Pa. German Deep Dish 1938

Eugene Shellady, who lived between 1855 and 1995, painted this 'Pa. German Deep Dish', with what looks like oil on panel or board. It's quite small, about 13 inches across. What's interesting to me is the deep brown ground—it feels like the background seeps into the entire scene, like earth or umber. It gives the picture a moody feel. I can imagine Shellady layering these colours, shifting the image as it slowly comes into being. And look at that house! It's like something from a fairytale, with its diamond patterned roof and solid shape. It's giving me strong outsider art vibes. The figures on the porch, the sketchy tree—it is as though he is bringing a whole world into being. He’s working within a tradition, but he’s clearly doing his own thing. Isn’t that what all artists do?