11.04.2008

You say you want a revolution . . . well, you know . . . we all wanna' change the world.

As a continuation of Small Works Folk Art Week, today I picked a few pieces of patriotic-themed folk art to help you get excited to go to the polls. Patriotism and US History seem to be common subjects for folk artists. I guess love of country is a universal emotion and one that people are eager to express (and some of us don't ever wear lapels and therefore don't ever wear lapel pins. Which does not make us less patriotic.)

Did you know that, long before women could vote, they were expressing their political views in their quilts? Some are thinly veiled and some are blatant, but I find all to be fascinating. I probably would have been one of those women. Thank goodness we have the vote now, so that I can spend my time making people with a variety of strange and wonderful heads instead.

So without further ado (we've had enough ado waiting for Nov. 4 to roll around), on with the show!


Commemorative Patriotic Quilt, Mary C. Baxter
New Jersey, 1898




Lady Liberty, Artist Unidentified
New Hampshire, 1875




Flag Gate, Artist Unknown
New York, 1876



Malcah Zeldis
Oil on corrugated cardboard, New York, 1987



George Washington
Andrew Johnson, 1985




Uncle Sam (Blow Oskar)
R. A. Miller, 1989



Lady Liberty in Teal & Purple
me, 2004
(bad scan - sorry!) Iraq war protest piece































2 comments:

Hannah Francis said...

I was just catching up on your blog-- mom, I think you poo amazing--everything you do is exceptional, even an online journal. And I was really impressed that you figured out how to link to prof. harold. Leaf man made me sooo happy-- and it was wonderful to see some friends from the folk art encyclopedia-- used to be on the book shelf but I think it is on the table by the rocking chair now?...anyways-- it is sooo nice for me to read your blog and get to see so many old friends. I used to love looking through the folk art books when I was younger and I remember all those drawings. I realize this is weird, brcause they should have scared me as a kid, but i always liked them...that may say something about my creep factor(well-- i did voluntarily pencil on a unibrow...but that is beside the point...) Loooove reading your blog and feeling like I am at home again!

susan m hinckley said...

Hannah -- Glad to have you at home on the blog! I wish you were at home in my house . . . When I voted today I could see in the registrations that you had voted by absentee ballot and I had to brag to the lady about my responsible college daughter! Because I know it involved going to a notary, and I know just how that kind of thing pushes our buttons -- well done, you!

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