b-b-bonus this week in outsider art // february fourteenth
william h. johnson folk art inspired works, a lovely work about love from sarah lee, artists to follow and shows to see as well as views from my personal collection
» Thanks again to Jennifer Gilbert for the feature in her Meet the Collector series, check it out here if you haven’t yet! «
B-B-BONUS
This week, it seems fitting to highlight one of my favorite African American artists who happens to highlight and celebrate some of this country’s greatest African-American heroes.
William H. Johnson is a unique artist who sometimes gets categorized as an outsider artist but is really in a class of his own and someone who I often compare to Jean Dubuffet — classically trained but would go on to be inspired by folk art and what at the time would be known as “primitivism” but today we may call “non-conforming.”
✌️ every wednesday, this bonus newsletter with bonus outsider art content, including exhibit listings, personal collection highlights, and news of the week, will be sent to paid subscribers. The weekly ‘This Week in Outsider Art’ newsletter that goes out every Sunday morning continues to and will always be free of charge — enjoy ✌️
The Smithsonian American Art Museum has over one thousand drawings, prints, and paintings in its collection created by William H. Johnson. From early on in his life after paying his way to art school and then studying in Europe, before falling in love with and being inspired by folk art in the 1930’s that would so greatly influence his work.
This week, paid subscribers will see a dozen colorful and expressive works of art that tell incredibly vibrant stories of tragedy and triumph.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to This Week in Outsider Art to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.