Folk Art Storytelling

Bessie Harvey was a famous American folk artist who lived in Alcoa, Tennessee. Like many folk artists, Harvey was self-taught. She did not go to art school, but learned to make art by practicing at home. She made the sculpture in the pictures below, which is part the the Hunter Museum’s More Than Folk exhibition.

Take a moment to look carefully at the sculpture. You might notice that it is made from a variety of interesting materials like nails, tree branches, paint, and googly eyes. The eyes especially make the sculpture come alive. It almost looks like small wooden creatures are peering back at you. Harvey often used everyday objects to create her imaginative sculptures. How many creatures can you find hidden away in Harvey’s sculpture? Look closely. Do you see any animals you recognize? What are the animals doing? What might they say if they could talk?

Next, write a story about these animals. You can add other animal friends to your story too, if you like. Finally, illustrate your story! Draw pictures for each scene of your story (time to break out the googly

Share your creations @huntermuseum