American Folk Art Museum

  Freedom 
  Originally uploaded by juggernautco.

Today I went to the American Folk Art Museum, and here are some notes:

Saw an amazing painting by Ammi Phillips, Girl in Red Dress With Cat and Dog, which actually has its own stamp. It's a flat, perfect canvas.

Saw a finely woven rug made of Wonder Bread packaging by from the 1930s.

Saw some great prisoner art, including Devil House by Frank Albert Jones and stuff by Martin Ramirez.

Cool rug by Kathyanne White who does intense things with fiber.

Learned how Cray-Pas was invented so as to give Japanese children materials to create free, expressive art circa 1920 instead of the intense copying that had been dominant. Had no idea.

Saw lots of stuff by Henry Darger, a fellow weird Chicagoan I've long admired for his intensity.

Good stuff.