Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Outsider Art




Some of you may have noticed that I have had a hard time blogging the last few months. Part of the difficulty for me has been the feeling of being an outsider, in my own country and in the world.


Oddly, not writing so much poetry has led me to do more visual art work (a real bit of grace.)  Here, the feeling of being an outsider has been very freeing since (with no real training), I have very few expectations about my visual art. 

There is actually a long tradition of outsider art in the visual arts, that is, of unschooled  artists making of a body of work; Grandma Moses was a famous outsider artist; Simon Rodia of Watts Tower fame another.

So, the prompt today is based on the idea of the outsider.  You can approach this from any direction you wish--an outsider as refugee or exile; an outsider at a party or at school or from a clique.  

You could also use the prompt to try to write as an outsider--like someone unfamiliar with the established tools of writing (an “outsider literary artist”.)  Or you could write about simply being outside, that is, in nature.

Finally, you could use this as an ekphrastic challenge and just write about a picture made by an outsider artist. 


 Since I feel like a bit of an outsider in the art world, I offer some of my drawings for use.  Please feel no obligation to use one, but if you do, please do credit me (Karin Gustafson--all rights reserved.)  Or credit whatever outsider artist that you use. 



Most of all, have fun.  And for those who have been working on a poem a day--you are almost on the other side of that challenge!  Congrats!














18 comments:

Jim said...

Good Morning!! It's either morning or late night.
Karin, I love your drawings and have 'borrowed' the three I like best, at least best for my writing. Thank you, I gave you credit.
..

Anonymous said...

&>%!: />.\/: ;)

Marian said...

I love these drawings, Karin. Thank you so much for sharing them. I've been very happy to read and share with you this month!! Grateful for you. M.

Outlawyer said...

Thanks so much, Marian, Paul and Jim! And Michael too, of course. k.

Magaly Guerrero said...

Dearest K,

I love your prompt and the inspiration behind it. I ended up writing a poem inspired by one of my own pieces, but your 4th and 5th paintings were in my mind, too, while I wrote it. There is something about the expression on the woman's (plant) face that tells me she has lessons to teach. The face of the 5th painting left me thinking that she is seeing something not everyone sees.

Thank you for the prompt. And have an awesome Wednesday!

Sanaa Rizvi said...

Loved the prompt, Karin ❤️ sharing my poem 'Cold whispers' will be back to read and comment shortly after dinner. Day 26! Woooo hooooo ❤️

Susie Clevenger said...

Oh, I understand the creative struggle. Actually before the April poem challenge I was fighting for every word to form a poem. So love and appreciate your art. I chose the potted plant drawing. It sparked a bit of humor in me.

Anonymous said...

was tempted by that last drawing but went my own way in the end as all outsiders do. Great prompt - impressive collection of outsider artwork

Outlawyer said...

Ha, thanks. k.

Kerry O'Connor said...

Grandma Moses' life is so inspiring.. a lesson to all who embrace artistic expression regardless of age and training.
Thanks for sharing your work with us today, karin.

Outlawyer said...

Hey Kerry, I find her work very beautiful also. There's a kind of sweetness to it. Thanks. k.

brudberg said...

I love the drawings Karin... I took both an outsider view and one of the pictures...

De Jackson said...

Awesome prompt! Thank you!

Rosemary Nissen-Wade said...

I loved the beautiful artwork too, but in the end I too went my own way, glad for the opportunity to tell the story.

Anonymous said...

A lovely and interesting story too, Rosemary-- thanks for participating. K.

Angie said...

Thanks for your Outsider Art Karin. I think I got kinda weird with it. :/

Anonymous said...

I love this prompt, and your drawings are amazing. <3

Outlawyer said...

Thanks so much, Esther. k.