Folk art can be anything, made by anybody – it’s simply things made outside the traditional concepts of ‘art’ and ‘artists’. As a result, its histories are often unknown. In the UK, ‘Roses and Castles’ art is associated with painted narrowboats, from the mid-19th century, a style thought to originate in the Midlands, while the carved and decorated Vardo – the Romani Gypsy caravans – often include motifs inspired by nature and animals, as well as flowing scrolls. Fairground art also frequently includes some of these elements.
Floral folk art traditions can be found all over the world, from Germany to Turkey to Bangladesh, while a specific style of decorative painting called ‘Petrykivka’, is linked to a village of that name in Ukraine.
On Instagram, @thefolkarchive is a good source of inspiration,…
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The Simple Things (Digital) - 1 Issue, August 2023