James Castle (1900-1977), working his soot and spit drawings at his home in Garden Valley, Idaho. Photo thanks to: Magnolia Atlas. His work was featured at The Outsider Art Fair in Paris, October 2013. From theartblog.org
James Castle spent his life in silence on a farm in Garden Valley, Idaho. Deaf and unable to communicate with his own family, even in sign (it wasn’t taught in his local school), Castle spent his time looking closely at the world, drawing barnyards, farm landscapes, rocking chairs and self portraits with soot and spit, usually on unfolded match boxes and found scraps of paper. He patched and stitched together naif cardboard sculptures of people, ducks or small gift-like packages made from bits of paper, product wrappings and twine, thread and fabric scraps. Castle (1899 – 1977) was one of the true “outsider” artists who made a startling impact on the 20th century with his drawings, often double-sided, and handmade books and constructions. His works startled me with their freshness and their uncommon touch when I saw them for the first time in a hotel here in Paris at The Outsider Art Fair.
Read the entire article at OUTSIDERS on theartblog.
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