Folk Art resulted from an evolution of eighteenth and nineteenth century folk art forms that included woodcarvings, grave decoration, quilting, ceramics, basket weaving, and ironwork. The origins of these earlier forms are specifically and undeniably African, modified in the new work by the experience of Blacks in an alien culture. Documentation attests to the fact that African slaves began to fashion art works shortly after their arrival in this country during the early seventeenth century. The earliest art produced by Blacks in America was folk art.

Folk art in its broadest sense means art derived from a people, or folk, as distinguished from the products of professional artists. A brief description of folk art is that it comes from groups of people who live within the general framework of a developed society but who are, for reasons of geographical or cultural isolation, largely cut off from the more advanced artistic productions of their time. It is the art of peasants, shepherds, sailors, fisherfolks, artisans, and small trades people who live away from cultural urban centers in nations that are not heavily industrialized.

Folk art consists of products of distinctive style made according to local tastes and to suit local needs. Objects of furniture, tools, clothing, housing, musical instruments, weapons, religious figurines, and household utensils are some of the works to which the term folk art may be applied. The most easily distinguished characteristics of folk art as a whole relate to materials and techniques. Most commonly used were the natural substances that cane readily to hand.   Although various materials that have little or no place in sophisticated art, such as straw. Tools were usually few and often multipurpose: delicate cut paper designs were often executed with clumsy sheep shears; and in woodwork, chip carving and notch carving were widely used. The folk artists evolved simpler methods of their own. Cut tin, in silhouette shapes or decorated by hand painting or pricking.

Folk art is by no means restricted to characteristic regional groups or rural arts. There are various folk manifestations within an urban environment, particularly in connection with the celebrative arts, which have a strong traditional hold. Folk art reflects conventional, proverbial wisdom, old superstitions, sentimental themes, and religious beliefs that have long since ceased to be orthodox in the larger society. Folk art also is much taken up with celebrating the major acts and events in people's lives such as births, baptisms, birthdays, marriages, funerals, and anniversaries along with such communal activities as planting and harvesting and the routine of daily work.

There are many types of folk art such as paintings, sculptures, and
architecture. Painting: while the grand masters executed murals and paintings to be hung on walls, folk artists found many more outlets for the artistic imagination. Walls were frequently decorated with geometric or floral designs and sometimes with scenes. They also painted on external walls of houses, barns, and other buildings. Because oil paints and canvas were too expensive, ordinary house paint, chalk, or charcoal normally replaced oils; and linen, silk, cotton fabric, wood or paper replaced canvas.

Folk art sculptures served both utilitarian and decorative purposes. Any number of household utensils were carved in the shape of persons or animals: knife handles, candlesticks, table legs, and bottles.

Quilts

Faith Ringgold's began her career over thirty-five years ago as a painter. Today, she is best-known for her painted story quilts. Her quilts combine painting, quilted fabric, and storytelling. Like many generations of black women in the South, Ringgold engaged in the art of making patchwork quilts.(Ringgold, Bio)

Still a common practice among rural Southern Black American women, quiltmaking is not traditionally an African custom. It is possible that it is closely realted to the African tradition of decorative textiles. These quilted patterns are passed down from one generation to the next. Most of her patterns, such as "Swatooth," "Single Chair," "Double Chain," "Pineapple," "Wedding Ring," "Rising Sun," "Triangles," and "Lone Star" are geometric. Other patterns, like "Crazy Quilt," combine scraps of materials of various sizes and colors in irregular arrangement.

Another famous Black American quilt artist is Harriet Powers. Her so-called "Harriet Quilts" depart from the typical geometric patterns. The quilts were fashioned in the 1880s, and fortunately they were well-documented and information about her was too. This collection can now be seen at the Smithsonian Institution and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

As the wife of a farmer, following the emancipation, Harriet Powers took up quiltmaking as a hobby. In 1886, at a "Cotton Fair" in Athens, Georgia, Harriet's work was first referred to. It was a vivid interpretation of Biblical scenes from the Old and New Testaments. Its major colors are very eye-catching. Bright pink as the background and green strips outlining the compartments and border. The quilt begins with the garden of Eden, and ends with the Nativity, eleven scenes in all.

Whether it is the quiltwork of Faith Ringgold or Harriet Powers, it all originated in the same place and has continued to flourish for many generations. The ideas for these quilts came form past events as well as life expereinces. To look at these quilts is not only to look at a piece of art, but is also a view into the past.

Bibliography

Bishop, Robert. Folk Painters. New York: E.P. Dutton, 1974.

Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia. Copyright O 1994,1995,1996

Livingston, Jane. Black Folk Art.. Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi.   1982

Ringgold, Faith. Faith Ringgold. http://www.artincontext.com/artist/ringgold
Accessed:  3/19/98.

Seven Southern Quilters:  Harriet Powers. http://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG97/quilt/harriet.html
Accessed: 3/19/98.

Faith Ringgold's Website

Harriet Powers