Thomas Chambers is one of America’s foremost folk artists. I found a piece by him that I just don’t like very much. It is a bit austere for my tastes. The subject is a fishing scene with villagers and boats. I don’t think that I will purchase this folk art painting because I just don’t like it.

There was a folk art painting I found called Alligator Fisher that was painted in 1940 that I really like. The blue of the bayou is very calming and the trees give it a very Southern feel. There is a swamp house in the painting and I like this one very much. It reminds me very strongly of Louisiana.

My mother started this passion of mine for folk art paintings. She had a folk art painting by John Roeder in our parlor growing up. I used to spend hours just staring into it. The trees were so relaxing to lose myself in. I have asked her to give me this wonderful folk art painting many times, but she says that I will have to wait until after her funeral!

I found one folk art painting during my journey that I felt sad every time I looked at. The name of the painting is A Letter from My Mother. The look in the girl’s face is so serious and sad. I have no idea where this folk art painting should hang. The painting itself is magnificent; it just makes me feel sad.

There is a whole subset of folk art paintings that represent black Americana. I don’t usually buy any of these pieces as they don’t speak to my experience. I did find one piece that I purchased for a collector friend of mine that loves this type of art. The folk art painting had a whimsical feel to it and a woman relaxing in a hammock. He hung this in his hallway and has loved it for a long time.

My brother likes folk art paintings as much as I do. He prefers animals to be the subjects of paintings he purchases. I found a lovely clouded leopard folk art painting for him last Christmas and he has asked that I keep my eyes open for more like it. He said that he will buy any art I find for him because he trusts that I know and understand his tastes.

I have kept my eyes open for animal themed folk art paintings for my brother, but I just can’t seem to find any as nice as the leopard that I got for him. The grand extent of animal themed folk art paintings I’ve found recently was a painting of two owls on a limb and I know that he would not like it. Ever since we were kids, owls totally freak him out.