What is Folk Art?
Everyday people creating extraordinary works of art—this is the basis of folk art. Folk art relies on experience, community, and heritage rather than formal training. It is art that is felt rather than taught. Deeply rooted in tradition, folk art is an artist’s feelings, ideas, expressions, and customs brought to life.
The term “folk art” was used during the 1700s and 1800s to describe art made by craftsmen, manual laborers, peasants, tradespeople, and working-class folk. These artists were untrained or had very little schooling in fine arts, but some had practical skills that they learned on the job, such as painting signs or houses. Folk artists today continue to be everyday folk who use their acquired skills—and their imaginations—to ...
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