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Journal about My Folk Art

Folk Art Meaning

Folk art is a common form of art that many people have and may not even realize it. Folk art as,
artistic works, as paintings, sculpture, basketry, and utensils, produced typically in cultural
isolation by untrained often anonymous artists or by artisans of varying degrees of skill and
marked by such attributes as highly decorative design, bright bold colors, flattened perspective,
strong forms in simple arrangements, and immediacy of meaning There are different types of
folk art, including: painting, architecture, sculpture, and printmaking.
Experience in Folk Art
Like I stated in the first paragraph, many people have folk art and dont even realize it. I am in
this generalization of many people. Before this assignment, I had heard the term but didnt
truly know what folk art was. I learned that folk art can come in many forms and is based upon
where you are from and your culture. A piece of folk art that I have inherited from my
grandfather is a very old teacup from England. My family heritage is English.
Engaged in Folk Art
I have engaged in folk art when I attended Music Fest in Bethlehem, PA. Music Fest is a huge
festival where people of all heritages join together and play their music. There are popular bands
that play as well as individuals who play on the sidewalk. Not only do people play music, but
people set up stands to sell things (food and art) from their personal heritage as well. Some of the
things I have seen sold there are paintings, hand-blown glass, t-shirt art, and an assortment of

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food like gyros, fish and chips, ice cream, and so much more. It is a family tradition to go and
spend a day there each year and it is one that I would recommend to anyone in the area.
Value of Folk Art
The value of folk art for me and children is to become aware of everyones heritage and how it
effects their learning. We have learned throughout this course that culture is imperative to a
classroom learning environment. As a teacher, it is important that I know about my students
heritage and family life in order to maximize their learning. I think that each child should have
the opportunity to share a piece of folk art or engage in folk art that depicts their heritage. In the
classroom during different times of the day, I could play music from a variety of heritages. Folk
art holds high value not only to the teacher, but the students as well.
Folk Art of my Cultural Heritage
As I stated earlier, I am English. The folk art from my cultural heritage that is important to my
family is decorative teacups. Often as a child, we participated in family tea parties and each
person in the family holds a special place in their heart for tea. I have inherited a teacup from my
grandfather that is very old and made in England. The design on it is beautiful and meticulous.
Through some research to find out more about the folk art from my English Heritage, I have
found that many pieces of art were made and presented/displayed at things called fairs in
England in the 1800s. These fairs were primarily to sell livestock, but people came and
displayed their artwork and creations. For many years in the mid 1800s to early 1900s folk art
became a lull in England and came to a rise again in the 1950s. During this time it was a
celebration to the end of WWII and the folk art was created to look into the present and future
instead of looking into the past.

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Picture of Folk Art