Hi everyone. Well, we are disillusioned, disappointed and mad as hell at the state of things in the world, but let's take a moment and look at some art. Maybe we can make it through this newsletter without getting too political. We start our show this month with a lone seagull perched precariously on a bright red pole by Bradford Naugler (b. 1948). Versions of Bradford's seagulls are often found on his table at the Nova Scotia Folk Art Festival, which he has attended every year since it started in 1989. One of my favourites by Bradford was his life size carving of the Obama family. It was the hit of the 2009 festival and was acquired by the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. Bubby Mooers (1925-2002) was born and grew up in Milton, Nova Scotia. His father was well known as a maker of crooked knives which he sold at the woodmen's guide meets across Canada and the United States. The popular knives worn by the Americans were sheath knives, while Canadians wore the crooked knife. Bubby learned to make crooked knives as a boy and started carving small animals and people with the knives he made. We are pleased to feature one of his small carvings of a man in a red shirt. The Canada Gull Boat is a statement that even our birds are standing on guard (darn, I only made it through three paragraphs before making a politically motivated statement). This wonderful piece was made by Prudent Vianneau, an obscure artist from our sister Atlantic province New Brunswick. Prudent filled his yard with seagulls, boats and bird trees on iron rods, repainting them every spring. Elmer Killen (1908-2000) was one of the many artists discovered by Chris Huntington. Elmer, a diary farmer from Halifax County started carving small figures and scenes from memories of his family and community. His figured are often in motion - a dancer, a man playing a guitar or someone churning butter, and the faces on his carvings of people are very expressive. The man reading in a rocking chair, featured this month, is unusual - still and peaceful from a quieter moment. Something we need these days. The incredible totem pole featured this month is over seven feet tall and was carved by Stanley Rector (1914-2020). Stanley lived next to his father Tom Rector, also a well-known folk artist, in Cumberland County, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq people. Stanley, a woodsman, fisher and truck driver was cognizant of our proud Canadian history and his carving of Brian Mulroney, who served as the 18th Prime Minister of Canada, is part of the permanent collection of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. Also featured this month are two speckled fish by Murray Eisnor (1925-2013), from Martins River, Nova Scotia, and a lovely little black pig by Garnet McPhail (1926-2008). Garnet was a decent, hardworking and gentle man from Melanson, Kings County, and we always enjoyed our visits with him. And finally, works from two of our favourite artists, Barry Colpitts (b. 1960) and Charlie Tanner (1904-1982). Charlie Tanner's Woman in Blue Gloves is 13 3/4" tall, one of his larger carvings. Uniquely, it features a singlet instead of a long sleeve sweater. Let's name her Melanie Joly, for our Minister of Foreign Affairs, a strong Canadian woman ready for battle. Beware when the gloves come off. (There, I did it again!) Barry's cheery little yellow bird announces the arrival of spring and brings with it a message that hope lives. Barry was presented with the King Charles III Coronation medal at a standing room only ceremony at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia on March 16, 2025. It was an overwhelming success, and special thanks are due to Senator Colin Deacon, Sarah Fillmore, CEO of the gallery and Becky McKeen for making this happen. Elbows Up.
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GALLERIES
CANADIAN FOLK AND OUTSIDER ARTISTS US AND UK FOLK AND OUTSIDER ARTISTS FIRST NATIONS/NATIVE ARTISTS ARTIST VIDEOS
List of Artists
U.K. Folk And Outsider Artists
Ian Pyper
U.S. Folk And Outsider Artists
Jay Adams Minnie Adkins Alpha Andrews Ken Bass David Butler Don Cadoret Rex Clawson Sybil Gibson Lee Godie Ted Gordon Bertha Halozan Levent Isik David Jarrell James Harold Jennings Shields Langdon Jones John Mason Willie Massey	Thomas May Carl McKenzie R. A. Miller Louis Monza B.F. Perkins Braxton Ponder Sulton Rogers Jack Savitsky Jon Serl Mary T. Smith Rev. L. T. Thomas Mose Tolliver John Vivolo Inez Walker Willie White George Williams Purvis Young
Canadian Folk and Outsider Artists
Donald Armstrong Reynolds Aulenback John Benoit Percy Bezanson Emile Bluteau Donald Boudreau Henry Boudreau Andre Bourgault Garfield Campbell Ken Charlton Edmond Chatigny George Cockayne Barry Colpitts Craig Colpitts Mel Corkum Armand Corriveau Phyllis Cosman Yvon Cote Gerald Croft Harold Cromwell G rard Demers Gilbert Desrochers Clayton Devine Ellison Eagles Collins Eisenhauer Elmer Eisnor Murray Eisnor Ted Evans Brian Fancy Raymond Fancy James Forbes Leo Fournier Murray Gallant Imelda George Alphonse Grenier Wilhelm Hess Scott Higgins Cyril Hirtle Sid Howard Wesley Hubley Kyle Jackson Howard Jasper Laura Kenney Alden Killen Elmer Killen Cleophas Lachance Gordon Law Felicien Levesque Donald Lewis Everett Lewis Maud Lewis	Eddie Mandaggio Donald Manzer Cecil Mason Stanley Mason Joyce McComiskey Herb McDonald Garnet McPhail Bubby Mooers Cecil Mosher George Munroe Walter Myette Bradford Naugler Leo Naugler Ransford Naugler Joe Norris Stephen Outhouse Jean Marc Poirier Patricia Promaine Peter Rafuse Stanley Rector Tom Rector Lorne Reid Ewald Rentz William Roach Mark Robichaud Robert Robinson Jacob Roth Don Sabean Alcide St. Germain Carroll Slauenwhite Joseph Sleep Tony Soos David Stephens Merrill Stewart Ben Stiles Ray Swinemar Charlie Tanner Fred Trask Angus Trudeau Harold (Dick) Tutty Arthur Villeneuve Harold Weaver Clarence Webster Harry Wile Peter Willis Calvin Woodworth Other Artists
First Nations/Native Artists
Isaac Bignell Eddie Cobiness Goyce Kakegamic Joshim Kakegamic Eddie LePage Norval Morrisseau Don Ningewance Carl Ray