❥ architectural fantasies

this week in outsider art features a mexican aligator with a skeleton, my favorite polish school posters, art by ian felice and a stunningly beautiful new art environment book

May 24, 2026

THIS WEEK IN OUTSIDER ART

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**JOSEFINA AGUILAR ALCANTARA** Ocotlan de Morelos (c.1990; Oaxaca, Mexico) // Fired clay figure painted with acrylic paints; (7” w. x 7” d. x 8 1/2” h.) via *Indigo Arts Gallery*

**CHARLIE TANNER** Man In Dory (1976) // Carved wood; 3.5” high x 9” long x 6.5” wide (approx.) via *Black Sheep Gallery*

Hand felted “Makoot” dolls by Makoto Okawa via *Jennifer Lauren Gallery*

A few of my favorite films of all time, as told by the Polish School of Posters via Posteritati

**STEPHAN W. POLAHA** Winged Dog (ca. 1975) // Painted wood, metal, and glass; 17 7⁄8 x 22 x 10 1⁄2 in. (45.4 x 55.9 x 26.7 cm.) via *Smithsonian American Art Museum*

**NOVIADI ANGKASAPURA** Untitled (2021) // Ballpoint pen, graphite on cardboard; 10 x 15 inches (25.4 x 38.1 cm) via *Cavin-Morris Gallery*

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**IAN FELICE** Death Comes for the Dancer (2023) // Oil on canvas; 36 × 24 in | 91.4 × 61 cm via *Half Gallery*

**MINNIE EVANS** Untitled (The Lions of Judah Collage) (1968) // Oil and crayon on paper and board via *High Museum of Art*

**SISTER GERTRUDE MORGAN** Hurricane Betsey (date unknown) // Ink and acrylic on paper; 9 ½ x 11 in. via *Christies*

**JOHN KANE** Girl on lawn with dog (1930) // Oil on canvas; 21.8 x 28.5 cm via *Sammlung Zander / Zander Collection*

A group of "Hikeshi Banten", reversible hanten coats worn by Japanese firefighters of the Edo period, often decorated with symbolic images.

**ANTHONY MILLER** Untitled (Drawing 66D) (date unknown) // Mixed media on paper; 8.75 x 11 inches via *Shrine NYC*

FEATURED ARTIST OF THE WEEK

**SARIT HALO** A Lady Holding her Dog (2021) // Mixed media on paper; 11 x 14” via *Tierra del Sol Gallery*

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A FEW THINGS…

My friend Maram and her children are still suffering in Gaza and could use your help if you’re willing and able.
Of course he did! Zohran Mamdani Visited MoMA PS1’s Greater New York—and Loved It
Learn more here and below! ‘Architectural Fantasies’ Chronicles Elaborate Creations by Self-Taught Artists
Who is cooler than Aurora? Not me!

OH WORD?

Congrats to Fred Scruton for all the beautiful and stunning photos in this new book by Jo Farb Hernández — “Architectural Fantasies: Artist-Built Environments”. Full of a treasure trove of art environments around the country, have been fortunate enough to get to many of them but can’t wait to dive into this more and plan out a road trip with my boys this summer to get to more!

"Architectural Fantasies" // Photography by Fred Scruton; By Jo Farb Hernández

From Miami’s Coral Castle to LA’s Watts Towers, Architectural Fantasies explores over 60 dwellings across more than 30 states. These artist-built spaces allow one to step directly into the artwork, and range from scratch-built creations and modified structures to monuments, sites of devotion, and intricately decorated interiors.
All across the U.S., these self-taught artists and architects, working outside of the mainstream, unite function with fantasy. The works are generally monumental, frequently provocative, often whimsical, sometimes reverential, and regularly misunderstood—but always remarkable. Experience this window into the passion and the innovation of some of our most creative artists and the ways they transform the spaces in which they live and work. (TRA Publishing)

I’ve been lucky enough to see many of these in person but can’t wait to get to see more. Any chance you get to go see a self-taught art enviroment, don’t walk — run!

Thanks to TRA Publishing for sending me this delightful book. You can learn more about some of these artist environments on my website here.

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SHOUT OUT

Shout out to SAGE Studio for continuing to make the best hats because they have one of the best artists ever in Rick Fleming making art at their gallery and studio! Also, shout out to my super cute wife and her super cool new hat!!!

get yours while you still can

FROM THE COLLECTIVE

JACKIE BRADSHAW is a neurodivergent folk artist from Kitchener, Ontario. After the birth of her son, she started a home daycare and began using leftover paint from the children to create mirror-image paintings. Immersed in this process, she began producing hundreds of works and continues to create art to calm her mind and body. Her artwork has been shown across Canada, at the Outsider Art Fair in New York City, and in private collections across North America.

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This Week in Outsider Art

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