This is the first entry on our new and updated website blog! Welcome to news of Just Folk! We just returned from our annual visit to New York’s Outsider Art Fair, which was moved from freezing January to balmy May this year for the first time. There were several advantages to the move: obviously, the weather was better! The Fair this year coincided with Frieze Art Fair on Randall’s Island, which draws a lot of art lovers to New York. Unfortunately, quite a few other Fairs had the same idea and the city was host to about 8 major art events the weekend of OAF and Frieze! This meant that foot traffic was light and speedy because people were anxious to see it all! It was also the first nice weekend in New York in months, and many people chose to go away and take advantage of the weather. It was also Mother’s Day on Sunday! But the OAF was beautifully-staged at Center 548 in Chelsea, and we were proud to exhibit the best of our most established self-taught artists, including Bill Traylor, William Hawkins, Ronald Lockett, Martin Ramirez, and Sam Doyle. We were sad not to include some contemporary works of Jim Bloom, but were instructed that they didn’t fit the profile of the show. Check them out here on the website. He’s a very talented, insightful artist who deserves exposure. The OAF was very inclusive in the international artists it showcased, and the world of Art Brut and Self-Taught Art is very exciting. The Fair, along with the opening of The American Folk Art’s new exhibit, “Self-Taught Genius,” is highlighting the importance of Outsider Art and its inclusion in the contemporary art world. The museum’s show will travel to eight other cities throughout the country.  Hope you get a chance to see it!  Here’s a shot of our booth at OAF!