inspiration

In 2003 I stumbled into an Adolf Wolfli show at The American Folk Art Museum. Spent today revisiting his work as I prepare some new personal pieces for a upcoming Giant Artists group show at Space 15Twenty in Los Angeles.

As a big fan out outsider art, especially the likes of Henry Darger, seeing Wolfli’s work was nothing short of a relevation.
The parts of his work I love best are his use of pattern, repetition, and especially sneaky characters! I’ve been drawing people with bandit masks for as long as I can remember. Wolfli is definitely a kindred spirit.

Here are some of his awesome pieces

His handwriting has so much personality!
If he worked today (and wasn’t a crazy) I could see these letterforms making for amazing wallpaper designs.

Really love the color combination of yellow with graphite + the color of the aged paper

A lot of his works involve symmetry and ornate patterning going around and around his figures and scenes.
This one clearly focues on a Jesus like figure on the cross with little sneaks wearing cross-crowns.
Not normally into religious iconography, but the colors and shapes of this one are great.

I’d never think to use purple and orange with green.

This is one of the most orate of the images I’ve seen.
At the American Folk Art Musuem I was surprised by how large scale his pieces were.
This one seems like some Battlestar Galactica inspired futurist image, but yet those towers and fortresses recall something Byzantine.
Really cool.

The perspective is all wackadoo found in an Emaki or the horizontal Japanese illustrated narrative handscroll.

Think “Tale of Genji” by Lady Murasaki Shikibu.

Unfortunately the images I found aren’t the best. I tried!