Folk Art is a term used to describe objects and paintings made by people with no formal training as artists, but who made use of their innate abilities or skills acquired as part of their trade or training. Other terms have been used to describe this genre, including ‘Popular Art’ and ‘Vernacular Art’.
Growing out of the long-established craft traditions of local communities in an era before mass-production, many Folk Art pieces were designed to fulfil a specific function; others were purely decorative.
Compton Verney has worked with artist and designer Mark Hearld to re-imagine the British Folk Art Collection. He has been inspired to produce work in response to the collection which included a wallpaper design, collage and metal silhouettes. With a long-standing interest in the British countryside, British Folk Art and popular arts, Mark has recently worked on other curational projects, including with York Museums Trust.
