Message from the Executive Director Winter 2024

This is the third issue of the 2024 Folk Art Messenger, and we are still excited about the wonderful writers and photographers who contribute their talents to make the Society’s journal relevant, informative, timely, varied and fun! This issue features four exhibitions that you will want to attend if you are anywhere near those venues. Since we are no longer having annual conferences, we promised to inform you of events like these that you can put on your calendar and visit with FASA friends. So, get together a group and support these achievements! We much appreciate the curators of these four exhibitions – Nicole Dial-Kay, Kristin Congdon, Cullen Strawn and Diana Bolander – for their excellent articles.

This winter issue of the Messenger also recognizes two new artists – Acie Brown and Leon Kennedy – as well as longtime favorites Nicholas Herrera from El Rito, N. M. who has an exhibition in Taos, N. M. and the late Mama Girl Onley, from Painter, Va., who is the subject of a 150-piece selection of her paintings, sculptures, furniture and clothing at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., on view until May 2025. In addition to the curators of Nicholas Herrera’s and Mama Girl’s exhibitions (Dial-Kay and Strawn), we thank Catherine Venable and Beth Wiltshire, respectively, for their research on the two new artists.

Plans are being discussed now about a proposed exhibition and symposium on the subject of autism and its relation to folk and self-taught art. As you remember, we have featured the artist Jessica Park many times in the Messenger, as well as Award of Distinction winner John Williams. Acie Brown is one of the headliners in this Winter issue, and the description of his life and his fascinating artwork has opened our eyes to the need and appeal for an informed discussion of autism and its prevalence in today’s society.

Please keep us in mind when you know about exciting and interesting events, such as exhibitions, lectures, conferences and symposiums that we can feature in the Folk Art Messenger and send this information out to all our members!

Another important subject that comes up at least once a year is keeping your membership in the Folk Art Society up-to-date. When you receive the yellow renewal form, please see if your membership in the Folk Art Society has expired, and if so, renew soon to keep receiving the Messenger regularly. It is very difficult to deal with overdue subscriptions, and we don’t want anyone to miss a single issue

The cost of general membership ($35) does not cover producing, designing, printing and mailing the Folk Art Messenger, and if you could contribute more, it would be greatly appreciated. These extra contributions will be celebrated and recognized in the following publication

The goals of the Folk Art Society of America are to help artists and promote their work, to inform our readers of museum and exhibition news,  to produce an historical documentation of folk art, and to keep in touch with the folk, self-taught and outsider art community. We hope that you agree that these are all worthy causes.

With best wishes for the year ahead, and thanks always for your encouragement and support.