Sunday, June 24, 2007

A Day @ The Museum and Folk Art


Margaret Roach Wheeler (b 1943 Sisston SD
Lives in Jopplin Missouri)
Forest Dweller: The Bear 1998
Silk/wool yarn, copper, sterling silver, deer antler, deer teeth,
gray goose feathers.
Collection of the Artist


Today I did my volunteer work at the Anchorage Museum of History and Art. It was the annual "Family Day." I get to visit the museum and participate in the fun and look at the wonderful exhibit "Changing Hands:Art Without Reservation." This is piece moved me in light of the prayers I've been saying, the show was great!

I got a mention in the Frontiersman local newspaper the other day. YAY! The article: Does the often high-brow art world have a place in the Mat-Su?
The reporter said: Bagel's Alaska hosted last weekend's June opening with pieces from Shelley's and local folk artist Judy Vars' collections. Well I quite like being called a local folk artist It's been hard for me to label my art I don't know quite genre I fit into. So Folk Artist suits me fine.
folk-art (fkärt)n.
Art originating among the common people of a nation or region and usually reflecting their traditional culture, especially everyday or festive items produced or decorated by unschooled artists.

There is alot of high brow debate as to just what is a folk artist. Well it's not that snobby, pretentious artsy fartsy stuff. It's not low brow either. It's art created by folks who make art for the love of art. Folks like me who just want to communicate, tell a story, and share their art with others. Folk Artists don't need an arts degree to say, I AM AN ARTIST, they "just do it" YAALL

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