Folk Art

Folk art is art made by everyday people. It is passed down through families and communities. Folk art uses simple materials and bright colors. It shows the traditions and stories of a group of people. You can find folk art in every country in the world.

Types of Folk Art

Folk art comes in many forms. Painted furniture, carved toys, quilts, and pottery are all folk art. Weather vanes, decoys, and signs can be folk art too. The art is often useful as well as beautiful. A carved spoon or a painted chest is both art and a tool.

Folk Art Around the World

In Mexico, alebrije figures are painted in bright colors. In Poland, paper cutouts called wycinanki are a tradition. In America, hex signs decorate barns in Pennsylvania Dutch country. Each culture has its own special folk art styles that have been made for many generations.

Fun Facts

• Folk artists usually learn their craft from family members, not in art school.
• Hex signs on Pennsylvania Dutch barns are a well-known type of American folk art.
• Folk art is sometimes called outsider art or naive art.

Did You Know?

Grandma Moses became one of the most famous folk artists in America. She did not start painting until she was 78 years old!