Folk Art American Folk Art became a very important genre over the last half of the 20th century. Interest in folk art has continued to grow into the new millennium. Important creators of folk art like former slave Bill Traylor, William Edmondson, Sister Gertrude Morgan, Clementine Hunter and many others have paved the way for such contemporary folk art icons as Mose Tolliver, Jimmie Lee Sudduth, and Bernice Sims. This form covers a large spectrum of work, from painted quilts to wood carvings, from acrylics on canvas to wooden spirit sticks, from collages made of old watch parts to statues made of sackrete.
Expression is the main focus.
The use of old cast off materials characterizes a large portion of the work produced in America. This can be traced to both a growing awareness and concern for the environment, and necessity. Materials at hand are generally used simply out of the need to create. Untrained as they are, these special people do not consider themselves to be artists at all. Mose has never had any lessons and would not accept an offer from his former boss to pay for them.