"Amidst the clamour of many kinds of art made by many kinds of people in a small province, one type seems to have arisen to claim Nova Scotia for itself."

There are two types of folk art in Nova Scotia, the historical and the contemporary. Historical or traditional folk art is no longer widely practiced - a victim of changes in technology and society. However, a contemporary art practice known as "folk art" is currently flourishing in Nova Scotia. While contemporary folk art shares certain features of the traditional, it is nevertheless a distinct phenomenon. And although the term "contemporary folk art" can be seen as contradictory, so is the art which it describes. Indeed, many experts dislike the term "folk art" altogether.

What is contemporary folk art, who is producing it, and who is supporting it? Will contemporary folk art sizzle, then fizzle, like every other "hot" art movement of the 20th Century, or is it more of a long term phenomenon? It is generally agreed that the historical definition of folk art (art which "...is rooted in life patterns of ethnic groups and fills a traditional need by catering to long established "tribal" customs") is no longer applicable. With radical transformations in society, technology and culture in the 20th Century, community needs and stories changed, resulting in the decline of traditional folk art.

Duck decoys are a good example. Hunters gradually stopped carving working decoys when affordable, mass produced ones appeared in stores. Although decoy carving is still practiced as a hobby, it is no longer connected to the seasonal, communal necessity of shooting ducks for food.

Another example can be found in decorated objects made in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia in the 19th Century. Terry Kobayashi and Michael Bird have researched Germanic influences in Lunenburg and the resultant use of 'traditional motifs of stars, hearts and whorls". in a wide variety of functional objects including sail cloth mats and gameboards. Many of these objects were exhibited in a 1985 AGNS show entitled "Spirit of Nova Scotia - Traditional Decorative Folk Art 1730 - 1930"

Although traditional forms of folk art are generally a thing of the past, the term continues to be used enthusiastically by contemporary folk artists, and by the dealers, collectors, and institutions that support and promote them. Even many experts who dislike the term use it in the absence of a better one. Contemporary writers have proposed a variety of alternative labels including: "amateur art, vernacular art, primitive, provincial, and people's art as well as self-taught art", all of which carry their own unique shades of meaning.

Nancy Tousley notes: "'Folk' and 'Outsider' effectively impose masks on the wearers by keeping them at a distance and signifying that they are not like us, even though they inhabit, reflect and produce the same culture" However, in the foreword to the same catalog, Jean Blodgett concedes that although the classification is problematic, there seems to be no widely agreed upon alternative.

One of the undisputed strengths of folk art is it's often rough hewn, whimsical, down to earth appeal. According to Digby carver Stephen Outhouse, people buy his work "because they are hungry for simplicity". However, while it is true that folk art can be charming, quirky and whimsical, this does not preclude challenging content, nor does it negate dealing with darker themes.

Figurative sculpture, especially woodcarving, is widely practiced. All three Naugler brothers, Garnet McPhail, and many others carve lifesize figures from wood, a cheap, plentiful material. Garnet McPhail cuts his own pine logs from a family woodlot nearby. Norman Veinot of Pleasantville, an autobody mechanic by trade, fashions his people and creatures from discarded car parts. While Veinot's materials are hardly "traditional", in his resourceful use of materials close at hand he is following an established working method.

Other common folk art forms include painting, decorated furniture and hooked rugs. One institution that has supported NS Folk Art extensively over the years is the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. Beginning in 1976, with a show titled "Contemporary Nova Scotia Folk Art", they have presented seven folk art shows in the intervening years. Since the 1970's the AGNS has acquired a large assortment of Folk Art for it's permanent collection. Most recently, in the spring of 1997 the AGNS assembled a major Maud Lewis retrospective, which drew large numbers of people. They also co-published a hard cover biography of Lewis, complete with dozens of full color illustrations.

In the spring of 1997, the AGNS organized a three day symposium on Folk Art entitled "Folk Art: Is it all Over?", the title referring to the demise of the traditional form of folk art. The symposium drew experts, academics, collectors and critics from . The long term committment to folk art by the AGNS shows a strong official support for what is often referred to as a marginalized activity. While it may be marginalized elsewhere, it is thriving in Nova Scotia.

The AGNS is not the only Maritime public gallery to take an interest in folk art. The south shore workshop of Bradford Naugler is filled with seven foot tall figures in black coats and top hats, part of a commission from the Confederation Center in PEI to carve all 37 Fathers of Confederation. Many commercial galleries exhibit folk art. "Wholly Mackerel", with a gallery in Mahone Bay and an outlet in Halifax, carries folk art exclusively. The owner, Cindy Schultz, buys from folk artists and resells the work at prices ranging from $14 to $1,400, depending on the size of the piece and the artist's reputation. Both Studio 21 in Halifax and Houston North Gallery in Lunenburg have shown folk art.

Nova Scotian folk artists enjoy a yearly opportunity to meet, mingle and sell at the Folk Art Festival held in Lunenburg. The Festival was started by former folk art dealer Chris Huntington in 1989. The non - profit Nova Scotia Folk Art Festival Society, which now organizes and operates the Festival, counts approximately 50 folk artists in it's membership. Although the bulk of the buyers come from the Maritimes and Ontario, the Festival has attracted collectors from as far away as California, Tokyo, and Switzerland. A selection committee composed of collectors decides which artists will be permitted into the Festival.

For Robin Wyllie, Secretary - Treasurer of the Society, one very important criteria for folk art is that it be priced so people can afford it. Despite market pressures, most folk artists would produce art whether it was selling or not. For any dedicated artist, whether self-taught or art school educated, the primary motivation for art making is self expression. Garnett McPhail made sculptures for years and gave them away as gifts before a collector showed up on his doorstep and paid him $175.00 for a large alligator carving. it was only then that he realized the potential monetary value of his work.

The market can sometimes influence what the artist produces, and how much they produce. Some folk artists duplicate themes and motifs that they know are popular sellers. Maud Lewis's oxen come to mind. And although her prices haven't suffered, constant repetition by folk artists has turned off many collectors. In addition to these thematic issues, many folk artists step up production in order to have plenty of work on hand for the busy tourist season and especially for the Folk Art Festival.

Essay by Terri Robin Vernon