Episode 58 | Matt and Kyle Get Back to Folk Art

Matt and Kyle are back at the Auction Gallery in Gibsonville after a run of antique shows. Liberty and Fishersville were fun, but this episode gets back to the roots of House of Folk Art: self-taught art, pottery, carvings, and the stories behind the pieces.

Matt and Kyle pull work from around the gallery and talk through what makes each piece worth slowing down for. The episode starts with Sam Ezell, a North Carolina artist and picker whose work has become a major focus at the auction house, including a large group of pieces coming up in a future sale.

From there, the conversation moves into Denzil Goodpaster, a bear carving, and Matt’s ongoing argument about the difference between craft and art. The crew also digs into a Charles Simmons wood carved jug, the connection to Raymond Coins, and why some important North Carolina artists are still only known by a small circle of collectors. Matt talks through why a piece may not bring enough at auction, but can still be exactly the kind of thing he wants to keep. There is also pottery from Marvin Bailey and Ellen Martin, including the story of the first Marvin Bailey piece that really pulled Matt into contemporary face jugs. 

The episode closes with a few pieces coming up for auction, including a tramp art box, plus a quick reminder for first-time bidders ahead of the June 11 auction.

Bid in the June 11 Folk Art & Americana Auction:
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/419094_folk-art-and-americana-auction/

Chapters
00:00 | Back at the Auction House in Gibsonville
03:11 | Sam Ezell, Self-Taught Art, and Large Scale
12:42 | Denzil Goodpaster’s Bear Carving
22:00 | First Look at House of Folk Art Merch
24:10 | Charles Simmons and the Wood Carved Jug
34:34 | Matt’s First Marvin Bailey Piece
47:19 | Ellen Martin’s Lion and North Carolina Pottery
56:44 | A Huge Baseball Carving Hits the Table
01:00:34 | Auction Preview: Tramp Art Box
01:08:00 | A Good Day Back at Ledbetter Auction Gallery

Do you know a folk artist or have a picking story worth sharing? Reach out to the show:

[email protected]
(919) 410-8002

Leave your name and where you are from and you might hear yourself on a future episode.

Follow @houseoffolkart for more stories, field trips, and upcoming auction dates at LedbetterAuctions.com.