A New World of Curiouser and Curiouser for Your Kids

Sandy Mastroni worked for years as a decorative painter, often turning old, unappreciated furniture into stunning pieces garlanded with wisteria and hydrangea. But in private she had notebook upon notebook which she filled with images that haunted her, danced in her head and intrigued her. Finally she put aside the decorative painting and attended to her fantasies, to the delight of a growing audience. Although her paintings are in major collections, galleries and museums, they are still affordable, and are appreciated by adults and children alike. My own grandchildren cherish their Mastroni paintings and yours would as well. Check out other Mastroni works of art here under the New Artists button.

Mr. X is Gerald Thornton

Gerald Thornton is a man who deeply cares about history, equality, his family and art. When he lived nearby, he was always working on an art project of some kind. He signed his work "X" to align himself with the nameless slaves who were ripped from their families and their culture and brought to a new world. Mr. Thornton used materials which were at hand and many of his most magical works had elements of collage worked into the art. Gold and silver foil was used for the medals of Haile Selassie, a powerful painting that I still cannot get out of my mind after not seeing it for decades!

But if you ask your parents to take you to the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, you can see his "Flag Funeral", which proudly takes it's place among other masterpieces in the show, Life, Liberty & The Pursuit of Happiness, curated by Roger Manley. The somber widow and her child fall in step behind the flag draped coffin, while an invisible jazz group leads the way to the cemetery. Mr. Thornton is a man who continues to celebrates life, and he now lives in a new town with his new wife, and continues to make wonderful art. This lovely painting is available for sale and will be released in a year when the show comes down.

Real Art for Real Kids!!!!!

Bird houses equal art in England! A Challenge....

In exploring the bird houses created by genius designer, sculptor, painter and " inky wings" herself, Judith McNicol, kids can learn that art can be found anywhere. They might even be motivated to try it themselves, which is a splendid reaction to this whimsical and refreshing sculpture by one of England's most imaginative artists. And the birds which approach such houses, well they too poke at the imagination of kids and parents alike. Could you, would you Sam I am? Try making houses out of twisted grapevines, bittersweet, sunflowers, or what have you. And send me pictures at [email protected]. I'll post the best on this blog!

Philosophy and real art for kids.........

Amy Leask has a spectacular site whose mission is to "introduce kids (and the adults they run with) to the wonderful world of Philosophy." It's called kidsthinkaboutit

Children are challenged to think about:

• What is real? What exists?
• What makes a human? Is it our minds, our bodies, or a combination of the two?
• How do we gain knowledge and understanding? Is it with our senses, our minds, or something else?
• How can we be sure that something is true?
• What is the difference between the good life and the bad life?
• How can we decide on the right thing to do?
• What does it mean for something to be beautiful?
  Ahhh, now you get why this link is on my site! I, too, ask kids to try to figure out what beauty is, in it's endless forms, and to decipher which of those forms they relate to the most. It's a wonderful steppingstone to communication and reasoning and enlightenment.
  (The image above is an antique scale/fortune telling machine, which is now considered a form of folk art! Discuss amongst yourselves!

Paul Pitt redux.....barn discoveries

Paul Pitt's charming folk art paintings grace the walls of quite a few museums, as well as private collections. His paintings bring to mind Grandma Moses and times gone by. The paintings are gems, filled with detail that surprises you each time you look. So much to see which coaxes a smile to your face. A forage into a barn on his Connecticut property unearth a few vintage works, when his style was just emerging. These paintings are lovely and available for sale through the gallery here

Sandy Mastroni charms all ages.....

Sandy Mastroni, who used to paint furniture, now devotes all her time to painting wonderful, whimsical and some what mysterious artworks. Although she is in permanent museum collections, her works are still very accessible for young and old alike. There often are cats......Sandy has given home to a variety of them and they are very prevalent in her work. She also is drawn to Alice in Wonderland type characters so there are plenty of queens, bunnies, and the like. All of them are charming and if you click on the title of this piece you will see many more new works recently posted on my website, www.artbrut.com.

Gardening with kids and art?

This summer is a great time to teach the kids to eat local, and what better way than in their own garden. Radishes come up immediately, and lettuce and tomatoes, peppers and eggplant follow in rapid succession. My own kids loved anything which grew on a vine, and pumpkins over took our lawn. Recycled sculpture made from old car and tractor parts coupled with old tools is the finishing touch!

"Alexandra Huber in America"......kiddies love her art....

Alexandra Huber's art attracts the kids because they get her and she gets them as well. She has never lost her childhood love of color and line, nor have the rules of art stifled her creativity. You know....the color inside the lines rule, and the grass is green rule, etc. Huber's work is exuberant and joyful, and very very collectable. Considering the fact she is an international star, the work is also very affordable. Recent European shows were close to sell outs despite the economic climate they are suffering as well. There are many pages of her works illustrated when you click on the title link. Ask your kids to tell you what they see and enjoy the viewing!

Junk yard sculpture....the kids love it!

The lawn was filled with horses, dancers, musicians, a moose, giant sunflowers, robots and tin men, all made out of recycled trash. Old car parts, pieces from motorcycles, tractors and tools were morphed into this visually stunning collection of sculpture at the annual Sculpture in the Garden Show in CT. The kids loved it and so did their parents!

Paintings to grow up with........

I just picked up these charming paintings by Sandy Mastroni. Her work is in the Hurn Museum and she's represented by many top galleries in the US. And yet most of these works are priced at under $325. They will be cherished for years to come. Within a few weeks they will be posted on my website.....you get a first peek!

A lovely game of marbles and memories......

This artist, with childhood memories intact, traveled with his family, sharecropping their way through the South, and finally landed in Connecticut. Willard James, Sr. has a wonderful portfolio illustrating this hard, but honest life, working through fields and orchards, and the joy inherent in each of his painting is obvious. 
"Steelee Man" is acrylic on board, 16" x 20", at $650 and brings me back to the days when my Dad reminisced about marble games in the schoolyard. Some things do change........and are worth capturing.

Owls, Jacks, Pixies, and Fairies

Karl Mckoy is a wondrous artist as well as a master gardener! His owl begs for a child's wall, but would be savored for a lifetime. The next image reminds me of jack in the pulpit puppets in a storybook scene. He is a magician with both earth and paint and no one knows what will sprout next in the garden of this fertile mind.

Forget Basquiat and Dubuffet, try Huber

Although I dearly love Basquiat and Dubuffet, not many budgets can afford them anymore. But, Alexandra Huber's engaging paintings are a different story. Her very affordable original works are not just for kids, but kids love them. Her art is in museum collections in Germany and many private collections in the United States. They have take 2009 art fairs by storm, even in these trying economic times. These delightful, childlike  25.5" x 19.5" mixed media pieces make quite an impact, and will be treasured for posterity. She also is well known for her 6" x 6" pieces which work well alone or in groups. Huber has had many one woman shows, and she's been published in many catalogues and as well as Folk Art magazine and Raw Vision magazine. One of my most popular artists at Beverly Kaye Gallery. Within the next month, new works will be posted on the site, but I always have a large portfolio of her works available. See much more of her work here

Sandy Mastroni, from painted furniture to Museums.....

How delighted would your kids be to know that a painter, who used to decorate furniture, and who is now in the Hurn Museum, could also be featured on a wall in their room? Jonas Brothers posters come and go, but real art lasts a lifetime. "The Lady in a Red Chair" is stunning in primary colors and perfect for a cat lover, as well as a child who appreciates bold colors. "My Cat Knows" will be published shortly in a book about Self-taught and Outsider artists, and "Red Hat, Yellow Vase" is subtle but smart. Consider real art, your children will thank you! Click on the title and you will be brought to more original paintings by this very popular self-taught painter.

Welcome to my world!

As a private dealer of self-taught and outsider art, I have learned that curious kids in the neighborhood, as well as my little grandchildren enjoy seeing much of the work I represent. Children are open to all types of art, so why spend money on temporary works when a lifetime collection can start when the collectors themselves are still very young? I dedicate this site to my Mother, who wisely brought me to Saturday classes at the Worcester Art Museum when I was just six years old.
You can see more of the art I represent here
and become a FAN of Beverly Kaye Gallery on facebook as well!