RECENT CATALOGS

CLICK ON COVER - LINK WILL OPEN A NEW WINDOW.
*CATALOGS ARE NOT AVAILABLE IN PRINT, BUT YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THEM AS A PDF.
The Design His Own
With 2020 behind us, we look forward to a better year and are pleased to present our Winter 2021 Catalogue, "The Design His Own." This 154-page catalog features recent finds in the genres of Outsider and Self-Taught Art with a few additions of related Folk Art, including works by Carlo Zinelli, John Kane, Joseph Roth, Richard Nisbett, Moses Ogden, George Silsbee, etc.

It is a curiously worded phrase and not one I had read before, “the design his own.” Dr. John Pennington Hopkinson wrote these words on a watercolor that he collected in 1822. But the words are wise and impart, to me at least, something more than a casual comment of credit. Hopkinson felt compelled to make a special note and credit the artist, that it was something he created from his imagination—not something borrowed or copied. More so, Hopkinson wrote, “Painted by a maniac confined in the cells of the Alms House—the design his own.”

All the works herein are “designs of their own,” as it were. At the time of their creation, something new that the world had never seen. As time goes on, spouses, siblings, relatives, neighbors, communities, whole populations sift through what stays and what goes. What gets destroyed or what is saved. When you throw something away, someone else may keep it, and it is sifted through another keeper. “One man’s trash...” It lives another day.

One of the most common remarks said about antiques is, “I can’t believe it survived!” I can. Look at it! It is beautiful, complex, and sublime. It was then, and it is now. Quality of vision is always appreciated—not by all, but some—maybe even just one that sifts it and saves it for another day.
Shut The Door And Listen From Outside
In conjunction with the Outsider Art Fair: New York, we present our Winter 2020 Catalogue, "Shut The Door And Listen From Outside" This 88-page catalog features recent finds in the genres of Outsider and Self-Taught Art with a few additions of related American Folk Art. (Please note that NOT all of these works will be exhibited at The Outsider Art Fair).

"Shut The Door And Listen From Outside" is a statement from Oblique Strategies, which is a set of cards each with a suggestion, directive, or constraint created by the artists Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt to encourage lateral thinking and to break creative blocks.

With this in mind, as an art dealer or collector, one may think, how will this look if I see it indirectly? From a room away? Through a window? Obscured through a crowd of people? Or as I quickly scroll through Instagram? This question is not a shallow proposition—we often see a particular artwork from an off-angle or perspective—not in optimal presentation. Indeed, if we think about it, we likely first approached an artwork we came to love because it looked good "from outside." It had something special going on from a small section we gleaned through a crowd of people, or the composition came into focus as we came towards it from another room.

As an artist, we may interpret this as another way of seeing. To purposely not see clearly or overtly—to create something anew based on partial information or hazy suggestions seen or heard. Or another way to look at a work in progress. View it from the side, across the room, or without glasses to see a fuzzy tonal map—is it still working for you?
HODGEPODGE
In conjunction with Antiques In Manchester, we present our Summer 2019 Catalogue, HODGEPODGE! This 110 page catalog features a diverse collection of American Folk Art; Americana and Outsider and Self-Taught Art.

hodgepodge noun
hodge·podge | \ ˈhäj-ˌpäj \
: a heterogeneous mixture : JUMBLE

Some define "hodgepodge" as a confused mixture. Ignore that and go with the definition above "a heterogeneous (or diverse) mixture." As one is exposed to more art and is receptive to expanding beyond one's preconceived notions or a tight focus, ones aesthetic evolves and lets art from one period or genre overlap with another—either in complement or contrast.

Over the last twenty-plus years, my primary focus on early treen has expanded to where it is hard to see the connections between a-to-z. However, if one looks at a-to-b, b-to-c, c-to-d etcetera the connections and overlaps make sense—like an evolving an expanding Venn diagram.

This is not to say there is not a focus or discipline—there very much is! The catalog herein has a diverse mix for sure—but everything was deliberately chosen and vetted for the integrity of vision, craftsmanship, surface, and condition. Enjoy!
FINDING NORTH
In conjunction with the 2019 Outsider Art Fair: New York, We present, FINDING NORTH—an expansive collection of Outsider and Self-Taught Art. The 98-page online catalog features the work of William Anhang, Forrest Bess, MW Demorest (Kansas State Insane Asylum), Joseph Garlock, Dilmus Hall, Frederick Hastings, Ida Ella Jones, George Morgan, Sister Gertrude Morgan, Miroslav Tichý, Professor Eddie Williams, Anonymous, and others.

The subtitle to Friedrich Nietzsche’s Ecce Homo is “How One Becomes What One Is.” Considering Nietzsche’s directive, our title, “Finding North” is a metaphor for finding one’s path in life—one’s truth. Since no two of us are ever in the same position, our ways of finding north will always be different. Yes, some routes will be similar, but most will be vastly different. Some seeking north will walk paths straight and narrow, others loose and wide, while a few will plot hilly, twisty, and remarkably odd routes, but north nonetheless. A smooth, well-marked path is not necessarily the surest way north—finding oneself off course, momentarily lost may actually be more direct—so far as to regain the route northward. Some, on the other hand, ditch north altogether and head west or are off the grid entirely.

The known artists herein walked, hiked, climbed (and probably tripped a few times) towards their truth. The others, we have no idea, because they are unknown or we don’t know enough about them or the lives they lead. But, all of them left something wondrous behind that helps us understand or consider them in a small or large way and in many cases, their wondrous works aid in our journey—we use their works to assist us in finding our north.
WINNOWED
It is not easy coming up with compelling and complex material show after show. This catalog is thinner than usual, but phat as ever—quality over quantity with no filler! Of course, we will be bringing more than these works of art to the fair, but herein are a group of well-winnowed works that deserve special attention. Enjoy!

Come see this collection and more at The Philadelphia Antiques & Art Show, April 20-22, 2018 (*preview party April 19).
INSIDER/OUTSIDER
The definition of Outsider Art is fraught with issues—as online trolls will attest—and, I will not attempt to define it here. However, to further confuse the issue, I will bring forth a few of what I would call “insider/outsider” artists such as Forrest Bess, Frank Overton Colbert, Ida Jones and John Roeder. Individuals that are hard to pigeonhole and overlap with Outsider, Folk, Self-taught, and schooled artists.

Can an artist be an “outsider” if you they had some instruction, but have a minority’s perspective? Are all outsider artists self-taught? If they spent time in a mental institution are they automatically an “outsider?” Can one be an “outsider” if they were on the fringe of society, but then thrust into the New York gallery scene and continued to create art that was then for resale? As with most things, a case-by-case examination and identification of context is key to aiding any definition (if one must be so defined).

In the following pages, we will present a number of artists and works of art that overlap, transition or fit by context into this insider/outsider scheme. In addition, we will have works by Dilmus Hall, George Morgan, Henry Speller, George Ohr, Eugene Andolsek, Henry Ray Clark and others.
HOME AWAY FROM HOME
Each year thousands of people make the pilgrimage to Antiques Week in New Hampshire. For many, it’s like a home away from home—the collective shows are a huge house, with diverse dealers occupying different rooms—each inviting you in to explore, learn and take away a little bit (or a lot) of their home to yours.
WALK THE WALK, TALK THE TALK
“Walk the Walk, Talk the Talk” is more than a clever title for this mix of carved walking sticks, figural ceramics and folk art, but also a philosophy of collecting with courage—of not playing it too safe and embracing outliers. It is finding examples of a genre that push boundaries and surprise us, yet still overlap its predecessors—objects that break preconceived notions and move the line forward.
SMALL FACES UNBOUND
The title of this collection comes from the lyric in, The Byrds’ song, “Eight Miles High.” This ripe phrase evokes a range of fantastic imagery; uninhibited children, tiny heads, unencumbered puppets and marvelous dismemberment to name a few things that popped into my head.

Rather than discovering hidden faces or seeing them in inanimate objects (pareidolia), we focused on indelible visages—stark, psychological and philosophical—existential and mythological, some animal, some mysterious and some absurd.
MAN • BEAST • SPIRIT • WOMAN
This special collection explores examples of folk art that excompass these loose parameters. Some are straightforward, for example, The woman "Laundress" covers "Woman," (though, admittedly, in this context of broad labeling, it comes off as a one dimentional and misogynistic). Other examples overlap, the cover image of the African-American limberjack, considers "Man," but is so powerful that it is imbued with, "Spirit" as well. The Woodlands, Ojibwa Mide'wiwin Figures covers, "Man, Woman and Spirit." The brownstone sculpture, "Men of the Pale Forest," explores "Man," but has elements of "Spirit and Beast." While the carved Gizzly Bear obviously represents, "Beast," its sensitive carving and remarkable surface gives her a "Spirit" as well.
NEEDLE • KNIFE • TORCH [&] BRUSH
Featuring the works of Joseph Roth, a schizophrenic patient at the Central Islip Psychiatric Center, NY, 1905. At least eleven works by Roth have been identified, ranging in date from 1905-1921. The earlier ones while he was in Central Islip and then later when he was a patient at the Binghamton State Hospital. Roth and these works are an important addition to the canon and study of American Outsider Art.

In addition to these exciting works, we have a number of works from the esteemed Marvill collection of American Folk Art. We are also pleased to represent a few works by the Pennsylvania painters, John David Wissler and William Kocher.