Five Self Taught Artists You Should Know

May 24

I’m just starting my fiction writing career at the age of 69. I’ve written three books of non-fiction but fiction? It’s another can of worms entirely. So I consider myself a self-taught fiction writer. This idea dovetails nicely with this week’s blog post. Self-taught artists - some of whom started at an advanced age. How many of these did you know?

We're all familiar with Grandma Moses: (1860-1961) Anna Mary Robertson Moses, widely known as Grandma Moses, began her artistic career in her 70s. She became renowned for her folk art paintings depicting rural life, capturing the beauty and simplicity of the American countryside.

I have always loved Henri Rousseau: (1844-1910). His gorgeous paintings of jungles with their stylized foliage and simple animals are some of my favorite paintings. Oddly enough, he never left France, and never visited a jungle. He studied botanical gardens and dioramas to create his paintings.

Clementine Hunter (1886-1988) was a self-taught artist from my home state of Louisiana. She worked and lived at the Melrose Plantation in Natchitoches Parish in central Louisiana. Even though she started painting later in life, her creativity was evident early on in the form of quilts and embroidery.

Clementine Hunter “Harvesting & Gourds” 1959

Séraphine Louis (1864-1942) Ecstatic repetitive paintings mostly of floral images. Louis was self taught and her work was inspired by her religious faith and the stained glass windows of the church. She was a domestic worker, working hard during the day and painting by candlelight at night, mostly in secret isolation.

James Castle (1899-1977) was an American artist born in Garden Valley, Idaho. Castle was born deaf and never learned to read, write or speak. His world was contained in his drawings which are amazing. Looking at his drawings I am reminded of modern masters like Picasso, Brice Marden and Edward Hopper. All of which he never saw. I find his work very moving.

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