Leroy Gonzales, the self-appointed mayor of Golden, New Mexico gives free tours of his outdoor museum to the local history of gold-mining. His roadside attraction near the southern end of Rt 14 (the Turquoise Trail) not far from Albuquerque, includes a mine shaft, a wall of pre-decent miner’s possessions, a cantina, John Wayne’s girlfriend, plus […]
Tammy Lange is currently building an art environment in her new location outside of Aztec, New Mexico, and several new works have appeared since my fist visit in the summer of 2021. Tammy requested that the location of her site not be made public. Tammy works with various found materials, including skulls, antlers, and twisted […]
A retired contractor, Mr. Long recalls beginning in the sheet-metal business at 22, becoming a welder and later a general contractor for steel buildings and the construction and remodeling of houses. He worked for the Halliburton Corporation for about 2 1/2 years. He’s owned his house since around 1980, and once had a welding shop […]
Would you like to see into the future? “I just want to get [God’s] message out,” Frank Bruno explained when we first met, “I don’t give a #$%@ about anything else.” A WWII veteran born in 1925, his website hesawthefuture.com gives detailed explanations of his work “I’m just a brush . . . God sends […]
After retiring from Levi Strauss factory work in 1995, Rufino Loya Rivas set out to improve the modest family house he and his wife were able to afford in 1973. With no art or construction training in his background, he taught himself masonry and metalworking skills and has created a spiritually uplifting environment that contrasts […]
Ho Baron welcomes visitors and his sculpture garden art environment is open for visitors daily. Ho’s website
Often self-taught ‘artists’ don’t think of themselves as, or like to be called ‘artists’. They may not produce any ‘for sale’ art objects, their work may be too personal, or it may be intended to carry religious messages from God (for which they accept no personal credit). Many think of themselves as being too unskilled […]
A bowling ball alphabet in front of Barbee’s house stretches the width of the property and provides a backdrop for: an abacus-like American flag, a working Newton’s cradle, a scaled-up pool table, a peace sign, a cross outlined with Christmas lights, and bowling ball rosary beads (to list just a few).
Art environments are typically made by by artists working outside the mainstream of contemporary art. Exposed to the weather and free for public viewing, the environments have little or no connection to the monetized art-object-based realm of galleries and museums. Often the ‘artists’ don’t think of themselves as, or like to be called ‘artists’, their […]
Often self-taught ‘artists’ don’t think of themselves as, or like to be called ‘artists’. They may not produce any ‘for sale’ art objects, their work may be too personal, or it may be intended to carry religious messages from God (for which they accept no personal credit). Many think of themselves as being too unskilled […]
Often self-taught ‘artists’ don’t think of themselves as, or like to be called ‘artists’. They may not produce any ‘for sale’ art objects, their work may be too personal, or it may be intended to carry religious messages from God (for which they accept no personal credit). Many think of themselves as being too unskilled […]
Art environments are typically made by by artists working outside the mainstream of contemporary art. Exposed to the weather and free for public viewing, the environments have little or no connection to the monetized art-object-based realm of galleries and museums. Often the ‘artists’ don’t think of themselves as, or like to be called ‘artists’, their […]
Art vehicles can be essentially a detachable extension of an art environment (Leonard Knight, Clarke Bedford, Jeff Elersic), an expression of personal biography (Billy Tripp, Melanie Harris), a cohesively themed idea (Harrod Blank), or a decorative extravaganza (Greg Phelps, Guy DeShazo).
James Phillips 50+ year collection of over 16,000 antlers. Amad Samaan’s grocery store display of SX-70 Polaroids of his customers. Johnnie Meier, as well as Tom and Mary Lou Desin’s collections of gas and oil memorabilia. Leon Parker’s as well as Mary Paulsen’s Coca-Cola collections, and Mary Paulsen’s small building full of 1960’s American pop […]
American roadside displays, off-beat curiosities, and yard shows.