Chicago - Folk Art

Celebrate the whimsical charm of American Folk Art with this hand-carved pine sculpture resembling a baguette, a delightful fusion of creativity and ...

A large 19th century Central American wooden mortar with a beautifully hand-hewn texture and a well worn finish. Mortars like these were used to crush grains, spices, herbs, and othe...

A striking early 20th century Navajo blanket with a bold all-over diamond pattern woven in crimson, white, gray, and black wool.

A wonderful early 20th century Mende handwoven Country Cloth composed of twelve narrow strips of indigo and cream dyed cotton and arranged to create a checkerboard pattern, and hand ...

This is a welded steel sculpture made by furniture creator Jim Rose. It is sustainable design created from salvaged and recycled steel panels left over from his larger projects. These sculptures reference traditional American Folk Art barn...

Characterized by its open shape capped with geometric ends, this bracelet is but one form of the many types of body adornments favored the Fulani people of West Africa. The thick des...

A 20th century American Folk Art hand-carved and painted wood stop sign mounted on a custom steel stand.

Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique and interesting items. Here, a collection of found steel is reworked whi...

Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique and interesting items. Here, a collection of spare parts come together ...

Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique and interesting items. Here, a collection of spare parts come together ...

Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique, interesting items. Here he has welded together various metal pieces to...

Own a piece of Wisconsin's history with this early 20th century hand-painted sign from an early 20th-century chiropractor's office. The sign, found in a barn in the heart of Wisconsi...

Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique, interesting items. Here he has welded together various washers, nuts, ...

A wonderfully sculptural early 20th century American set of 32 steel large drill bits mounted on a wood base, originally used in a workshop, but brought into...

Jim Rose Standing found industrial objects 41h x 10w x 10d in 104.14h x 25.40w x 25.40d cm JR0355 Jim Rose b. 1966, d. 2023 Bio Born in Indiana, Jim Rose lived in Europe until he returned to the United States to attend college. After one year at Bard College, Jim transferred to the School of the Art Institute in Chicago (SAIC) where he graduated in 1988 with a BFA. His skillful interpretation of the Shaker design is a result of intense research and field study of Shaker furniture, architecture, culture and history. After over two decades of dedicated work, he has mastered the minimalism of the Shaker technique and created his own unique visual vernacular. The quilts of Gee's Bend have become a monumental influence taking this artist's work to new levels of unique interpretation and artistry. His selection of aged steel results in a patina directly related to that of aged wood while his colored strips beautifully mimic worn cloth. Each piece of furniture is masterfully made and intended for daily use. Jim Rose’s steel furniture is featured every year at SOFA Chicago for the past 25 years. Jim Rose b. 1966, Wisconsin Education 1989 B.F.A., Sculpture, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL 1988 Student at Large, Welding Technology, Triton College, Chicago, IL 1985 Undergraduate Photography Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York Awards 2008 Wisconsin Arts Board Fellowship Award, Madison, WI. 2005 Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA 2003 Grant Recipient for Shaker Interpretations in Cast Iron, PA Arts Assoc / WI Arts Board 2003 Arts/Industry Residency Program for Visual Artists, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Solo Exhibitions 2017 New Work, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2012 Simply Steel, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI 2007 Variation, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2003 New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2001 Shaker in Steel / New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2000 Shaker in Steel / New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 1999 Hands and Heart to Steel III, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL National Exhibitions 2017-2018 SOFA Chicago – Gallery Victor Armendariz 2016 - 1995 SOFA Chicago, New York, Palm Beach - Ann Nathan Gallery 2011 - 2002 Art Chicago - Ann Nathan Gallery Group Exhibitions 2017 Coming Attractions: Inaugural Exhibition, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2017 Living with Art: The Newman Collection, 108 Contemporary, Tulsa, Oklahoma 2016 Form Follows Function: The Intersection of Art and Craft, The Hardy Gallery, Ephraim, Wi 2015 NEO, Chipstone Foundation, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI 2015 ICFF, Furniture Society, Javits Convention Center, New York City, NY 2013 Vahki Revisited, The Enduring Spirit of a Craft Collection” Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, AZ 2013 Fearless Furniture, Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Indianapolis, IN 2013 Inaugural Exhibition, Museum Wisconsin of Art, West Bend, WI 2012 Sitting Pretty: Furniture from RAM’s Collection, Racine Art Museum, WI 2011 Hiding Places: Memory in the Arts, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, WI 2010 Living with Art, Strohl Art Center, Chautauqua Institution, NY 2009 Summer in Wisconsin, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2009 High Honors, James Watrous Gallery, Madison, WI 2008 Second Lives: Remixing the Ordinary, Museum of Art and Design, NY 2007 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Art Association, Jackson, WY 2007 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, TX (traveling exhibition) 2006 Show us Your Drawers, Herron School of Art, Indianapolis, IN 2006 Marriage of the Minds, Fairfield Center for Contemporary Art, Sturgeon Bay, WI 2006 27th Annual Contemporary Crafts, Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, AZ 2006 Containers of All Dimensions, Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, AZ 2005 Transformation 5: Contemporary Works in Found Materials, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA 2004 Right at Home: American Studio Furniture, Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. 2004 American Collections, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI 2004 More Than Drawers-Wisconsin Cabinets, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI 2004 Objects of Wonder, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI 2003 Planting, Potting and Pruning, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, WI 2003 Men at Work, Miller Art Museum, Sturgeon Bay, WI 2002 Case Pieces: Contemporary Studio Furniture, Elvehjem Museum of Art, Univ of WI-Madison 2002 Sitting Pretty: Contemporary Wisconsin Chairs, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI 2001 Anything with a Drawer - Award Recipient, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ 2001 23rd Annual Contemporary Crafts - Award Recipient, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ 2000 New Talent in Craft, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, Wisconsin 2000 Who Knows Where or When, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, Wisconsin 1999 The End is Near! Artists look at the 20th Century, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, WI Selected collections Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. Racine Art Museum, Racine, Wisconsin Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, Arizona The Museum of Arts and Design, New York, New York John Michael Kohler Art Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Kohler Company, Kohler, Wisconsin Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock, Arkansas Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Indianapolis, Indiana The Chipstone Foundation, Fox Point, Wisconsin Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, Wisconsin Publications “Selected Artists of Door County” Stonehill Publishing, 2016 “Galvanized Chest” Door County Living Magazine, Autumn 2012 “100 Artists of the Midwest” Schiffer Books, 2012 “Piecework” American Craft Magazine, February 2012 “Hiding Places, Memory in the Arts” John Michael Kohler Arts Center, June 2011 “Second Lives, Remixing the Ordinary” Museum of Arts and Design, NY, August 2008 “Studio Furniture” Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, DC, May 2008 “Discoveries by Designers” Architectural Digest, December 2005 “Contemporary Metal Furniture” Metalsmith Magazine, Winter 2003 “Studio Case Furniture: The Inside Story” American Craft Magazine, October 2002 “Contemporary Studio Case Furniture: The Inside Story” Elvehjem Museum of Art, 2002 “Chicago Style...

Nearly six feet tall, this one-of-a-kind sculpture is created from carved wood and vibrant multicolored lacquer. Bright reds, blues, greens, yellow, orange and black. Signed "J.A. Bi...

Marked by the telltale Bamileke rounded disc seat and base, this stool features a group of pondering human figures as its vertical supports instead of the more common abstract carvin...

This four-sided brass face bell, known as omo, was created by an artisan of the Ijebu Yoruba People of Southern Nigeria. A mark of the wearer's rank and power, the bell would have be...

This abstract stone sculpture is a funerary marker of the Bura people of the Niger/Mali region. Little is known about the Bura civilization (c. 200 to 1000 AD), but it shares many of...

Jim Rose, known primarily for his steel furniture, was an avid collector and scoured salvage yards for unique and interesting items. Here, a collection of spare parts come together ...

A wonderful and charming early 20th century American bush plane model constructed with painted canvas stretched over a wooden skeleton, and mounted on a custom steel mount.

This is a welded steel sculpture made by furniture creator Jim Rose. It is sustainable design created from salvaged and recycled steel panels left over from his larger projects. These sculptures reference traditional American Folk Art barn house models or bird houses. This sculpture works alone on a shelf or table or can be grouped with other house sculptures by the artist. Each house sculpture is unique in design and color. Jim Rose Structure #168 found steel with natural rust patina and paint 6h x 4.50w x 2.50d in 15.24h x 11.43w x 6.35d cm Jim Rose b. 1966 Bio Born in Indiana, Jim Rose lived in Europe until he returned to the United States to attend college. After one year at Bard College, Jim transferred to the School of the Art Institute in Chicago (SAIC) where he graduated in 1988 with a BFA. His skillful interpretation of the Shaker design is a result of intense research and field study of Shaker furniture, architecture, culture and history. After over two decades of dedicated work, he has mastered the minimalism of the Shaker technique and created his own unique visual vernacular. The quilts of Gee's Bend have become a monumental influence taking this artist's work to new levels of unique interpretation and artistry. His selection of aged steel results in a patina directly related to that of aged wood while his colored strips beautifully mimic worn cloth. Each piece of furniture is masterfully made and intended for daily use. Jim Rose’s steel furniture is featured every year at SOFA Chicago for the past 25 years. Jim Rose b. 1966, Wisconsin Education 1989 B.F.A., Sculpture, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL 1988 Student at Large, Welding Technology, Triton College, Chicago, IL 1985 Undergraduate Photography Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York Awards 2008 Wisconsin Arts Board Fellowship Award, Madison, WI 2005 Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA 2003 Grant Recipient for Shaker Interpretations in Cast Iron, PA Arts Assoc / WI Arts Board 2003 Arts/Industry Residency Program for Visual Artists, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Solo Exhibitions 2017 New Work, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 2012 Simply Steel, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI 2007 Variation, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2003 New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2001 Shaker in Steel / New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2000 Shaker in Steel / New Work, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 1999 Hands and Heart to Steel III, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL National Exhibitions 2017-2018 SOFA Chicago – Gallery Victor Armendariz 2016 - 1995 SOFA Chicago, New York, Palm Beach - Ann Nathan Gallery 2011 - 2002 Art Chicago - Ann Nathan Gallery Group Exhibitions 2017 Coming Attractions: Inaugural Exhibition, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2017 Living with Art: The Newman Collection, 108 Contemporary, Tulsa, Oklahoma 2016 Form Follows Function: The Intersection of Art and Craft, The Hardy Gallery...

Sometimes called a "Bura bell" due to its shape, this sculptural terra cotta object was part of the Bura tribe's burial ritual. Buried with its flared mouth facing down, this cylindrical storage...

The traditional form of the Senufo currency bracelet is stripped down in this more minimalistic version. Two gracefully upswept bands join to form a ...

Stamped and cut polished metal tribal mask. Foliate headdress, pierced and plated lower lip with pierced ears joining together in a necklace. Three dimensional with lacquered black b...

Dated to the 19th century, this flat wooden panel is curiously etched with geometric patterns and dense triangle-work. Its original use remains unknown, perhaps it was a divination tool, a traveling game board...

Richly textured with whimsical appeal, this late 20th century wooden crow is a delightful example of naive American sculpture. Poised mid-caw, the crow's wings are outstretched, read...

Detailed and eye catching outsider art "found" wood sculpture. Constructed from floor moldings and cut paper geometric appliques. Unsigned.

Hand-carved from reclaimed wood, this rustic koi sculpture recreates early 20th-century Chinese folk art designs. The fish is carved with a squat, rounded body and finished with colo...

Equisite pair of cast brass Carnivale masks mounted on black marble plinth bases. Very nicely patinated.

The Nupe people of Nigeria were touted as some of the finest ceramicists in Africa. Everyday objects, like this water vessel, received detailed attention. The vessel's varied texture...

The works by Barbara Sorensen depicted in the image are three stoneware wall plaques from her "Shield Series," inspired by the weathered surfaces of stucco farmhouses in the Pyrenees...

This large wooden mortar dates to the late 19th century and was originally used for crushing rice, grain, spices and other foodstuffs. Carved from a single tree trunk, the mortar has...

This unusually-shaped carpet is known as a "makden" and was originally used by a nomadic traveler as an artful covering for his horse. Placed between the saddle and the horse, the makden cushioned the rigid saddle and kept the horse warm in cold climates. Most under-saddle carpets...

This unusually-shaped carpet is known as a "makden" and was originally used by a nomadic traveler as an artful covering for his horse. Placed between the saddle and the horse, the makden cushioned the rigid saddle and kept the horse warm in cold climates. Most under-saddle carpets...

To cure mental and physical ailments, Yoruba priests and diviners invoke the aid of Osanyin, the god of herbal medicines. Used in divination rituals to cure the afflicted, this iron ...

Vintage U.S. WWII Era Boeing PT-17 Stearman Wood Propeller Decorate your living room, restaurant, hotel or lounge space with this exquisite memorabilia. This wooden propeller is fro...

This painted mask was created by the Yoruba People of western Nigeria, and was worn during a tradition known as Gelede. A blend of ritual and artistic spectacle, Gelede pays homage to the women of their Community, understood to possess spiritual powers capable of the benefit or the destruction of society. The Gelede masquerade is an opportunity to honor or condemn behaviors within the Community, through dance, art, satire, and poetry. Worn by veiled dancers, Gelede masks...

Stamps, or sellos, such as this one were common during the pre-Columbian period in Mesoamerica and most popular during the Formative Period that spanned the years between 1200-800 B....

Pair of Murano glass carnivale masks. Handblown and molded gold flecked black cased glass with infused colorful circular details.

A rare imported commodity, glass beads have been a symbol of wealth and importance in south African cultures for centuries, and were exclusively distributed by the region's oba (king). As beads become gradually more accessible throughout the 19th century, they began to displace the organic materials used in traditional art and attire. This colorful example of African beadwork...

This 19th-century walking stick from northern China is comprised of a length of thin bamboo that has been steamed and bent into a hook shape. The bamboo segments are painted in alter...

Torcida by Elena Rakochy , Glazed Stoneware Composed of Rounded, Flat and Hexagonal shaped elements juxtaposed with some twisted portions for a dynamic contrast. Artist Bio and State...

The Borana Oromo people of southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya are historically a cattle-keeping culture, and each household keeps a number of traditional vessels for storing and ch...

The figurative sculptures of the Baule peoples of Cote d'Ivoire are recognizable by their strong, gently curving forms and serene composure. This figure of a woman was carved to repr...

To cure mental and physical ailments, Yoruba priests and diviners invoke the aid of Osanyin, the god of herbal medicines. Used in divination rituals to cure the afflicted, this iron ...

With one of the highest rates of twin births in the world, Yoruba cultures place special social and religious significance on twins, referred to as "emi alagbara" or "powerful spirit...

Beautifully knotted of vegetable-dyed wool, carpets by the nomadic peoples of Tibet, Mongolia, and northern China decorated every aspect of life with bright color and rich symbolism. Unlike those of the Chinese weaving...

This intricately-constructed colorful train was painstakingly created by Yoruba artisans in Nigeria in the mid-20th century. Recent designs such as this were based upon sashes that s...

The Djerma people of Niger are well-known for their gracefully shaped and delicately painted water containers. The surface paintings are applied after firing with all natural pigment...

This hand carved 20th century wooden staff, was crafted in the style of the Tabwa people located along the southwestern shores of Lake Tanganyika. The handle is finely decorated with...

The Nupe people of Nigeria were touted as some of the finest ceramicists in Africa. Everyday objects like this elegant, cylindrical vessel support received detailed attention. This f...

A rare imported commodity, glass beads have been a symbol of wealth and importance in south African cultures for centuries, and were exclusively distributed by the region's oba (king). As beads become gradually more accessible throughout the 19th century, they began to displace the organic materials used in traditional art and attire. This colorful example of African beadwork is a fertility doll...

This wooden headdress was created by the Yoruba People of western Nigeria, and was worn during a masquerade known as egungun. A widespread Yoruba ritual, egungun performances honor a...

This intriguing head fragment was once attached to a bust or full effigy figurine crafted in 400 A.D. Mesoamerica. Earthenware figurines were made in great abundance throughout Teotihuacan's history. After 250 A.D. objects made from clay increased dramatically in Teotihuacan, serving a wide variety of purposes and functions from religious rituals to burial offerings. Figurines like this commemorated important people and events within the city of Teotihuacan and other parts of Mesoamerica, portraying individuals of different rank and status such as soldiers, merchants, bureaucrats, and occasionally divinities. This figure is adorned with an elaborate headdress, a thick beaded necklace...

Time honored texture and form define this Senufo sculptural object. The abstract etchings were achieved through a process known as scarification. The artisan meticulously traced and ...

Mari Simmulson (1911-2000) for Upsala-Ekeby, Sweden. Large ceramic figure of a woman. Hand-decorated with white, black and cobalt blue (hands and face unglazed). Model 9032M. Appro...

Abstract and sculptural, this wooden form demonstrates the timeless appeal of African art. Hand-carved to an hourglass shape, the unusual figure is actually a grinding mortar, compri...

To cure mental and physical ailments, Yoruba priests and diviners invoke the aid of Osanyin, the god of herbal medicines. Used in divination rituals to cure the afflicted, this iron ...

To ward off evil and exert positive influences on the spirit world, the Baule people engage in a daylong masquerade known as the Goli. A sequence of four masks are donned during the ...