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this week in outsider art features work by brett douglas hunter, more 'creeps', some magic from the museum of international folk art and "the best thing I ever thrifted"

Sep 22, 2024

THIS WEEK IN OUTSIDER ART

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

**BRETT DOUGLAS HUNTER** Yellow Beast Birthing (2024) // Plywood and acrylic paint; 13 x 8 x 6 inches via *Elephant Gallery*

**MIKE COMBS** Creep #6 (c. 2020-2024) // Spray paint, house paint, and acrylic paint on upcycled panels from husked corn crates — *available for purchase via the artist in the FolkArtwork Collective shop*

**MIKE RODRIGUEZ** Opossum (1997) // Wood, paint, leather, glue, plastic or gesso hair; 9 13/16 × 17 5/16 × 26 3/4 in. (25 × 44 × 68 cm) via *Museum of International Folk Art*

**HOWARD FINSTER** Rev. Finster bird house (3/29/1991) // Wood, paint, marker, metal nails, screw eye; 8 3/4 x 7 15/16 x 8 7/16 in. (22.2 x 20.1 x 21.5 cm) via *Museum of International Folk Art*

» free preview of this week’s B-B-Bonus This Week in Outsider Art newsletter «

**BABS - BURKINA FASO** Nice Hair Cut / Mini Signboard (2019) // Oil paint on plywood; (8" x 11") via *Indigo Arts Gallery*

**JAMES "SON FORD" THOMAS** Untitled (1987) // Unfired clay, artificial hair, cigarette, glass marbles, metal coin; 9 inches tall via *Brooklyn Museum* (Gift of the Souls Grown Deep Foundation)

Catch Des Moines: "Faces In The Crowd" Art Exhibit Opening Reception

**MORRIS HIRSHFIELD** Stage Girls with Angels (1945) // Oil on canvas; 127 x 92 cm via *The Zander Collection*

**MARY MAXTION** Mule Quilt (1990) // Cotton blend; 87 inches x 76 inches (221 cm x 193 cm) via *International Quilt Museum*

**JOHANN GARBER** Elephant (1992) // Acrylic and pencil on paper via *Galerie Gugging*

Des Moines Register: Things To Do // "Faces In The Crowd" Art Exhibit

**Q.J. STEPHENSON** Prehistoric Lizard (c. 1980 - 1997) // Wood with sawdust, paint and mixed media; 4 1/2 x 27 1/2 x 15 " via *American Folk Art Museum*

**NICOLE FROBUSCH** Alchemical (2023) // Handmade watercolor on paper; 17.72 x 12.99 inches (45 x 33 cm) via *Cavin-Morris Gallery*

**LEE GODIE** Female Portrait (date unknown) // Ballpoint pen, watercolor and silver gelatin print sewn to canvas 32 1/4 x 20 5/8 via *Toomey and Co*

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FEATURED ARTIST OF THE WEEK

**CHRISTINE SEFOLOSHA** Wheels (2019) // Mixed media, ink on rice paper / Chine collé; 24 1/2 × 32 in (62.2 × 81.3 cm) via *Cavin-Morris Gallery*

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WATCHING AND READING

Here are a few things I’ve been watching this past week:

Here are a few things I’ve been reading this past week:

OH WORD?

» The Best Thing I Ever Thrifted «

One of my favorite accounts to follow, and one of the better Substacks around is the “What’s Left” newsletter from the author of “Big Thrift Energy”, Virginia Chamlee. Not only does she know her way around a thrift store, she has incredible taste and a love for folk and outsider art. See her posts about her Richard Burnside and R.A. Miller artworks.

So when I was fortunate enough to talk to her about my thrift of a lifetime for her “The Best Thing I Ever Thrifted” series I was beyond delighted.

I have found some really cool things in my relatively short career in “thrifting” and collecting antiques and folk artwork. But without a doubt, the best thing I ever thrifted was my prized pig created by the Godfather of New Mexico woodcarving, Felipe Benito Archuleta.

What's Left

The Best Thing I Ever Thrifted With Adam Oestreich

A short while ago, I launched a new series on What’s Left called The Best Thing I Ever Thrifted, in which I highlight the finds of tastemakers, vintage fiends, and generally cool people. The first is…

4 months ago · 6 likes · 4 comments · Virginia Chamlee

You can read the full interview on her Substack, but below you will see a preview of my interview as well as a great photo Felipe Benito Archuleta with my prized pig back in the late 1970s, long before it made it’s way into my life… but I’m sure glad it did.

From Virginia Chamlee:

Here, he tells us about his prized pig — a three-foot-long Felipe Benito Archuleta sculpture he sourced in Iowa that is, he jokingly explains, “both cute and menacing.” (And for the record, similar pieces have sold for as much as $3,500 at auction, so this is one fancy pig.)

ME: “The best thing I ever thrifted was a Felipe Benito Archuleta pig sculpture, created on August 14th, 1977, and found at my favorite antique store in Des Moines, Iowa.

I was running errands with my 4-year-old son, and we stopped at our favorite antique store. It was the place that was packed to the rafters with antiques from all over the world, some of which had probably been on the shelves for decades. We entered the store, and my son immediately darted to the rock-em-sock-em robots. As I began looking at the front tables, I saw a wonderfully dusty and adorable wooden pig sculpture. It was terrifying, but I immediately knew it was special. It wasn’t until I picked it up and saw the red paint on the bottom, ‘F-B-A,’ that I was certain it was a sculpture by the grandfather of New Mexico wood carving, Felipe Benito Archuleta.”

Read the full interview on the “What’s Left” newsletter and be sure to subscribe for all kinds of great thrifting resources.

SHOUT OUT

folkartwork

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Shout out to the one and only Daniel Johnston who’s beautiful spirit left this earth a little over five years ago. One of the most raw and authentic singer/songwriter of all-time and an incredible visual artist. Rest in peace Daniel ❤️

FROM THE COLLECTIVE

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

» MEET THE COLLECTOR SERIES PART SIXTY-NINE — Adam Oestreich, Iowa «

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