folk art

Mermaids Delight At Cape Cod Museum

Filed under: Art

Cape Cod in the summertime is an artist's paradise and the Cape has a long tradition of many artists. One of the most classically Cape Cod artists is Ralph Cahoon, a native Cape Codder whose legacy lives on at the Cahoon Museum of American Art in Cotuit, Massachusetts. A new exhibit at the museum, "Chasing the Mermaids," is dedicated to Ralph and his wife, Martha Farham Cahoon. The museum is their former home and studio, a Colonial Georgian home that was built in 1775.

Cahoon was born in Chatham in 1910 and died in 1982. His graceful mermaids in fantastical scenes often featuring clipper ships and hot air balloons were some of his most popular and well-collected works. The exhibition which is currently on and runs until September 19 features more than 50 works across four galleries that are arranged in mostly chronological order with some paintings with similar themes gathered together. The paintings were gathered from collectors for the exhibit.

Ralph and Martha Cahoon began as furniture restorers and decorators, painting folk scenes on trunks, tables and other pieces. When an heiress asked the Cahoons to make framed pictures to sell in her gallery their art career took off. First lady Jacqueline Kennedy even bought a pair of the paintings in 1961. The Cape Cod Times reports that the highest selling price for a Cahoon painting was $179,000 in 2000.

[via ArtFix Daily]

Tags: cape cod, folk art, museum exhibit, museum exhibition, ralph cahoon

Malibu Colony Folk Art, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

I'm showing you this one simply for the decor. This home in the Malibu Colony in California is completely devoted to the world of folk art and Americana. Look beyond the decor and it seems to be a fairly nondescript though lovely white and bright contemporary California home. Slate and hardwood floors and a shiny new kitchen add to the appeal. There are three bedrooms including a second story master suite. It also features ones of the oddest toilet paper racks I have ever seen. The home also has a private pool and spa. This home is listed at $5.5 million.

Gallery: Malibu Colony Folk Art

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Tags: california, estate of the day, folk art, luxury real estate, malibu colony, MalibuColony

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Hollywood Director To Sell Haitian Art Collection

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

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Oscar-winning film director Jonathan Demme ("Silence of the Lambs") is an avid collector of Haitian art. Demme, who has made several film documentaries about Haiti, is selling 300 of the folk art pieces he has collected at an auction by Slotin Auction in Buford, Georgia on November 10. The sale will be dedicated entirely to self-taught art, including masterworks by more than 400 folk artists with Demme's collection being featured as a major highlight. The work shown above, "Seven Headed Lion Beast With Ten Horns" by William Blaney is estimated to sell for $15,000-$20,000.

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Tags: art, auction, folk art, FolkArt, haiti, haitian art, HaitianArt, jonathan demme

West Coast Weather Vanes

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

Forget the basic rooster weather vane, West Coast Weather Vanes creates weather vanes in a variety of shapes including the Burmese mountain dog, charging bull, red-tailed hawk, gargoyle and more. The weather vanes are all made by hand by a small workshop of master craftsmen. Some of our more elaborate weather vanes can have over 75 individual pieces and take over a month to make. The company also follows a classic weather vane tradition for luck. They seal a penny from the year it was made inside the weather vane before the two halves are joined together. The Cheshire Cat weather vane shown here sells for $1295 in the small (one foot) size and has a gold leaf smile.

[via Architectural Digest]

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Tags: cheshire cat, decor, design, folk art, weather vanes, WeatherVanes

Americana Week in New York

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

If you are into American antiques, then your travels should definitely take you to New York City in the next few weeks. The second half of January is Americana week (it's actually more like two weeks). The city is host to a variety of shows and auctions during this time period, including the Winter Antiques Show at the Seventh Regiment Armory and events at local museums such as the American Antiques Show at the Folk Art Museum which includes a gala benefit where Martha Stewart will receive this year's American Spirit Award. Antiques and the Arts has a comprehensive listing of upcoming events

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Tags: americana, antiques, folk art, museums