Folk Art in Your Family
Folk art is traditionally passed from one generation to the next and is usually learned by listening or observation. Most often the art has elements of artistic design but often serves a family, tribal, or community function. Do you have a relative who plays guitar and sings songs about their experiences? Do you have a relative or friend who makes quilts? Does someone you know make special food at certain times of the year for special occasions? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you know a folk artist!
Write a paragraph or two about the person, their art, and your experience with it.
You may want to ask them:
How they learned their art?
What it means to them?
Who did they teach?
Sample Answer
My grandmother, Nana, was a folk artist. She was a quilter. She learned to quilt from her own mother and grandmother, and she passed the tradition on to me.
Nana’s quilts were beautiful. She used brightly colored fabrics and intricate patterns. She made quilts for all of her children and grandchildren, and she gave them as gifts to friends and neighbors.
I remember spending many hours in Nana’s sewing room, watching her quilt. She was always patient and kind, and she was always willing to teach me new things. I learned how to choose fabrics, how to cut and sew them together, and how to quilt the pieces by hand.