American Folk Art Museum

07/12/2021

Quilts are America’s great art experiment: monumental compositions in color, pattern, geometry,⁠ and representation made mostly by women over more than three centuries. The museum’s collection is distinctive for its highly individualized expressions in this medium, challenging the maker to test the limits imposed by cutting and piecing bits of⁠ fabric.

image: Mennonite Quilt: Joseph’s Coat, Artist unidentified, United States, Early twentieth century, Cotton, Gift of Karen and Werner Gundersheimer, 2018.2.13.
Photo Credit: Gavin Ashworth

#AFAM #AFAMQuilts #MennoniteQuilt #NationalSimplicityDay

Quilts are America’s great art experiment: monumental compositions in color, pattern, geometry,⁠ and representation made mostly by women over more than three centuries. The museum’s collection is distinctive for its highly individualized expressions in this medium, challenging the maker to test the limits imposed by cutting and piecing bits of⁠ fabric.

image: Mennonite Quilt: Joseph’s Coat, Artist unidentified, United States, Early twentieth century, Cotton, Gift of Karen and Werner Gundersheimer, 2018.2.13.
Photo Credit: Gavin Ashworth

#AFAM #AFAMQuilts #MennoniteQuilt #NationalSimplicityDay

07/11/2021

Join us online Tuesday night! At 6:00 p.m. ET artists and Brooklyn Metal Works co-founders Erin S. Riley and Brian Weissman will invite us into their studio to talk materials, processes, and metalsmithing traditions.

Erin and Brian will also share live demos and explore connections between their creative practices and works from the Museum's current exhibition American Weathervanes: The Art of the Winds.

Learn more about makers’ perspectives on weathervanes and prepare to share questions during a live Q&A at the end of the program.⁠

Register with the link in our bio.⁠

All public programs are free and donations are greatly appreciated!⁠

Image: Dead Languages – Shattered Teapot, Brian Weissman, photo courtesy of the artist.

Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-insights-in-the-studio-with-brooklyn-metal-works-tickets-154868595137

#AFAM #AFAMedu #AFAMvanes

Join us online Tuesday night! At 6:00 p.m. ET artists and Brooklyn Metal Works co-founders Erin S. Riley and Brian Weissman will invite us into their studio to talk materials, processes, and metalsmithing traditions.

Erin and Brian will also share live demos and explore connections between their creative practices and works from the Museum's current exhibition American Weathervanes: The Art of the Winds.

Learn more about makers’ perspectives on weathervanes and prepare to share questions during a live Q&A at the end of the program.⁠

Register with the link in our bio.⁠

All public programs are free and donations are greatly appreciated!⁠

Image: Dead Languages – Shattered Teapot, Brian Weissman, photo courtesy of the artist.

Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-insights-in-the-studio-with-brooklyn-metal-works-tickets-154868595137

#AFAM #AFAMedu #AFAMvanes

07/10/2021

Wait, it’s #NationalKittenDay and #Caturday? We have the purr-fect quilt appliqué for both occasions! 🐱 🐈 🐈‍⬛ 🐾
⁠⁠
Image: Kitten Appliqué Quilt, Artist unidentified, Possibly Kentucky, United States, 1941–1950, Cotton, including muslin feed sacks, with cotton embroidery, Gift of Laura Fisher, Antique Quilts and Americana, 1987.8.1⁠. Photo Credit: Schecter Lee⁠⁠
⁠⁠
#AFAM #AFAMQuilts #AFAMat60

07/10/2021

“My soul is full of longing
for the secret of the sea,
and the heart of the great ocean
sends a thrilling pulse through me.”
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

No need to dive for treasures, the Museum Shop has you covered! Browse unique selections for sea and land lovers alike: https://shop.folkartmuseum.org/products/coral-reef-pillow?_pos=1&_sid=356432267&_ss=r

“My soul is full of longing
for the secret of the sea,
and the heart of the great ocean
sends a thrilling pulse through me.”
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

No need to dive for treasures, the Museum Shop has you covered! Browse unique selections for sea and land lovers alike: https://shop.folkartmuseum.org/products/coral-reef-pillow?_pos=1&_sid=356432267&_ss=r

07/09/2021

Free Music Fridays: Facebook Live, July 9

The museum’s critically acclaimed performance series continues tonight via Facebook Live. Music featured at the Free Music Fridays series thematically reflects the spirit of self-taught art on view at the museum. Hosted by Lara Ewen.

Featuring:
6:00 pm: Trinidad Montalva
6:30 pm: Izzy Heltai
7:00 pm: Aria Nadège

Please consider making a donation of any size to support our virtual programs.
Note: Music will be broadcast live from 6:00 to 7:30 pm, and donations will be accepted until 9:30 pm.

Image: Trinidad Montalva photo by Vicente Perez LorcaIzzy Heltai photo by Emma Kate Rothenberg-Ware, Aria Nadège photo by Colin Williams

07/09/2021

TONIGHT Free Music Fridays: Facebook Live returns July 9th from 6-7:30 pm. The evening features performances by Trinidad Montalva, Izzy Heltai, and Aria Nadège, hosted by Lara Ewen. Your donation and RSVP are gratefully appreciated.⁠
⁠
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/157363954825

07/08/2021

Assemblage of Crowd Scenes is a large piece that recalls Robert Rauschenberg’s Combine paintings.

Many small elements make a whole, tied together by similarly colored, rough-hewn frames. Not presenting an overall narrative, the various images are turned at different angles, though the entire piece is weighted by the large green rectangular painting at the base, which anchors the otherwise quiet palette. The activity within the painting, however, stands in stark contrast to the muted colors. Seething figures gather with upraised arms, hips cocked, in a stance that is simultaneously celebratory and urgent. This contradiction creates an energy in each “snapshot” and unifies the whole.

image: Assemblage of Crowd Scenes, Purvis Young, Miami, Florida, Late 1970s, Paint on found wood, Gift of T. Marshall Hahn Jr., 1995.22.2.
Photo Credit: Gavin Ashworth

Assemblage of Crowd Scenes is a large piece that recalls Robert Rauschenberg’s Combine paintings.

Many small elements make a whole, tied together by similarly colored, rough-hewn frames. Not presenting an overall narrative, the various images are turned at different angles, though the entire piece is weighted by the large green rectangular painting at the base, which anchors the otherwise quiet palette. The activity within the painting, however, stands in stark contrast to the muted colors. Seething figures gather with upraised arms, hips cocked, in a stance that is simultaneously celebratory and urgent. This contradiction creates an energy in each “snapshot” and unifies the whole.

image: Assemblage of Crowd Scenes, Purvis Young, Miami, Florida, Late 1970s, Paint on found wood, Gift of T. Marshall Hahn Jr., 1995.22.2.
Photo Credit: Gavin Ashworth

07/07/2021

This powerful three-dimensional weathercock remained a Portland landmark until 1983. Initially made for the Cumberland County Courthouse in Portland, it was moved to the First National Bank in 1884. This historic vane is included in "American Weathervanes: The Art of the Winds.” It’s design was illustrated for the Index of American Design in the 1930s.

The Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11:30 AM - 6 PM. Reserve your ticket: afamtickets.eventbrite.com. Admission is always free.

The Portland Rooster, artist unidentified, Portland, Maine, 1788. Carved and gilded pine. Approximately 30 x 44 x 10 in. Collection of Susan and Jerry Lauren
Photograph by Adam Reich.

#AFAMVanes #AFAM

This powerful three-dimensional weathercock remained a Portland landmark until 1983. Initially made for the Cumberland County Courthouse in Portland, it was moved to the First National Bank in 1884. This historic vane is included in "American Weathervanes: The Art of the Winds.” It’s design was illustrated for the Index of American Design in the 1930s.

The Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11:30 AM - 6 PM. Reserve your ticket: afamtickets.eventbrite.com. Admission is always free.

The Portland Rooster, artist unidentified, Portland, Maine, 1788. Carved and gilded pine. Approximately 30 x 44 x 10 in. Collection of Susan and Jerry Lauren
Photograph by Adam Reich.

#AFAMVanes #AFAM

07/06/2021

José Belandria, a wood-carver from the Andean city of Mérida, Venezuela, produces some of the finest toys in Latin America. He pays special attention to detail, especially in his rendering of facial features that are exceptionally fine and sharp. These three figures accurately represent his skills as a wood-carver and toy maker.

image: Acrobatic Toys, Jose Belandria, Merida, Venezuela, c. 1989, Wood, crayon, string, and metal, Museum Purchase with funds provided by the Ford Motor Company, 2007.4.7A,B,C.
Photo Credit: Gavin Ashworth

José Belandria, a wood-carver from the Andean city of Mérida, Venezuela, produces some of the finest toys in Latin America. He pays special attention to detail, especially in his rendering of facial features that are exceptionally fine and sharp. These three figures accurately represent his skills as a wood-carver and toy maker.

image: Acrobatic Toys, Jose Belandria, Merida, Venezuela, c. 1989, Wood, crayon, string, and metal, Museum Purchase with funds provided by the Ford Motor Company, 2007.4.7A,B,C.
Photo Credit: Gavin Ashworth

07/05/2021

Join us for a virtual tour of American Weathervanes: The Art of the Winds. These hour-long tours are led by AFAM Educator Nicole Haroutunian, take participants through the current exhibition to experience different perspectives of the works on view. July tours will take place on 7/8 and 7/22 at 1 pm EST.

Space is limited; advance registration is required.

After registering for the program, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions and the Zoom link for joining the program via computer or mobile device. To register, please email [email protected].

Image: Heart and Hand, Ezra Ames and Bela Dexter
Chelsea, Massachusetts, 1839, Carved white pine with original paint,
Private collection.
Photograph by courtesy David A. Schorsch and Eileen M. Smiles, Woodbury, CT

Join us for a virtual tour of American Weathervanes: The Art of the Winds. These hour-long tours are led by AFAM Educator Nicole Haroutunian, take participants through the current exhibition to experience different perspectives of the works on view. July tours will take place on 7/8 and 7/22 at 1 pm EST.

Space is limited; advance registration is required.

After registering for the program, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions and the Zoom link for joining the program via computer or mobile device. To register, please email [email protected].

Image: Heart and Hand, Ezra Ames and Bela Dexter
Chelsea, Massachusetts, 1839, Carved white pine with original paint,
Private collection.
Photograph by courtesy David A. Schorsch and Eileen M. Smiles, Woodbury, CT

07/04/2021

Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom, was adopted by American revolutionaries such as Thomas Paine; it became one of the United States’ most enduring symbols, depicted on currency and stamps as well as in paintings and sculptures.

New York harbors’ Statue of Liberty would inspire many further iterations of Liberty’s personification in American visual culture, following its delivery from France in 1885 and its dedication by President Grover Cleveland in 1886. This weathervane is included in "American Weathervane: The Art of the Winds." Its design was illustrated in Bronx-based Mott Iron Work’s 1892 catalog and was therefore conceived during the intervening years.

In an indication of the monument’s relatively recent installation, Mott took care to note that the vane was “modeled after the great Bartholdi Statue of Liberty, erected on Bedloe’s Island, New York Harbor.” The island is now known as Liberty Island.

The Museum is closed today in observation of the Fourth of July holiday. We will reopen on Wednesday, July 7.

Liberty Enlightening the World, J. L. Mott Iron Works, New York and Chicago, c. 1885–92. Molded copper, gilded, h. 53 in. Collection of Donna and Marvin Schwartz. Photograph Courtesy of Sotheby’s, Inc. © 2020.

#AFAMVanes #AFAM #FourthofJuly #StatueofLiberty

Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom, was adopted by American revolutionaries such as Thomas Paine; it became one of the United States’ most enduring symbols, depicted on currency and stamps as well as in paintings and sculptures.

New York harbors’ Statue of Liberty would inspire many further iterations of Liberty’s personification in American visual culture, following its delivery from France in 1885 and its dedication by President Grover Cleveland in 1886. This weathervane is included in "American Weathervane: The Art of the Winds." Its design was illustrated in Bronx-based Mott Iron Work’s 1892 catalog and was therefore conceived during the intervening years.

In an indication of the monument’s relatively recent installation, Mott took care to note that the vane was “modeled after the great Bartholdi Statue of Liberty, erected on Bedloe’s Island, New York Harbor.” The island is now known as Liberty Island.

The Museum is closed today in observation of the Fourth of July holiday. We will reopen on Wednesday, July 7.

Liberty Enlightening the World, J. L. Mott Iron Works, New York and Chicago, c. 1885–92. Molded copper, gilded, h. 53 in. Collection of Donna and Marvin Schwartz. Photograph Courtesy of Sotheby’s, Inc. © 2020.

#AFAMVanes #AFAM #FourthofJuly #StatueofLiberty

07/03/2021

Recycled and unconventional materials are found frequently in the works of self-taught artists, including bottle caps, tree roots, and chewing gum. The Museum Shop offers an array of gifts from makers that continue the practice of upcycling and reusing materials: https://shop.folkartmuseum.org/products/recycled-metal-rooster

#ShopAFAM #ShopSaturday

Recycled and unconventional materials are found frequently in the works of self-taught artists, including bottle caps, tree roots, and chewing gum. The Museum Shop offers an array of gifts from makers that continue the practice of upcycling and reusing materials: https://shop.folkartmuseum.org/products/recycled-metal-rooster

#ShopAFAM #ShopSaturday

07/03/2021

AAA reported last week that an estimated 47 million people will drive this holiday weekend! When this weathervane was made, circa 1910, automobiles were still very much a novelty. This vane's presence atop a gas station and grocery store, as well as the gas station itself, would have represented a striking addition to the local landscape in Lexington, Massachusetts.

Notably, the complexity of this remarkably detailed vane’s design would not have been visible to viewers below. However, vane makers conducted retail at ground level, and their attention to detail paid off when customers closely examined their models.

Visit soon for "American Weathervanes: The Art of the Winds." This weathervane and over 50 others are featured. Reserve your ticket: afamtickets.eventbrite.com. Admission is always free.

Touring Car and Driver, W. A. Snow Iron Works, Boston, Massachusetts, c. 1910. Molded copper with traces of gilt h. from bottom of wheels 18 in; l. 33 in. Collection of Susan and Jerry Lauren. Photograph by Adam Reich.

AAA reported last week that an estimated 47 million people will drive this holiday weekend! When this weathervane was made, circa 1910, automobiles were still very much a novelty. This vane's presence atop a gas station and grocery store, as well as the gas station itself, would have represented a striking addition to the local landscape in Lexington, Massachusetts.

Notably, the complexity of this remarkably detailed vane’s design would not have been visible to viewers below. However, vane makers conducted retail at ground level, and their attention to detail paid off when customers closely examined their models.

Visit soon for "American Weathervanes: The Art of the Winds." This weathervane and over 50 others are featured. Reserve your ticket: afamtickets.eventbrite.com. Admission is always free.

Touring Car and Driver, W. A. Snow Iron Works, Boston, Massachusetts, c. 1910. Molded copper with traces of gilt h. from bottom of wheels 18 in; l. 33 in. Collection of Susan and Jerry Lauren. Photograph by Adam Reich.

07/02/2021

NEXT WEEK Free Music Fridays: Facebook Live returns July 9th from 6-7:30 pm. The evening features performances by Trinidad Montalva, Izzy Heltai, and Aria Nadège, hosted by Lara Ewen. Your donation and RSVP are gratefully appreciated.⁠
⁠
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/157363954825