Earth Angel
I just bought the folk art painting above from a very talented artist named Angela. I love it because the subject reminds me of my daughter. My daughter has a big heart and always tries to save the world. I love the painting so much that I asked the artist to paint a similar one on a bigger canvas so I could give it to my daughter.
A lot of people do not like naive art because they are very simple and the artists who make them usually do not have professional/ academic art training. The creators of primitive art are most often self taught so they do not attain widespread popularity like professionally trained painters. Grandma Moses comes to mind when fame in folk art is mentioned but nobody else. Most folk artists only attain regional acclaim so not a lot of people from outside their regions knew who they were.
Some people call folk art "working class art." Some turn their noses upward on folk art collectors. Since it is not considered "fine art" or "high art" by most art collectors, some primitive art collectors hide their passion for it to save themselves from derision.
I am not afraid to admit that I love folk/naive/primitive art. I can appreciate art in various forms and styles. I have been in a lot of art museums in the United States and abroad. I have been exposed to the work of the famed old and new masters. The reason why I like folk art is not ignorance or provincialism. Visually, I like folk art for its simplicity and often vibrant hues. Psychologically, I love it because it reminds me of the my mother. She drew with me and my brother when we were young. The subjects in a lot of primitive paintings are also very similar to the anime characters that my daughter and son drew when they were in their teens. Economically, the price of contemporary and vintage folk art is still very affordable so I can buy to my heart's content without breaking the bank.
There you have it. I love folk art and proud to admit it.
