Original Bibleland in Florida. Real Photo Postcard images of a Folk Art Environment

I seem to collect plywood Jesus images. These come from the original BIBLELAND, a somewhat charming theme park / folk art environment erected by Foy Morse (?) which used to be operated near Orlando in Kissimmee, Florida. Please note these postcards do NOT come from the huge bible land once owned by Trinity Broadcasting Co. and also built in near Orlando. That one was a 16 million dollar debacle with a FIFTY DOLLAR admission price and a massive failure even after former Governor Jeb Bush granted them tax-free status. Florida used to be cute and funny…now it’s just an embarrassment. The sordid story is well reported, so browse one up. I don’t want to link to them. Meanwhile there is virtually nothing written about the original. However, it appears the original one had a “free-will” admission policy. Real Photo Postcards collection Jim Linderman #folkartenvironment. #dulltooldimbulb #rppc

Burl Wood "Sculptures" from the Stump House Folk Art Environment RPPC

Two of my favorite Real Photo Postcards. From the defunct "Stump House" environment which burned up sometime around the early 1960s. Information about the place is sketchy. These big chunks of burl wood were turned into wonderful visual tricks. Check out the wood grain on the fence! Pair of Real Photo Postcards circa 1940? Collection Jim Linderman / Dull Tool Dim Bulb

Young girl in a foreboding Background Foreground Backdrop vintage photograph

Quite a photo setting...a wonderful photograph sent here for my birthday from a collector who has a better eye then I! It looks scary, but she's not alone. There are three other photos showing Mom, Dad and all three together. Vintage snapshot, no date. Collection Dull Tool Dim Bulb

African-American Yard Show Outsider Art Folk Art Environment Assemblage Art Alabama c. 1993

Original photographs of a previously undocumented African-American Yard Show taken in the early 1990's by Mary Klein and Jim Linderman. The gentleman who built the environment, which was nearly as tall as his garage, is today unknown. Somewhere in Alabama, lost in the past. Dull Tool Dim Bulb the Blog.

Rasmus Petersen

Rasmus Petersen stands by his rock garden Statue of Liberty with an odd plaque reading "Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think" for some reason. 

Lonnie Holley Birmingham Alabama Outsider Art Environment Unpublished Photos c.1992

Photographs of Lonnie Holley and his workshop at what has come to be known as the Birmingham Alabama Airport environment.  They date to 1992 or so.  I believe at the time this was both "studio" and home for the artist.

You'll find dozens of his sculptures (made from scrapped foundry sandstone) and hundreds of painted and shaped works of wire, fabric and detritus. It might look ragged, but every thing was purposeful and in place. Something out of a dream. While chatting and touring with the artist, I realized everything was connected through small caves from which children began to emerge.  Beautiful, handsome young children who had been living (or hiding) in their places for safety.  Shy at first, they romped like any kids as they became comfortable with my visit.  

Holley had purchased the land intending to establish it as a refuge for artistic expression.  He was certainly not one short of artistic ideas. Apparently the airport didn't agree and claimed the land. I hope the artist and his family received what was deserved, but it sounded like a land grab at the time. Mr. Holley was and is a genius. This is something I have learned to know and increasingly appreciate over the last 25 years.

A feature article was published by The Guardian which tells his personal story in depth.

ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHS by Jim Linderman Collection Dull Tool Dim Bulb.

Christmas Special. The WORST Folk art Environment EVER. New Jerusalem of Dr. Riker

Joints like this are what gave the state of California their unofficial motto "Land of Fruit and Nuts." Photographs of the Holy City of Father Riker circa 1941. The false utopia was established in 1919 by Father Riker, palm reader and white supremacist Christian.  The worst kind of Christian.  Residents had peculiar sexual rights as well, it seems.  That is, NO rights, as the sexes were segregated. God told him to build the commune into a roadside attraction and to use his cult followers for the tourist labor.  Soon there was a cult-operated gas station, a dance hall and peep show machines.  In 1929 Riker began spreading his gospel by radio station KFQU.  They had their own post office, I presume to send and receive hate mail.

Super racist, the cult allowed no one in who didn't look like them.   A large billboard on your arrival read "HOLY CITY IS A WHITE MAN'S TOWN!  NEGROES AND ORIENTALS KEEP OUT OF HOLY CITY."

Here is a brief quote from Father Riker from his book The Emancipator.    

"The White Man can take care of any and all kinds of business in our own, White Man's California State Home, and no longer will the White Man tolerate your undermining and polluting tactics. Farmers, Business Men and The Workers say: Orientals get out and stay out of our business. Our new Government will see that you get a job. Your polluting, undermining system of business must eternally stop in Our California. And besides this, keep your polluting hands off our White Race Women; they also belong only to the White Race Man. This is the true law of our original White Man's Constitution, these statements explain the real and true spirit of California."

See?  Nut Job and Fruity Pebble.  Father Riker ran for Governor of California four times but thankfully received only 1% of the vote each time.  That would be about the same percentage some of the current "religious right" politicians would get.  NOT…there is a good number of politicians today who seem to think separation of church and state is an obsolete concept.

IN 2016 what remained was purchased by wealthy Scientology couple Bob and Trish Duggan.  They bought the parcel of land where Holy Land stood (and rusted away).  192 Acres!  While the couple is worth BILLIONS (at one time Duggan was the 638th richest man in the world) they paid only 6 million dollars for the big plot near Los Gatos, California.

Jim Linderman books and affordable ebooks are available HERE.

African-American folk art environment Memphis, TN c. 1990

Memphis flash! African-American folk art environment Memphis, TN c. 1992  Photographs by Jim Linderman

The Folk Art Concrete Water Jug of S.P. Dinsmoor Garden of Eden

Anyone who has studied American Folk / Outsider art environments is familiar with Steven Dinsmoor and his Garden of Eden.  This appears to be a less common period image. Apparently, Dinsmoor kept this handmade object at the foot of the concrete coffin he made...in case he had to grab some water. That is if he was going down instead of up.  It's hot down there.  See HERE and elsewhere for more pictures.  Let me know if you find a picture of the jug in place?  You might also enjoy the book / ebook In Situ: American Folk Art in Place by Jim Lindeman.  Available for purchase HERE on Blurb.  
Real Photo Postcard c. 1920 Collection Jim Linderman

Vernacular Architecture Folk Art Environment Unknown Location Vintage Snapshot

Location Unknown.  Snapshot collection Jim Linderman

Folk Art Environment Vernacular Architecture Photograph Anonymous

Folk Art Environment Vernacular Architecture Photograph Anonymous.  A grotto-like installation around living quarters.  No date.  Thanks to BOX LOT on Facebook.
See also the 250 page book In Situ: American Folk Art in Place by Jim Linderman

Wonder House by Conrad Schuck is For Sale in Florida Vernacular Architecture Outsider Art Folk Art Environment

Would anyone like to purchase a WONDER HOUSE?  Conrad Schuck's Wonder House in Florida is available, and you can get "outsider" art at an "insider" price!  Real Estate Listing is HERE.   Dull Tool Dim Bulb Previous Post on the Wonder House is HERE

Mr. Winters Garden Park in Mondovi, Wisconsin. Folk Art Environment Sculpture RPPC

Mr. Winters Garden Park in Mondovi, Wisconsin.  Folk Art Environment Real Photo Postcard No Date Collection Jim Linderman

David Aschkenas Photographer

 

Copyright David Aschkenas

Copyright David Aschkenas

Copyright David Aschkenas

Copyright David Aschkenas

Master photographer and all around great guy David Aschkenas has been an acquaintance for some 15 or 20 years now, I'm guessing…but it took these extraordinary photographs he took on a recent trip to goose me into this post.  Talk about your folk art environments!  Some serious wood!

The photographs were taken near the border of the Czech Republic and Austria.  


The above photographs are not on the artist's website, but they should be.  I'm very pleased indeed David has given me permission to post them here.

Mr. Aschkenas is no one trick pony.  One look at his work will convince you.  I've known David as a consummate collector, but his eye obviously works on each side of the lens, and you'll enjoy browsing his site considerably.  Any artist who favors the work of Weegee and James Van Der Zee is a treasure to me.  His work has appeared in Time, Men's Digest, Stern..you name it. 

To get you started, HERE is a link to his remarkable series titled "Ice Painting" but they are all lovely. 

The artist David Aschkenas has a website with a considerable portfolio HERE

Folk Art What's in YOUR Yard

Anonymous Undated Snapshot Collection Jim Linderman

Domke and Da' Dinosaurs Prehistoric Meat-Eaters in Michigan

Pauldra Domke created a half-Bible, half-Dinosaur theme park on the shores of Lake Huron in Ossineke Michigan. He started in the 1930's. Known affectionately as "Uncle Paul" he delighted in painting gruesome drips of blood all over the big fellas, in particular the dropped Dino plopped on the ground as a wild dog-like creature rips his flesh above. I'm really sorry not to have color postcards! Guess what? STILL THERE.


Collection of Domke Dinosaur Real Photo Postcards, circa 1940. Collection Jim Linderman

"How He Looked" Place your Head Here Remnant

The remaining portion of a "place your head here" box from Holy Land environment in Waterbury, Connecticut.
Original Photograph (detail) Jim Linderman 1994

The Shortest Sermon in History is 500 Feet Long

Fred T. Horton's 500 foot long sermon of rocks, Arkansas City, Kansas.


Original Press Photo, 1925 with crop marks and subsequent clipping. Collection Jim Linderman
(Also posted on Old Time Religion Blog)

Man is Known by his Work - Mr. Ray's tribute to Ruth

Mr. Ray built this glass and cement memorial to his dead wife Ruth in Stephenville, Texas. He began in the 1920's. The large building behind is the American Legion, it remains... but today the only thing left of Mr. Ray's work is the goldfish pond.

Original 8" x 10" photo c. 1940 (detail shown) Collection Jim Linderman