This beady-eyed bird has a story to tell. Whether it’s about taking flight or returning from a long journey, his form and construction beckon us. We want to know more. This is the nature of folk art: storytelling. 

 

Folk art, as described by Art and Object, is for the people and by the people. It transcends limitations of class, culture, ethnicity, gender, and religion. It’s represented in every corner of the world and in addition to holding the traditions and knowledge of a culture, the work often incorporates stories about the hardships the people have overcome or are still enduring. 
 

Further inspection of this bird reveals a series of pine cones expertly placed to form his body. His perch is the root of a tree, shined and polished to make the perfect resting place. 

 

In contrast to the precision of this bird is the asymmetry of the woven basket by the late sculptor Anne Wallis-Buck.

 

A native of Vermont, Wallis-Buck utilized sticks and other wood products spanning from her northeastern hometown to Florida to construct abstract baskets that resemble nests. 

 

These pieces, which utilize everyday objects found in nature, perfectly embody HEW Collection’s commitment to storytelling through design and art, and the importance of spotlighting work from the people, for the people.