Jim Linderman blog about surface, wear, form and authenticity in self-taught art, outsider art, antique american folk art, antiques and photography.
Blanch Ackers African-American Artist from Arkansas, Michigan.
Blanch Ackers moved from Arkansas to near Detroit, Michigan in 1943. In 1985 she found employment in a Foster Grandparent program and was introduced to art by Christine Hennessay, an art teacher. She was over 70 years of age when her first drawings were produced. Essentially "memory paintings" the work reflects strongly the African-American experience in the Southern United States where she spent her childhood.
Blanch Ackers passed in 2003 at the age of 88. Ms. Ackers has a wikipedia entry, and her works are held by the University of Michigan Art Museum
Blanch Ackers. Five untitled drawings, c.1990 Collection Jim Linderman
True Crime Dull Tool Dim Bulb. Lurid Drawings by a Young Woman Underworld True Crime Stories
Two lurid drawings by a young woman in 1947. These come from an album of original art (and a few tracings?) with the initials M.R. Lets assume these two weren't drawn from life. There were dozens of true crime pulps during the era, although most confused "true" with "fiction." Dad must have had these issues around, but Mom surely read them.
Back to School Drawings. Students from the 1950s draw the Family at Dinner collection Jim Linderman
Well, the assignment is "My Family at Dinner" and the paper is manilla. I like to think of these drawings as being on the cusp of perspective. Being only an amateur scholar of children's art, I can't evaluate these much, but it appears ta few of the artists might need a bit of attention.
C. 1950 Children's drawings from a classroom, ages up to 11 years old. Collection Jim Linderman / Dull Tool Dim Bulb