The Last Thing that You Acquired #29  

thanks Woody!
🙂 next up will be the carpet I bought but it stinks to high heavens, so I'm having it cleaned first. On one of my very first posts, someone commented on the hideous rug in my living room! So, hopefully this will get the seal of approval. and yes, the table is in very nice condition.

Hi woody.
A friend who collects folk art has a few Chicken George paintings (and perhaps a sculpture?). Simply wonderful.
Your friend,
Aunt Mark

and phonegirl...
That table qualifies as "table porn"!
Best,
Aunt Mark

George
Looks like he is indeed formally trained (MFA from University of Texas). It also looks like he refers to himself as a folk artist.
http://www.redarrowcontemporary.com/newredarrow/George_Zupp.html

hmmmmm
I guess any artist is allowed to refer to himself as whatever he or she chooses, but you are right in that it blurs (or waters down) the meanings of these terms after awhile. (I have heard some pretty weird self-descriptions by artists in my time!)
It is interesting that given his education, George still chooses to call himself a folk artist. You never know if someone is an art school casualty or what. Or if he gave the mainstream a good try, failed, and then went another route.
Its all fine and understandable though. Trying to make ANY career in the arts is no easy task. False starts and changes of approach (and philosophy) are not uncommon.
I just like to come to a place where I know what an artist's premise is, and what makes meaning for a particular artist. Knowing the back story makes it a bit easier to get a sense of an artist's authenticity, or lack thereof.
In graduate school we argued for much of the time about the terms "artist" vs "careerist". (As if being one made you more or less "pure" than being the other) How would wanting to make a living from the art change ones choices? Or would it change anything at all? We all have our different standards.
But its an interesting question when you apply it to outsider or folk art.
As you said woody, it's a bit of a built-in contradiction. Especially when an outsider or folk artist starts to gain some traction with an audience.

Aunt Mark,
I love teak trays fitted with glass dishes. Now you must serve smørrebrød at your next soiree! And schnapps! Or aquavit! Or maybe they drink beer with smørrebrød, I forget. And invite me! The Danes fill those serving dishes with chopped fresh herbs and condiments. You need some little spoons and spreaders for them, too. (I have a teak lazy susan with 7 round dishes which I got for $7 at an auction years ago. I adore it.)

Why thanks *spanky*!
and you're invited anytime.
Best,
Your Aunt Mark

In Texas, folk art is..
folk art is like country music, my generation an X'er slacker type like to wallow in the past, folk art is regionalism its crude, sentimental and stupid. i like folk art., watch my video below, you might get an idea as to what i think about the trained eye finding folk outsider artist, cheers GZ
(edited by DA - link fixed)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oA1Gk_ZEzJI

Ha! Aunt Mark!
You guys crack me up sometimes. I must admit, I read a small group of people's posts here and feel like I have a bit of a sense of "who's who". Cool people, and thanks for making me welcome.

GZ - But I like beer too
your link aint workin'
but YOUR eye is trained. Faux Folk?
country music soars

trained = socailized
after being in the art biz most of my life, when i hear of the term untrained or outsider, all i can think of is the army of pickers excited to capture the unique production by an artist who will just give there work away. For me folk art is a popular term. Me and Red have sought over the last 10 years to reclaim the word from crafters who have rendered the term meaningless. Years ago i came to the idea about the folk art buyer or outsider buyer or seeker, like myself, a sentiment they might feel " i can observe you(the artist) but if you see me(the collector), i won't look at you cause i am the only one who sees blind people" get it.
I am a Texas psycho/expressionist fanship artist mainly, Folk art is my get out of Jail free card. cheers you might like this vid below TA ta
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D6PL26KEm0

Thanks GZ
You do some good work, and I do appreciate your production and work ethic.
What comes to mind after viewing the video:
1) As artists, we certainly do create and choose our own dilemmas.
2) The artist has a LOT to do with the way his/her work gets assimilated into the world (or not). We choose our poison once we make certain choices.
3) Ebay is a weird place. Certainly not a test for what is good art. Only a test for what sells. (I say this knowing nothing about your history with ebay, but I heard you refer to it many times, so now I am curious) Pickers are what you are gonna get on ebay. So if you despise pickers, why are you selling there?
4) You seem to worry too much about your monkey. (Did Charlie Sheen paint a monkey? Who cares.)
5) Who made your video? Not the monkey!
6) How did you find your way here to Design Addict? Long time lurker? Or did woody give you a heads up haha ?
Thanks again. Good to see your work!
KEY, PAT IT. (Keep at it)

ebay ahhhhhhhhhh
yea ebay i want to stop posting its a love hate relationship but i have picked up some good people over the years and its gotten me out of some jams, plus its fun, i have had several viral auction , i like to blog on there in the auctions, the idea of bad folk art a painters adventure.,
i don't mind the picker , heck they do the work of getting stuff and round things up and protecting art pieces that might have been destroyed.
they are like treasure hunters, i understand that,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxCAUEzB8Q8

GZ
Thanks for making an appearance on our little forum and adding to the discussion. It's always nice to hear directly from the artist. The Red Mud video is quite amusing, and I am intrigued by the "rivalry". I do love the monkeys and will surely be looking out for more of your work.

snap!
I liked that youtube video.
Hi,
Aunt Mark