Today we’d like to introduce you to Adam Oestreich.
Hi Adam, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
In 2018 I visited the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, Iowa. I stumbled upon the “An Imaginative Geography” exhibit showcasing the work of self-taught artist William L. Hawkins. I was immediately mesmerized by his artwork and wanted to know everything about what I learned to be this “outsider artist.” Since then, I have spent daily sharing the artwork and stories of “outsider artists” on my Instagram account @folkartwork. What started as sharing artwork by folk artists evolved into sharing drawings, paintings, sculptures, and environments by self-taught, mediumistic, visionary, vernacular artists but perhaps best described as non-conformers, artists who were overlooked by society for one reason or another. In the four years of curating these artworks, I have met artists and gallerists from all over the world and begun incorporating these artists and outlook on art into my pedagogy as a high school art teacher.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Only because I didn’t know what to expect and had no plans for @folkartwork, it has been relatively smooth. I did not set out to make money or have an end goal in sight besides sharing artwork I found beautiful and extremely fascinating. The entire journey I have been on has grown out of a labor of love and passion for “outsider art.” Since day one, I have wanted to learn as much as possible about these incredible, beautiful, overlooked artists. I have thoroughly enjoyed learning so much about artists I otherwise may have never heard about in school or at art museums and sharing these artists and artworks with others. Finally, after a long four years, some fun and exciting things are starting to happen, and I have seen my hard work begin to pay off.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
What sets me apart from others is a unique background of career paths in that I have been able to build relationships and have valuable learning experiences. I have split my time between business, art, and education schools at University. I had spent half a decade working alongside tremendous journalists in social media marketing when that was barely a thing, as well as operating in one of the premier art museums in the Midwest, the Des Moines Art Center. I am also privileged to travel across the country to see and learn as much about “outsider art” as possible. All of this helps me to make strong connections with experts in the field, art dealers, and gallerists so I can best tell the stories of these amazing, overlooked artists. In my professional life as a high school art teacher, I use the wealth of knowledge I have acquired and the stories of these artists who were considered “outsiders” to help motivate and inspire my students to make meaningful artwork.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Passion and patience. Ten years ago, I was unsure what I wanted from my personal or professional life. Thanks to my wonderful wife for taking this journey with me and being my biggest fan no matter what. I have been able to follow my passion for art daily to many unknown places. For the past few years, I have been learning about art, talking about art, staring at art, living with art, and teaching art and all the fascinating things I have learned to high school students and my two young boys. Special thanks to my four-year-old for numerous trips to museums and cornfields to look at the most random artworks imaginable. I’m not entirely sure what is next, but I know that with hard work and passion for sharing the stories of these “outsider artists,” good things will come.
Contact Info:
- Website: folkartwork.art
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/folkartwork/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/folkartwork
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkQdXnsFFbKXUG4GfBdKhUg
- Other: https://tinyletter.com/folkartwork
Image Credits
All photos taken by Adam G. Oestreich and family.
