades.
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Revisiting America’s Dead in Posthumous Portraits from the 19th Century
The 19th century saw the rise of the posthumous portrait when, through photographs and paintings, people preserved the faces of departed loved ones.
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Choosing Between a Folk Artist’s Story and His Work
Ronald Lockett believed in magic. So said sculptor Kevin Sampson during a talk in July at the American Folk Art Museum.
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The Monumental Totem Poles Built by a Retired Oklahoma Art Teacher
FOYIL, Okla. — In 1937, art teacher Ed Galloway began his retirement project: a 90-foot-tall totem pole rising from the back of a big blue turtle.
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Revisiting the First American Folk Art Museum, Founded by a Modernist Sculptor
The rough finishes and loose poses of Elie Nadelman’s sculptures of circus performers, pianists, and dancers were influenced by his incredible collection of folk art.