Lauren Leja Storywear at the Elusie Gallery in Easthampton, MA

Artist Lauren Leja expands the concept of the book and writing. Her incessant coating of objects with hand-written text is less about obsession than hard work and persistence. The result addresses concepts of context, story and object. I like it. For this show, sculptural objects are transformed with the written words of an institutionalized man to his brother. The work will be showing at the Elusie Gallery in East Hampton, MA with an opening April 11, 2024.

Rover the Folk Art Dog by Jim Linderman

This little dog holds a story and some advice. The dog, once named “Rover” passed through my hands 25 years ago. While in line for one of the (now) legendary Pier Shows in NYC I was chatting with a folk art dealer. We were both there early and sharing strategy. I said I always look at the small things first. He said he always looked at the big things first. Back then either strategy worked well. We both usually found things worth buying, as those were really great shows. It was the early 1990s and the perfect time to be shopping for whatever. Around the same time I went to one of the gigantic Atlantic City toy shows. It was huge, filling the cavern of the same place which held the Miss America pageants. There must have been a million toys on display. There among a pile of used Pez dispensers was the the little dog. I paid something like ten bucks. Imagine my surprise when I got home and consulted my library. There was my new little dog illustrated in the book “The All-American Dog: Man’s Best Friend in Folk Art” published in 1978. Obviously somehow Rover had gotten lost, shuffled and separated. I don’t have the book any longer…nor do I have the dog. I think I know who owned him before he ended up in a toy store but I’m not going to repurchase the book to help me remember. I in turn traded him to a departed folk art dealer hundreds of miles away for piece of equal value a few years later. He named him Rover and he was a great guy. Somehow decades later he appeared on the 1st Dibs website where he was again sold. We all sold too cheap. I don’t know where he is now. The lesson? Look at the small things at antique shows, and If you own a piece of folk art which has appeared in a book or show, put a label on him. Your dog could get lost. Photo of Rover from the 1st Dibs website. Dog now in a private collection somewhere. https://www.1stdibs.com/.../unusual-dog-folk.../id-f_519899/ Jim Linderman Dull Tool Dim Bulb

Easter. The Empty Tomb folk art environment of B. F. Perkins

Reverend B. F. Perkins was a veteran and a preacher. B.F. stood for Benjamin Franklin. He built this tomb in Bankston, Alabama near the Heartline Assembly Church of God where he preached. His concrete interpretation of the empty tomb has the open door and gourds for birds. Rev. Perkins was patriotic and steadfast In his belief. I have read that his 5 acre grounds of church and tomb are gone. B. F. Perkin’s Empty Tomb, early 1990s original photograph Jim Linderman

Herman Bridgers Repurposes a Coca Cola Slow School Crossing Sign

Artist Herman Bridgers of North Carolina created the astounding sculpture on the left (which I believe was a yard sentry) by repurposing a Coca-Cola “Crossing Guard” sign from the mid 20th century. Unfortunately the crossing guard (Slow School Zone) tin man has been reproduced and now turns up along with other crappy fake signs on eBay. No one will be able to reproduce the one Bridgers made (which is now in a prominent collection) Dull Tool Dim Bulb.

Antique Folk Art Drawing 19th on hand stitched fabric Young Woman and Man. Collection Dull Tool Dim Bulb

Young woman and man hand-drawn on stitched fabric,19th Century Folk Art. Signed on reverse Elsie Larue Moyer. Collection Dull Tool Dim Bulb.

Rattlesnake Sculpture from Texas.

On reverse “1090 Rattle Snakes represented in this design to be seen at Buckhorn Saloon. San Antonio, Texas” “Combination Design representing the emblem of American and Mexican Eagle Made entirely out of the Rattles of the Diamond Back Rattlesnake to be seen at Albert’s Buckhorn Saloon” and "Indian Heads" There were apparently 12 different post cards of the establishment sold as a set in 1920. They were subsequently republished by a different printer as well. These 1920, published by Nic Tengg. Rattlesnake sculpture. Pair of original post cards 1920 collection Jim Linderman / Dull. Tool Dim Bulb

World's Largest Last Supper made of Buttons ! Norman C. Engler of Arkansas

One never knows where a postcard will lead. In this case, to a rendition of the last supper made of buttons. Thousands of them! The piece is 88” x 30 inches. Created by master button artist Norman E. Engler. His son Peter Engler helped create a web page with a dozen of other creations, including a pioneer wagon train made of 25000 buttons! Original real photo postcard “Where-Away” Home of the world’s largest button mosaics collection Dull Tool Dim Bulb. Photo of Last Supper from Button Country website: https://www.buttoncountry.com/Z%20old%20site/MosaicIndex.html

19th Century Folk Art Drawing Civil War Vet with Determination

I love amateur artists who draw their own frames. It’s like they know they deserve one. This wonderful little folk art drawing depicts what appears to be a wounded civil war vet (with a kepi cap) determined to climb a sledding hill. The 19th century drawing was found in Maine, and sure enough a tiny sign to the right indicates his destination is “sargeants 1 mile.” Turns out Maine has a Sargeants Mountain in the Arcadia National Park. He is determined AND ambitious! Bonus points here for the face on the moon, and on the left the Big Dipper! A great folk art drawing loaded with cultural content and only 4” x 6” 19th C. Pencil drawing collection Jim Linderman / Dull Tool Dim Bulb

Moses Ogden New York Folk Art Sculpture Outsider Art Real Photo Postcard dated 1916

A truly extraordinary Real Photo Post Card of the Moses Ogden folk art environment dated 1916. Turned up by Natalie Curley. I was hoping the indistinct writing would reveal a first person impression of his folk art environment but all I can make out is “given to (???) 1916” written along one border, and the equally indistinct caption on the photo. It seems to identify the place as “Ogden’s Curios.” The place was in Angelica, New York. I am not sure if this view has been published before. Great find! I believe the first national publication to reveal Ogden’s sculptures was, of all places, Popular Science September in 1917. Numerous books have shown examples of Ogden’s work and scholar Tom Patterson tells his story in Raw Vision magazine Spring 2023 Real Photo Postcard collection Dull Tool Dim Bulb

Ted the Teddy Bear Receives Repairs

We had some surgery on Ted, single family owned for over 50 years. Amateur repairs had given him a character we wanted to preserve. The empathetic and talented Montanna Winskas did the job! Highly recommend her skills! Ted c. 1965 collection Dull Tool Dim Bulb the Blog

Wayne B. Blouch "Men Conducting business" 19th century folk art Drawing

Wayne B. Blouch "Men conducting business" 19th century folk art Drawing Collection Dull Tool Dim Bulb

Vintage Folk Art Puppet Head late 19th / early 20th century

Vintage Folk Art Puppet Head late 19th / early 20th century. "Hair" is wool. Collection Jim Linderman Dull Tool Dim Bulb

D. C. Nolan. Outsider Art. Photo Brut or mere Hoarder?

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Black History Month original snapshot photographs from the book The Birth of Rock and Roll by Jim Linderman

Untitled (anonymous) From a set of ten snapshots, c. 1950-1960 collection Jim Linderman (From the book The Birth of Rock and Roll) #blackhistorymonth #snapshot #dance #vernacularphotography.

The Election of 1936. Amateur hand drawn Broadsides from Both sides

This pair of hand drawn amateur broadsides from the 1936 election reveal political discourse is nothing new. The stakes were high then too…but fortunately Roosevelt won (and the world was saved with help from our European allies). NATO, anyone? I had to censor a shameful racial epithet (from the Republican advocate (of course) but otherwise things are about the same. Handmade political broadsides with drawings 1936. Collection Jim Linderman Dull Tool Dim Bulb.