It has been one of those summers where the outside world keeps elbowing its way in. Between the soccer matches, the latest talk of tariffs, and the drift of wildfire smoke, there is a lot of noise out there right now. In the middle of all that, folk art keeps doing what it does best: pulling us back to earth. Robert Danielis has long been a master of rural storytelling with a soft edge of humour, and his new piece, Bringing Home the Bacon, finds him in full stride. A moose in snowshoes trudges through the drifts after a dangling carrot; a plump pig rides in a sled under a fur throw like some winter dignitary; and a cheerful old fellow in red long underwear steers the whole improbable parade. It is playful, chaotic, and unmistakably Danielis. Cape Breton has always produced folk artists whose work feels stitched right into the life of the place, and Sid Howard sits squarely in that lineage. He carved for the pure pleasure of it, shaping animals with a plainspoken affection that aimed to delight rather than impress. The wall-mounted deer head we have in the gallery right now was carved in 1989 and quite possibly once hung in his own home. It carries that familiar Howard style. It's a little rough, and it still manages to catch the quiet dignity of the animal. We also just brought in an early Elmer Killen that has all the easy charm you hope to find in the older work. At just eight inches tall, this little figure is pure character, settled into a finely made chair and drifting into whatever tune he's teasing from his fiddle. You can almost smell the pipe smoke as he leans in, one eye on the strings and the other keeping quiet tabs on the room. The hair has that familiar Killen confidence, a few strokes giving shape and life, and even the tiny lace holes in his shoes carry the same careful hand. Seasoned eyes will spot it right away. Ben Stiles carved people the way many folk artists carve memory: neighbours, family, churchgoers, men he worked beside, and the figures who made up the everyday theatre of rural life. That is why his work, including this wonderful wedding couple, feels instantly familiar. The pair carries humour, weariness, pride, and quiet gossip, all tucked into the tilt of a mouth or the way a painted eye seems caught mid-thought. Stiles wasn't inventing characters so much as honouring the ones already around him, and his carvings remain deeply rooted in the world he moved through. We are also pleased to offer rugs by Ernest Raymond Scott and Lydia E. Clarke Scott, the celebrated Gagetown Hookers. After the loss of their Summer Hill farm to federal expropriation, Lydia encouraged Raymond to return to hooking, and together they developed a distinctive partnership: she designed the scenes and chose the colours, while he brought each one to life. Their joyful pigs, cows, and farm tableaux became highly sought after, especially after Maine dealers Larry and Jean Dubord discovered their work in the early 1980s. These pieces rarely surface close to home, and the examples we are offering have never been used and remain in pristine condition. This exceptional hand-carved maritime diorama by Cape Breton folk artist Herb McDonald shows his mixed-media ingenuity at its best. Carved with a basic jackknife, the scene follows two fishermen in a yellow dory navigating choppy, wave-crested water as they pull in their catch. McDonald adds shaped metal fragments that become the silvery fish caught inside the twine net. It is a resourceful and unmistakably maritime piece. Henry Boudreau built his work around small carved scenes finished with the stitched clothing his wife, Gevee, made for each figure. Drum Solo shows a seated player working away on cans of beans, a modest moment shaped by Henry's carving and Gevee's cloth work. Hope I Get $1.00 shows a figure trying to pull out a tooth by tying a string to a rock and throwing it. A rare team by Martin Rogers has also just arrived, a carver whose work turns up so seldom. This detailed pair of horses looks solid and work ready, carrying the weight and quiet strength of real working animals. Hand carved and fully outfitted in an intricate leather harness with painted on studs and tackle, it is a remarkable example of his style. Finally, a new arrival has just landed in the gallery: a carved wooden bust by an unknown artist, topped with a real Armed Forces helmet and carrying enough weight to make you think twice before lifting it. It is a striking piece, formal in its suit and tie, quietly expressive in its carved features, and marked by a long crack down one side that adds a touch of humour without taking anything away from its dignity. It has real presence, and it is available now at the gallery. Stay safe everyone. | ||
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| GALLERIES | ||
| List of Artists |
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| U.K. Folk And Outsider Artists
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| U.S. Folk And Outsider Artists |
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| Canadian Folk and Outsider Artists |
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| First Nations/Native Artists |
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