american folk art museum

The first image is an early 1800s wall mural taken from a home in Thornton, New Hampshire. It includes stenciling and freehand work. This freehand work is attributed to the itinerant artist known as the Bear and Pears artist.

The second one is a book of tattoo designs from the late 19th to early 20th century. It was made for sailors and has hand drawn designs on waterproof paper. Tattoos were thought to guard against drowning and disaster at sea. I'd love to flip through that.

The last is by an outsider artist from the 1950s named John Podhorsky. He was a patient at DeWitt State Hospital in Auburn, California and he may have been a carpenter although not much is known about him. The painting is playfully called 'Houses and Two Hundred Animals'.

click images to view large.

*all images from the American Folk Art Museum