I'm Back

It’s exciting to be back on the website again and back to blogging.

It’s  been a while so there is  a lot of catching up to do.

We’ve added a lot of new artists to Possum County and I encourage you to visit their pages and get to know them too!

George has been really busy and between working shows this year, he participated with a group called Walldogs.  They are mural artists that work one show a year (One town a year) and do 13-18 murals in 3 days.  All murals are historically accurate.  It takes 2 years to get all of the information together and the art renditions approved.  I encourage you to visit Thewalldogs.com and also Shipshewanawalldogs.com   

With shows ending, George will have more time to do the creating that he enjoys so much…FOLK ART!

And hopefully, we will have time to take in some blues shows too! We are going to go see our friends Bruce Katz and Chris Vitarello  next week.  We were able to see and meet Tab Benoit this year.  George presented him with a plaque (like ones he has done for other blues artists and friends).

So , keep in touch and checking back….I’ll be posting regularly……Sheila

OTTO the Folk Artist

Our artist OTTO has been busy lately. His work is flying out of the gallery. Be sure and check him out on the website

Nelson says: Making a 16 piece assemblage of just OTTO!

Lori says: Selling pieces before I even get them out of the car and into the gallery

Gaby says: love the new pieces of Otto we added to our Otto collection!

We recently received several new pieces from OTTO and I have to tell you...HE'S HOT!

Be sure and check him out on our website:
http://www.possumcounty.com

Get in while the prices are still low!

MUROB FOLK ART GUITAR + Billy Flynn

Back in early March Billy Flynn came to the house for a folk art visit. While he was here he asked if we had a guitar he could play. We had this blues guitar George made. Let me tell you, it makes a difference when a Professional plays...this guitar will never be the same.

Billy won his grammy for his extraordinary talents on guitar in the Cadillac Records movie starring Beyonce'. Be sure and get the CD and visit our website for more art
www.possumcounty.com

Folk Artist BiscuitV

We have so many talented artists at Possum County. BiscuitV is one of them.

Over the Easter week-end he turned his painting talents to another direction...FOOD!

Biscuit outdid himself on this Easter "cake" made out of Rice Krispie treats. He added his own bright colors to the Peeps.

Looks good enough to eat, huh?

WHOHADADA FOLK ART

WHAT? You may be saying! This is a great website full of fantastic folk art by some of the top artists in the nation.WHOHADADA

When I talk about COMPASSION and COMPULTION in creating, these artists come to mind. They work their hearts out to follow their dreams! What are we without dreams and goals? They carry on even after devastations like Katrina.

Hearded down the road by leader Paul Flack, the group travels around the country together and individually to offer their great works for sale. When weather doesn't permit travel, you can find their websites and contact info on the Whoha site

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Be sure and check them out! You'll spend lots of time browsing around!!! Tell them Sheila sent ya!

FUNKY CHICKEN MAN - ERNEST LEE FOLK ART

Let me introduce you to one of the FUNEST (Fun-est…not funniest altho’ he is a trip) Folk Artists around.
FUNKY CHICKEN MAN

Last fall Ernest Lee was in Chicago and a friend of mine called and said you need to get to know this guy! I called Ernest and we hooked up. Last August I took his folkart to Slotin’s Folk Fest in Atlanta.
SLOTIN’S FOLK FEST

Ernest creates such fun, whimsical and entertaining folk art. It brings a smile to your face.

Watching him at work is entertaining in itself! He puts on a show! Eveyone should have at least ONE Funky Chicken in their collection.

Quote from Ernest:

"Be what you are. Don't be what you ain't.

Because if you be what you ain't

then you ain't what you are."

-- Ernest Lee

THE MIDWAY TAVERN AND DANCE HALL

I want to share our favorite blues venue with you. We met Albertina Wassenhove about 6-7 years ago. George had heard Ole Harve’s Blues Revue radio show Ole Harve and called me at our store and said you have to hear this piano player. It turned out to be Honey Piazza from the Mighty Flyers (George knows I love a piano!!).The Mighty Flyers.

We went to the St. Patrick’s Park Blues Fest and saw the Mighty Flyers for the first time and we had to have a CD…They were sold out there. Turned out Pinetop Perkins was also there. That’s where Albertina comes in. .

She personally delivered the CD to me at my store. I learned about her blues bar and the next show she had we were there.

The history at the Midway is wonderful. Albertina’s Mom and Dad started the bar in 1924 after immigrating to the USA from Belgium. They went through the depression and survived (be sure and watch the video).MIDWAY VIDEO And also they had an interesting guest from Chicago during those depression years, which is also on the video.

Albertina’s Mom continued with the bar after her husband passed away and was inducted into the bartenders hall of fame after tending bar for 67 years at the Midway.

86 years later Albertina is still carrying on the tradition. It is a treat just to visit the Midway …all of the good music is an extra bonus. Everyone that plays there signs the walls. Everything inside is original including the bar, back bar, booths, fixtures, etc.

Check out the show dates on the website. Come to the Midway and become part of the family. You’re always welcome at the Midway…even if you are non-drinkers like us!!!