Another membership benefit of DAIC is a publication known as Decorative Art History generally published once a month to featuring articles authored by Janice Montreuil. Janice takes us each on a journey into the varies styles of folk art from around the world.

Janice describes this journey as follows: "it is one, as Decorative Artists, we all travel together whether we realize it or not. It began the very first time we picked up a brush to explore decorative painting. Can you remember what you learned or read in a book? I imagine it concerned ‘basic’ stroke work."

This history lesson concerns the basic strokes and the relationship they have with many styles of folk art around the world. In other words, the strokes remain the same - only the colours and shape vary depending on which country they come from.

Now you all know how to make these strokes and what flowers they create but do you know where the idea of these stroke work flowers originate? It did not happen overnight but rather over a number of centuries. The realistic flower shapes that you are able to create these days began as abstract flower and leaf forms. You must remember that the decorative arts were secondary to the business of living in those days. Most of our designs are based upon those created in weaving, quilting, embroidery, carving, furniture making and pottery.

In the Scandinavian countries it was men who created them and these men traveled around their home country painting for the average family. They were traveling artists. Their yearly arrival was awaited with great anticipation by these families because it meant that Spring was finally on its way and their homes would be spruced up for the coming year. In the more southern areas of Europe, it was the ladies who ‘whitewashed’ their walls and then decorated them with the help of the men.

Their brushes were handmade using animal hair tied to trimmed saplings - cat gut was sturdy and made a knot that held. Various animals were prized for their fur such as sable, mink, squirrel and hare. Round brushes were used most of the time; in fact, I have found very little reference to the flat or square brush as we know it in my older books. I believe it to be a North American creation. I have sent a message recently to Loew-Cornell with the question "when were flat or square brushes created?" and am now awaiting their reply.

Their paints were created by using earth and plant material. For instance, red mud contains iron so it was used to make a red-orange. The indigo plant created a dark blue and the mustard plant made a deep yellow-orange. In order to lighten colours, chalk dust was used and to darken colours, a mixture of blue, red and yellow were used as was the burnt parts of a log from the fire. They also figured out how to make green (blue and yellow); purple (blue and red) and orange (red and yellow). Sometimes these colours were held together by 'whey' which comes from the milk of a cow. They also used albumin or egg white to hold the colours together for painting. Gum Arabic was also used extensively. Doesn't this little tidbit make you appreciate your colours more?

Every country had different materials with which to make colours and that is another reason for the diversity between countries.

This concludes my first chapter about the history of folk art. I have spend many years studying this subject and am most pleased that I have been asked to share this with all DAIC members. It is presented in good faith and I hope you have enjoyed reading it. If you have any questions or wish to learn about the different styles of folk art please contact me, Janice, at . I'm looking forward to sharing more chapters with you.

Become a DAIC member today andread all the chapters:

Decorative Art History: An Introduction
Decorative Art History: The Hindeloopen Style
Decorative Art History: The Bauenmalerei Style