You can find many different definitions of "folk art," primarily because it is a term that is used to describe many different types of art. A "strict" definition describes folk art as "art made by people who have had little or no formal schooling in art...with traditional techniques and content, in styles handed down through many generations, and often of a particular region." Most definitions of folk art specify that the art is produced by "common folk" with little or no academic art training. A more general definition from the museum network of the UK defines folk art as "art and objects made by people who are not artists, using styles and materials from where they live." For the purposes of our weekly assignment we will use the more general definition, since it allows us to include things like the quirky "farm implement" art in the front yard of the strange guy down the street.
(Hint: carved pumpkins might be considered "folk art" if we stretch our imaginations.)
This assignment is designed to be one of our "fun" assignments, while at the same time recognizing that creating a pleasing image of "folk art" might challenge your composition skills. Please upload your images to the "Folk Art" album in the Weekly Assignment category of the Gallery no-later-than midnight, Mountain Time (GMT -07:00) on Sunday, 1 November 2009.
I'll look forward to seeing your images.
Keith
