Pie Plate 1937

'Pie Plate' was painted by Eugene Shellady in 1987 using what looks like watercolor or gouache on paper. The painting is simple and direct, yet it has a folksy charm to it, like something you might find at a country fair. I can imagine Shellady carefully applying the paint to the paper, trying to get the colors just right. The red-brown of the horse, the light yellow of the plate, the green and purple of the flowers... all working together to create a cohesive image. The paint is applied thinly, allowing the texture of the paper to show through, giving the painting a slightly rough, handmade feel. The way the horse is depicted, with its stiff legs and simplified form, it’s like something out of a child's drawing. And 'Lady Okle' herself, sitting so primly on top, looks like she’s stepped out of a storybook. It makes me think of other self-taught artists, like Henry Darger, who created their own worlds through art. There's a real conversation going on between artists, across time, inspiring each other.