Stork n' Dorks Vernacular Photograph

Stork n' Dorks spend a day at the beach.  
Vernacular Photograph collection Jim Linderman

19th Century Folk Art Drawing of Bees and their Bee Hives. Collection Jim Linderman

19th Century Folk Art Drawing of Bees and their Bee Hives.  Collection Jim Linderman

Henpecked? Old Folk Art Sculptures of a Family

I was surprised to see the phrase "henpecked" shown in online dictionaries without calling it outdated and offensive slang.  Most words describing women as animals seem sexist to me,  especially "cougar" which is the name of a dating site.  Still with father here clenching his throat and the women in his life twice his size, they might be capable of ganging up on him a bit.  Tallest female is 18 inches while dad is half that.  He isn't "tied to her apron strings" which is another phrase drifting away, I think...but we also have an apron here.  "Led by the nose" hardly applies, as Dad's nose is flat as a piece of plywood. 

Folk Art Family in Original Paint circa 1940 Collection Jim Linderman 

Old Handmade Puppet Head Folk Art Sculpture

Old Handmade Puppet Head Folk Art Sculpture  Collection Jim Linderman

African-American Folk Art Sculpture Lucy Robinson of Baltimore 1921-2012

African-American Folk Art Sculpture by the late Lucy Robinson of Baltimore collection Jim Linderman


Unusual and dramatic work created by the late Lucy Robinson, African-American b. 1921, Baltimore, MD.  Ms. Johnson was self-taught artistically, and she invented a form of sculptural art in which crepe paper was twisted tightly into cordage and applied to bottles, cardboard, tree branches and found objects.  The work here dates to the mid 1970s.  The "God is Love" globe is 1.5 feet tall, and measures some 50 inches around at the widest point.  Much of her work incorporates text, abstracted human figures and design elements of her own creation.  A good share of the pieces are religious.  The artist passed away in 2012, and a relative asked a Baltimore woman to administer the collection.  At the time of the artist's death, an exhibition was being planned, but to this day her work is shown publicly only in offices of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.  These are works the artist gifted to the staff.  

I acquired the works shown (top) from the Phoenix, Arizona based Nowhere to Land shop in Tucson, AZ.  The bulk of the remaining work is cataloged and stored, but at the time of this post several pieces are being offered by the seller HERE.  Among the available works is the enormous "Zodiac Horoscope" globe shown below:

Biographical material below was taken from the Obituary website with minor changes.  It is the most complete information on the artist:

Lucy Ellen Robinson was born in Baltimore, Maryland on June 22, 1921 and departed gracefully on March 4, 2012. She was the daughter of the late Arthur Raison and Alice Beal Robinson (nee Lomax). She was ninety years old. Lucy was affectionately known as "Sister" to her family, friends and everyone who knew her. born in Baltimore, Maryland in the old "South Baltimore," she grew up learning to cook and clean before she could even read. Lucy was the oldest of four children; the lat Alexander Raison, the late Jeanette Robinson, and the late Flora Mae Claiborne. Lucy attended the Baltimore City Public School System but had to leave while in high school to help out at home. this however, did not deter her from her dreams. Lucy worked several jobs while growing up but her passion was art and music. she recorded several songs in the 1070's including a Christmas son song titled, "Daddy, Please come home for Christmas." She also had numerous copyrighted poems and books. Among them were, "The Witch from Creeky Hollow," "The Roach from No Man's Land," "Yes there Is a Better way," "Christ is coming Back Again," and "If I Could end This War Today." In the early 70's while recuperating from a surgical procedure, Lucy developed her own unique form of art. She was able to create beautiful pieces of colorful crafts from recycled materials such as rocks, seashells. empty soda and glass table tops, water-cooler containers and fish tanks to name a few. She would take different shades of crepe paper, transform it into a rope like material by hand, and use her wonderful imagination to turn it into something spectacular. She taught her amazing art form at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School's Summer Arts Program until 1977. Lucy's work has been sold at numerous craft shows and flea markets throughput Maryland, but she was so generous that she gave her art away as gifts. Over the lat thirty-five years she has made and given gifts to too many people to count. Among those recipients were President and Mrs. Barack Obama, governor Martin O'Malley, the late William Donald Schafer, Oprah Winfrey, Ray Lewis, and Dr. Benjamin Carson. Her work adorns the shelves and desk of numerous offices of the Johns Hopkins Hospital, the Afro-American Newspaper, City Hall, and Margaret Brent Elementary School. At the time of her death, she was patiently awaiting a possible exhibition of her work at the Reginald f. Lewis Museum. Lucy continued to create her magnificent and beautiful crafts until her untimely death.



Group of five original works by Lucy Robinson circa 1975 "God is Love Globe" and four vessels.  Collection Jim Linderman

Large Folk Art Hand-painted Sign Jone's Roller Rink

Large Folk Art Hand-painted Sign Jone's Roller Rink Collection Jim Linderman

Antique Folk Art "Dancing Dan" toy 19th Century

Antique Folk Art "Dancing Dan" toy 19th Century  Collection Jim Linderman

19th Century Pen Point Portrait of a Gentleman Folk Art Miniature

19th Century Pen Point Portrait of a Gentleman Folk Art.  A miniature.  Head is 1" x 1".
Collection Jim Linderman

Pair of Antique Croquet Wickets Figural Iron circa 1890

Pair of Antique Croquet Wickets Figural Iron circa 1890 Collection Jim Linderman

Moonshine served HERE Moonshine Party TONIGHT!

Moonshine party!  Original Snapshot no date. The best song about the powerful brew is, of course, that sung by the legendary Possum....George Jones.  For related images of inebriated joy and passion set to music, see the new book THE BIRTH OF ROCK AND ROLL available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and the publisher  Dust to Digital

Folk Art Sculpture Carving of General Pershing circa 1920

Folk Art Sculpture Carving of General Pershing circa 1920 collection Jim Linderman

Blaze Starr Self Portrait RIP Collection Jim Linderman

In case you missed it, A fireball fell on June 15, 2015.  Blaze Starr was 83 years old.  She invented modern burlesque, slept with at least one president and more.  This is a treasured self-portrait she did for me.  They DO still make them like Blaze, but none of them will ever come close.

Self-Portrait by Blaze Starr  Collection Jim Linderman

Bicycle Stunt Snapshot Vernacular Photo

Bicycle Stunt Snapshot Vernacular Photo Collection Jim Linderman

Antique Yard Folk Art of Michigan

Folk Art of Strong Lake RPPC Collection Jim Linderman

Unusual Antique Folk Art Furniture Mirror Stand with Carved Decoration

Unusual Antique Folk Art Furniture Mirror Stand with Carved Decoration.  56" tall.  Circa 1920.
Collection Jim Linderman

The Great American Baseball Game Hustler Toys 1924

The Great American Baseball Game Hustler Toys 1924.  Wooden base, lithographed tin.  Works fine!

Antique Erotic Folk Art Novelty Carving Man in a Barrel

 

Erotic Folk Art Joke Carving Man in a Barrel circa 1920.  

The Saddest School Autograph Book Handmade and Brutal

Not only is this depression era autograph book handmade, it appears a brother and sister had to share it.  That would be sad enough, but the signatures indicate neither were exactly the most popular kids in class.

Painted Silhouette of a Standing Man on Wood. Folk Art Mystery

Painted Silhouette of a Standing Man on Wood.  Folk Art Mystery.  50" x 20"
Collection Jim Linderman

Cropped like a Corset Photographic Manipulation before Photoshop

Here a vintage photograph takes away some curves in an early example of photographic dieting (which shows women have been presented doctored up earlier than one might think.) Actually published photos have been lying all along.  (See my earlier post "Pictures always lie".) Never mind that this photo was likely used to advertise a nightclub performance for men...it is deceptive and as we have long known, demeaning.  One reason I like to tell stories with vernacular photographs is that the professional ones always deceive.  We have always taken it for granted, I guess.  Guess what I just learned?  Advertisements lie too! 

Slim made slimmer for publication vintage photograph, circa 1950.  Collection Jim Linderman  See information on new photobook THE BIRTH OF ROCK AND ROLL HERE.

Blues in Brooklyn African-American Mug Shots from the Collection of Jim Linderman

Real Black gangsters, I guess.  Criminals from the 1950s, but presumed, I am afraid, guilty until proven otherwise. Given attitudes, practices and institutional racism when taken,  these sharp-dressers might have been just walking to work.

Striking Photographs, each near 8" x 10" and each handed back and forth from lawyers, prosecutors, file clerks and now collectors. Another reminder that the photograph was a tool and a physical object which developed surface, wear and form as it aged.

Jim Linderman's newest book of photographs is THE BIRTH OF ROCK AND ROLL and is available from the publisher DUST TO DIGITAL, AMAZON, BARNES AND NOBLE AND OTHER FINE RETAIL OUTLETS.     

Trompe L'oeil Drawing with Real Photo Postcards circa 1910 Collection Jim Linderman

An unusual miniature Trompe L'oeil drawing seems to depict Real Photo Postcards circa 1910.  Trompe L'oeil drawing is intended to "trick the eye" into seeing three dimensional objects rendered in painted or drawn detail.  This miniature drawing shows three real photo postcards atop the cover of a book.  As such, it represents how RPPC images had become common objects early in the 20th century, and also that they were familiar enough to be used by visual artists.  Gems by the Wayside was a collection of religious and domestic poems published in 1855 by Lydia Odell Baxter, an invalid bible student and writer who passed away in 1874. I find no information as to when volume 2 was published.  The signature of the artist is illegible.  The book is only 3" x 4" and the post card "on top" is only 1.5" x 2.5".      Circa 1910 Collection Jim Linderman

19th Century Folk Art Drawing "Twin Angels" Fred Conn 1894 Collection Jim Linderman

19th Century Folk Art Drawing "Twin Angels" Fred Conn 1894 Collection Jim Linderman

Old Folk Art Sign STAR Greenhouses Big Rapids Collection Jim Linderman

Old Folk Art Sign STAR Greenhouses Big Rapids. 55" x 16"  The operation apparently burned down in the 1940s.  Plywood with cutout letters and original paint circa 1940  Collection Jim Linderman

Antique Folk Art Weathervane Original Paint Sculpture with No Head

Antique Folk Art Weathervane Original Paint Sculpture with No Head 
Collection Jim Linderman

Folk Art Man incised on a Brick End of Day Piece late 19th - Early 20th Century Collection Jim Linderman

Folk Art Man incised on a Brick Sculptural End of Day Piece late 19th - Early 20th Century
Collection Jim Linderman

Trojan Horse

Trojan Horse early snapshot.  Collection Jim Linderman

Homemade and Handmade Folk Art Paper Dolls Depression Era

Homemade and Handmade Folk Art Paper Dolls Depression Era Collection Jim Linderman