❥ folkartwork and friends is back

this week in outsider art features the return -- from a short break -- of the folkartwork podcast, a russian dog in space, a surreal czech film, and shout out to spin art

May 03, 2026

THIS WEEK IN OUTSIDER ART

for daily postings of outsider art visit folkartwork.art or follow on instagram

**ANDRÉ ROBILLARD** Laika, Russian dog, space for the planet Mars (1986) // Drawing in colored pencil and ballpoint pen on paper; 50 x 65 cm via *Musee LaM*

**ARTIST UNKNOWN** Tigre mask (Tecuane dance) (Mid 20th century; Guerrero, Mexico) // Polychrome wood, leather; 11 x 7 x 6 inches (27.9 x 17.8 x 15.2 cm) via *Cavin-Morris Gallery*

**GUSTAV KLIMT** Death and Life (1910) // Oil on canvas; 71.1 in x 78.9 in

**SAVA SEKULIĆ** Untitled (Animals and Death) (1976) // Mixed media on pasteboard; 74 x 54 cm via *Sammlung Zander*

**FRED WEBSTER** Untitled Sculpture (date unknown) // Carved wood and paint; approx 7” via *Ledbetter Folk Art Auction*

**PAM PUCK** The Process Is Irreversible (2025) // Foam, air drying clay, papier-mâché, acrylic paint, varnish; 11 x 24.5 x 4 inches -- *available for purchase via the artist in the FolkArtwork Collective shop*

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**JAKE MCCORD** Six Cats (date unknown) // Paint on board; 32.5” w x 25.5” h via *Slotin Auction*

Artist Unknown, carved wooden UNION sign for use at union meetings (early 20th century) // Carved and polychromed wood with metal; 29 x 22 x 1 inches via *High Museum of Art*

Susan Glikbarg via *Creative Growth Art Center* // “a textile, watercolor, and wood artist -- Susan creates layered fabric appliques of flowers that she then applies to existing clothing, and embroiders with thick stitches over the top.”

A 1920 Soviet poster created by artist Sergei Ivanov to celebrate May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day via *Propagandopolis*

**MATHEW WEIR** Extraction (2025) // Blood and semen on paper; 11 1/2 x 9 in (29 x 23 cm) via *Gallery of Everything*

**RALPH FASANELLA** May Day (1948) // Oil on Canvas via *Labor Arts*

FEATURED ARTIST OF THE WEEK

**KEVIN HOUSE** Dream Song Prescription Code, No. 4 (2026) // Paint, cardboard, on wood panel; 8” x 8” x 1 5/8” via *PULP*

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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.
Reclaiming the Self-Taught Artist’s Creative Identity
These are the most beautiful posters! Symbols of freedom “and the struggle for it”: a look at the Polish School of Posters
Congrats on the most incomptent and unempathetic people in the world running this country. Trump Border Wall Crews Damage 1,000-Year-Old Native Etching in Arizona
My 8-year-old was enthralled with this entire short film by Czech filmmaker Jan Švankmajer, and I haven’t seen him laugh so hard in quite a while as much as he did at the grand finale of the performance.

OH WORD?

After a very brief hiatus — no new episode in April — the FolkArtwork and Friends podcast is back!

In the eighth episode of the FolkArtwork podcast, I am pleased to catch up with my good friend Ryan Ward of The Ruffed Grouse Gallery. Ever since I was first mistaken for Ryan at the Outsider Art Fair in 2024, we hit it off, and he’s been a great mentor and friend as he helps me navigate this world of outsider art.

I talk to Ryan about his relationship with art growing up as a kid in rural Pennsylvania, spending tons of time outside, discovering artwork by Purvis Young and Jimmy Lee Sudduth that catapulted him into the world of self-taught and outsider art, as well as purchasing his first work while in grad school. Plus, we talk about our time at the Outsider Art Fair, the artist Little Walt Dog, discovering a piece of art created by Jerry Saltz, and the future of the outsider art world.

Then, in celebration of May Day, a look at the life of self-taught artist Ralph Fasanella, whose large, detailed works depicted urban working life and critiqued post-World War II America.

Follow Ryan Ward and The Ruffed Grouse Gallery on Instagram at @ruffed_grouse_gallery, and check out their latest gallery in Narrowsburg, New York, titled “Out Of Hand And Foot: Tanner Simon | Charles Farless” on display until June 14th.

Episodes will come out every first Friday of the month, on your favorite podcast player -- Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and with video on YouTube. Like, subscribe, share, and keep coming back for more. Thanks so much!

SHOUT OUT

Shout out to everyone who came out to First Friday at Mainframe Studios here in Des Moines this weekend — especially my children who were an absolute delight and help to the group of 8 children that came in and helped us make our spin art the number one place to be on a Friday night!

If you’re in the area, come out to First Friday every first Friday of the month or give me a shout and would love to show you what we’ve got up on the wall, as always, some of my favorite art by some of my favorite self-taught artists around!

FROM THE COLLECTIVE

LORENA ELIASEN is a folk artist and illustrator who has created children’s books and patterns for packaging design. Her most recent works are hand-painted papier-mâché works exploring traditional spiritual and cultural themes.

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

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Check out the BONUS NEWSLETTER w/BONUS OUTSIDER ART out every Wednesday!

Thanks to everyone for subscribing and supporting this newsletter — it means a lot to me and I love that other people are enjoying this artwork as much as me. If you haven’t yet, consider subscribing to the paid newsletter for bonus outsider art every Wednesday morning.

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This Week in Outsider Art

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