Accidental Mysteries, 07.29.12

In 2008, I was lucky to have spotted several drawings on eBay by an anonymous man who was only described as “having been a patient at the State Lunatic Asylum in Nevada, Missouri around 1905.” Intrigued, I called the owner who eventually agreed to sell me the entire notebook of over 200 drawings. At the time, the only identity the anonymous patient had was a name he wrote on one page, “Ectlectric Pencil.”

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Accidental Mysteries, 07.22.12

This past week I had the great fortune to spend some time at The Gregg Museum of Art and Design at NC State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. There I was able to peruse a magical exhibition entitled Barkcloth, Bras, and Bulletproof Cotton: The Powers of Costume. The diversity of the show was intoxicating. One minute I was mesmerized by a Thai gangster vest, covered with mystical, tattoo-like drawings, and the next I was viewing a 1960s hot pants ensemble.

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Accidental Mysteries: 07.15.12

Bill Traylor was born a slave in 1854. He lived on George Hartwell Traylor's plantation in Benton, Alabama long after he was freed, eventually migrating to Montgomery in the mid-1930s. It was there that Traylor began to draw, always from memory — the animals, people and events he recalled in his life. With a sure hand and a minimalistic style, Traylor developed a self-taught visual vocabulary that has been applauded, written about and collected by major museums.

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Accidental Mysteries: 07.08.12

Street posters, the kind of flotsam that exists near busy street corners, on light poles, walls — anywhere and everywhere in cities large and small, are easily overlooked unless you slow down and take an interest.

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Accidental Mysteries: 07.01.12

One of the most recognizable faces in American history is that of President Abraham Lincoln. From the most solemn and respected paintings and statues in Washington, DC to humble folk art carvings, Lincoln has been the subject of our affection since his assassination in 1865. Today, with Lincoln being depicted as a vampire hunter, I decided to take a look at Lincoln as others have depicted him.

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John Foster and his wife, Teenuh, have been longtime collectors of self-taught art and vernacular photography. Their collection of anonymous, found snapshots has toured the country for five years and has been featured in Harper’s, Newsweek Online and others.

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