Folk Art Paintings

Artist Comments
Artist Jessica JH Roller paints a playful portrait of a king toad surrounded by white daylilies. "He lives in a quaint cottage alone, but he has a human friend ...

Artist Comments
"Just off Brady Street, in Milwaukee’s East Side, there used to be a place with class and style," says artist Leroy Burt. The store was a treasure trove of vintage goodies that were as fun to dig through as to wear. The shop was full of clothing, shoes, jewelry, and bags, some dating back to the golden days of the 40s, 50s, and 60s. The ceiling was pink and covered with toys, trinkets, signs, and other captivating eye candy.

About the Artist
Artist Leroy Burt paints playful, offbeat landscapes and portraits based on his experiences living in Milwaukee, New York, Costa Rica, and currently Rochester, Minnesota. "I think of my paintings as short stories," he says. As a young child, Leroy faced a number of obstacles. His parents divorced when he was four years old and he was raised by his grandparents in a three-room shack without running water or electricity. Leroy worked hard to pull himself out of poverty. He studied graphic design and painting, which led to a 30-year career in graphic design - five years at WMVS, the PBS television station in Milwaukee, fifteen years at city hall in Milwaukee, and ten years at WNET, the PBS station in New York. In 2015, Leroy retired to focus his energy on painting. Today, he works from a tiny studio filled with half-finished paintings stacked against every wall. "There are photos and sketches for future paintings taped everywhere," says Leroy. "My windows are filled with orchids. There are books, films and music CDs in every corner. And the room is dominated by a black and silver Andy Warhol silkscreen...

Artist Comments
Artist Sharon Sieben presents a woman assuming a confident stance and comfortability with the status quo. "It is a good thing to take an occasional time out to ...

Artist Comments
Artist Jaime Ellsworth captures a clever brown dog skillfully balancing a red ball and a black bird on its head. With curious gazes, the critters turn to their right as if something has piqued their interest. The two-tone backdrop of ochre and moss green sets the stage for this endearing scene.

About the Artist
Jaime Ellsworth paints animals. Her career as a cowhand never got off the ground, so she stumbled into art never knowing it would complement her passion for animals so completely. Most subjects are her own, but lately she has expanded out of her corral to include bears and beasts not commonly seen on San Juan Island, in the Pacific Northwest, where she's lived for the last 30 years. She suspects it will be years before she runs out of inspiration or has jeans that aren’t covered with paw prints or paint.

Words that describe this painting: dog, bird, ball, whimsical, happy, playful, animals, acrylicpaint, portrait, profile, primitive, animals, primitive, acrylic painting, brown

Dog Ball...

Artist Comments
Artist Johansen Newman depicts a portrait of Timothy from the book "Nothing Here to See" by Kevin Wilson. "This reminds me of my own experiences as an only child, when my room was my headquarters and the things inside were my comrades-in-arms for navigating the world of grownups," shares Johansen. In the painting, the boy finds comfort in his stuffed animals, using them as a shield from the people around him.

About the Artist
Artist Johansen Newman captures various characters through charming scenes that often weave nostalgia. A reflection of her fondness for edge and funk prevails in her dynamic portrayal of humans with animals and objects of their affection. As a toddler, her mother gave her crayons and allowed her to draw on the walls of her room. She pursued a degree in painting and printmaking, then furthered her education by studying with Bil Baird at his puppet theater in New York, ultimately forming her puppet troupe. Years of crafting puppets, designing scenery, writing stories, and performing shows developed her arsenal of skills—going on to be an award-winning fiber artist exhibiting throughout North America. She integrates these learnings into her current art practice. "My paintings capture fragments of a tale in a time and place that was, is, or has the promise to become," says Johansen. She works at her studio and display gallery at Gorse Mill Studios, a 19th Century textile mill building in Needham, MA. Her woodworking shop doubles as her home studio, where she constantly evolves her compositions to satisfy her aesthetic. Johansen's work has been featured on the cover of local publications, in pictorial essays, and toured museums across the United States. She was a professional and published illustrator for more than 35 years, including two dozen children's books, three of which she also wrote. Besides creating art, she finds herself an enthusiast of vintage collectibles, jukeboxes, signages, tin toys, neon lights, cookie jars, carnival chalkware...

Artist Comments
Artist Johansen Newman presents a portrait of a child in a lavishly decorated room. The girl wears her finest dress while clutching onto her rattiest stuffed animal. With her defiant stance, wild hair, and choice of stuffed animal to hold, Hannah seems to be crying out, “You can dress me up and put me in the parlor, but you can’t make me a girly girl.” The painting reminds Johansen of her childhood when she resisted the effort of adults to define how she should look and act.

About the Artist
Artist Johansen Newman captures various characters through charming scenes that often weave nostalgia. A reflection of her fondness for edge and funk prevails in her dynamic portrayal of humans with animals and objects of their affection. As a toddler, her mother gave her crayons and allowed her to draw on the walls of her room. She pursued a degree in painting and printmaking, then furthered her education by studying with Bil Baird at his puppet theater in New York, ultimately forming her puppet troupe. Years of crafting puppets, designing scenery, writing stories, and performing shows developed her arsenal of skills—going on to be an award-winning fiber artist exhibiting throughout North America. She integrates these learnings into her current art practice. "My paintings capture fragments of a tale in a time and place that was, is, or has the promise to become," says Johansen. She works at her studio and display gallery at Gorse Mill Studios, a 19th Century textile mill building in Needham, MA. Her woodworking shop doubles as her home studio, where she constantly evolves her compositions to satisfy her aesthetic. Johansen's work has been featured on the cover of local publications, in pictorial essays, and toured museums across the United States. She was a professional and published illustrator for more than 35 years, including two dozen children's books, three of which she also wrote. Besides creating art, she finds herself an enthusiast of vintage collectibles, jukeboxes, signages, tin toys, neon lights, cookie jars, carnival chalkware...

Artist Comments
"She emanates an aura of quiet strength while maintaining a delicate presence at the same time," says artist Sharon Sieben. She captures a woman mid-stride, wit...

Artist Comments
Artist Jaime Ellsworth paints a portrait of a long-legged horse adorned with distinctive white markings on its legs and muzzle. Jaime uses bold black strokes to...

Artist Comments
Artist Sharon Sieben paints a portrait of a nude woman in a calm morning scene. "It captures that first moment when she pushes the blanket away and contemplates...

Artist Comments
Artist Nick Bontorno displays four horses grazing in a wide field. The muted background directs the focal point toward the charcoal...

Artist Comments
A colorful scene of a busy street in San Jose, Costa Rica on a hot January morning. "One of the fascinating things about San Jose is the contrasts between the old and the new," says artist Leroy Burt...

Artist Comments
Artist Libby Ramage shows a father and daughter being swept away by the beauty of the autumn leaves. "They try to grasp that which is beyond their size," says Libby. A horse gallops forward, representing the fading summer days. She chooses highly saturated colors to enrich the intensity of the moment. "Nature looms large in this artwork."

About the Artist
Libby Ramage infuses a playful and whimsical mood into her works. In fact, she credits the children she works with for greatly influencing her aesthetic. She often uses children’s abandoned work in her collages. Libby currently lives in New Jersey and finds inspiration in the work of Rauschenberg. She believes collectors should buy from the heart.

Words that describe this painting: man, daughter, fall, autumn, season, mixed media, small, leaves, people, horse, primitive, primitivism, nature, people, primitive, acrylic painting, orange

Falling Leaves...

Artist Comments
Artist Libby Ramage presents an autumnal scene marked by large leaves falling from the sky. "As the sun fades, a young boy becomes the man," says Libby. Showing...