Basket makers, bead workers, boatbuilders, doll makers, egg painters, yard artists, mask makers, metal artists, musical instrument makers, painters, quilters, wood carvers, a long list mixed
media artists, and one ribbon artist--people using all these media and more are profiled in this two-volume set. Congdon (emerita, philosophy and humanities, U. of Central Florida) and Hallmark
(visual arts studies, U. of Texas) present profiles of roughly 300 artists, and they provide a general introduction to American folk art as well as introductions to each geographical region.
The profiles are arranged by region, the authors explain, because it's helpful to understand folk artists as inventive individuals rooted in their physical and cultural surroundings. Many, but
not all of the profiles include a b&w image of one work. Readers hungry for more will need to look elsewhere: a bibliography is included in each entry, and, of course, the internet is
available for searching out more images. Some of the artists are well known, others are obscure--either because they're publicity shy or best understood in a local context. All visual artists
who received a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship through 2010 are included. The focus is on art made from 1900 to today, so there's no claim that this is a
comprehensive survey by any means. What this lovingly-prepared reference provides is an opportunity for readers to experience a tantalizing sample of dedicated ingenuity and passionate
creativity arising from hands, hearts, and whatever materials are available. Annotation �穢2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
