06: Barry Colpitts + Maud Lewis

In the sixth episode of FolkArtwork and Friends, I am absolutely honored to talk with Nova Scotia's own Barry Colpitts, folk artist and wood carver, who creates some of the most magnificent works of art in North America. Thanks to Audrey Sanford of Black Sheep Gallery for setting this up, I get to sit down with Barry and hear about his beginnings, including his lack of relationship to art when he was younger, his start in wood carving while working as a prison guard, some of his "racy" mermaid carvings when he was in his twenties, plus he brings his one of a kind Prayer Helmet Whirligig to show off.  Plus, you can't really talk about folk art from Nova Scotia without talking about one particular artist, so please enjoy a little deep dive into the life and work of the one and only Maud Lewis.  Follow Black Sheep Gallery on Instagram at @blacksheepfolkart and check out their gallery at https://www.blacksheepart.com/ Follow @folkartwork on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for more Subscribe to the "This Week in Outsider Art" Newsletter on Substack Visit folkartwork.art to shop self-taught art by emerging contemporary artists AND if you are in the Des Moines area, come to the Mainframe Studios "First Friday" event on February 6th from 5pm-8pm to see me hanging out with Ashley Mary in her beautiful studio and selling artwork for self-taught artist James Ash. PLUS, Noel Hatfield's exhibit "Unsung Heroes" at Wake Up Iowa Coffee opening Saturday, February 7th! Chapters (00:00:00) - This is a prayer helmet(00:00:17) - Folk Artwork & Friends: Exciting News!(00:04:19) - Folk Artist Barry Kolpitz in Nova Scotia(00:06:36) - Hello, How Are You?(00:08:16) - The Colpitz Home: A visit to the art(00:12:17) - Cutting With a Horse's Hoof(00:13:22) - Carving From the Paintbrush(00:18:52) - Fool Art: Celebrating the South(00:21:40) - Wood Carving For Almost 40 Years(00:24:56) - Whirly Gigs(00:30:30) - Halifax craftsman makes seagull chairs(00:31:59) - Artists Get a King's Medal(00:33:17) - George Waterhouse on Drawing(00:37:58) - Barry and Betty Ann at TED(00:39:49) - Maude Lewis(00:48:13) - Unsung Heroes