When I was thirteen my teacher screamed, “You think that shoulder looks good don’t you?” He was sitting beside me a little behind so he would keep an eye on me. We were drawing a woman and that shoulder on my paper was hanging too low off the neck and too far away from mid center but it was the best looking thing I’d drawn in a month. It was a happy mistake and it was SO PRETTY so I had been struggling for a half hour trying, but failing, to adjust the rest of the body to the nice shoulder but being very careful not to ruin it.

My friend reached across me and gouged a giant X across the pretty shoulder. I gave up. I quit trying to draw a bad picture around a “pretty” mistake.

A man could give a pink rose to a woman and put it in her hair behind her ear and see it was pretty. So he could buy her a dun colored dress that wouldn’t compete. The dress looked ugly brown on the unhappy woman but he was dedicated to preserving the prettiness of his rose.  Then he could take her to his barber and have a swath of her hair shaved off behind the rose to show it off. Then he could drop her off at home and defoliate her front yard to make that pretty pink rose was featured. Picasso suggested that when you’re making a piece of art and discover something PRETTY destroy it at once!

I consider the picture below as one of my failures for several reason including the pretty problem. Some people like it. That’s fine but I keep the thing for me. I’m still learning from my what I consider its problems. I’d love to have you see my better pieces and give me you thoughts.   nancymauerman.com

Death Tree – Framed

Why does outsider art look so wacky? Because it drills into your head. Think of a world without Beethoven’s fifth. What if he had used his energy to exactly copy the sounds of nature instead?

Many artists believe pictures are already created and are waiting elsewhere. Many religions speak of ALL things having been created in a spirit form before being on earth.  The artists’ job is to tune in and receive messages so he can transfer the picture which is  already created into what we’d call a tangible, touchable form. The picture below called, ‘You’re Standing In My Eye’. It’s cropped so to see the entire thing and more pieces of outsider art I’d love for you to see my web site.   nancymauerman.com

You’re Standing In My Eye – Framed

When things inside that can’t be said become too numerous they pour out through my hands. Inner Cacophany is an Outsider Art picture showing lips stitched shut.  nancymauerman.com

Inner Cacophany – Framed

“What can I get you for a valentine?”

“Oh, I’m so glad you asked” my husband said in a voice so excited you’d think he was a firefly on twinkle overdrive. Then saturated in doubt he said, “What I really want is a bracelet like Wonder Woman wears!”

“I can do that!” I said, “I just need a little bit of tin foil, a stapler, and spray paint.”

“Noo. The point is to deflect bullets. Bullets are supposed to bounce off the bracelets remember?”

I ignored him, “I can make a crown too!” I’m excited about getting him something special. Below are previous gifts. The first is a piece of outsider art called Flying Roots the second I call three dots and a squiggle, a spring catkin and three drops of rain.  nancymauerman.com

Root and 3 dots

Box Of Ski

Spider and the bird

sit side by side in a box

of sky my window

The outsider art picture below is called “I’m A Hive For Your Bunnies And Bees” and  lives in a box too. A Plexiglas box to protect the delicate roots wearing doll clothes and my friend asked, “But what does it mean?”

I say, “How many of your exact answers this year change by next year?” I don’t mean to be glib but what is more important than repeating someone’s exact words is to ask and keep learning. To see more outsider art I’d love to have you go to   nancymauerman.com

Root

Art Brut, Raw Art, and Outsider are all the same thing label for art devoid of decoration. Allmarine shows a dancer wearing a pork chop necklace and a bacon anklet. Flying dark birds carry chickens past a ladder leaning against a red cloud. Bottle caps are nailed to the frame. But what does it mean? Send me your thoughts To view the entire picture and other outsider art see nancymauerman.com

Allmarine – Abstract

Brian Williams seems to have tangled himself in his words. I write children’s books so I often grab something real and exaggerate, eliminate pieces, and generally mangle the facts. I claim to be a story teller.

John reminded me Brian Williams earns millions of dollars a year and still has five years left on his contract. John said, “He should finish his contracted time. Leave Brian Williams in place. Let him work it.  Let Brian Williams do the shows… just add a laugh track.”  To see more outsider art go to nancymauerman.com

From unboxed thoughts and musings: John said, “I don’t get along with people very well. I think they know I’m jealous of myself. To see the full image of Orchard of Frog boxes and see more outsider art see nancymauerman.com

Orchard Of Frog Boxes – Framed Abstract