Research Task: Outsider Art
- Abbie Vidler
- May 13
- 6 min read
For this research task, I will be researching several artists, then I'll be taking two artists and then I'll look into their creative approaches and visual elements that appeal to my own art journey.
Ferdinand Cheval
Ferdinand Cheval with his artistic soul created a palace out of pebbles, a palace that was made up of tombs, it has delicate and intricate designs of mythical creatures, animals, while also showing waterfalls and referencing other landmarks from around the world.
"Just a postman" is what most would have said, however after tripping on a stone pebble an idea came to his head, and slowly over 33 years he created the palace. After finishing the incredible sculpture he went on to crate his tomb which he now resides in with his family. 1
What motivated Cheval is that he wasn't a professional in the field of sculpting, nor building; instead he did something that he knew he was passionate about, and the result of that was an absolutely incredible building. Creating from desire not skill, but producing something extremely unique. 2
Joseph Cornell
A collector, Joseph Cornell used objects, mementos, random items like "shells, rubber balls, crystals swans" along with other treasures to collage them together to tell a story; he would create physical collages in large boxes/frames and each would be something that Joseph fixated on. 3
People would say that his work projected his inner feelings, and that because of his history and being very closed off from people, that it helped him fuel his desire to create, to show all his pent up feelings and thoughts through his work.
Cornell was a very recluse gentleman and didn't get any "formal education" hence the term 'Outsider Art', he relied solely on what made him different to channel his artistic fuel and develop his surrealist style. Cornell enjoyed creating fantastical stories in this format and brought him lots of fame, and met with other famous artist. 4
Seraphine de Senlis
An unknown artist and with an obscure history, Seraphine was only "truly" discovered in 1970 by Michel Hood which brough attention to her work despite passing years ago. Seraphine was just a housekeeper with a wonderful artistic skill with no formal training, and was discovered by Wilhelm Uhde, where they worked together to create paintings and create collections.
Her work would depict vibrant colours of nature and life, like "flowers, fruits and landscapes", created through paint "impasto" style with visually pleasing mic mediums with layering techniques. Her work showed originality, dynamic textures and intricate details that let your eyes wonder the paintings.
She struggled a lot with mental health which would ultimately lead her to going to the mental asylum multiple times until her last visit which she would reside till her death-- although the cause is unknown. 5
Angélique Adrianna Govy
Otherwise known as 'Govy', they produced an "interactive art piece" that worked like a "photographic diary" which showed a book with moving images, depicting their struggles with gender identity and growing up with Autism.
They later created more photographic pieces and installations inspired by their love for "Japanese rituals and aesthetics" From there, their main inspiration or topics come from what fascinated them. 6
Morris Hirshfield
This self-taught artist who created many paintings after having so many failed businesses, however those failed businesses helped build his style up and allowed him to incorporate skills from on into painting-- such as attention to detail from working as a tailor.
His work shows bold colours, interesting textures and lines, while incorporating nature and women together (in most paintings). Looking deeper into his work, you see the illusion of the painting being of needlework, when actuality it was created using oil paints.
After his death, his presence faded until within the last few years where his work has been showcased in exhibitions and museums. 7
John Kane
John Kane found his love for art after losing a leg in an accident at work, he changed roles where he would paint boxcars and in lunch hours he would paint landscapes on them--- before clearing them up. After losing his job and leaving his wife after the tragic loss of their son, john Kane attempted to find his artistic voice and make art his career.
He would end up working as a studio assistant where he would be taught more techniques and eventually be discovered, and went on to have his work shown in museums. 8 With no art school experience, John Kane was able to look at art in his own way, creating incredible pieces of landscapes by looking at his subject and mentally preparing himself of how the painting should look, with observation being his most important tool in his artistic kit. 9
Maud Lewis
Lewis was born with "congenital disorders" which made it very difficult and painful for her to do things that most people could do. Due to this, she stayed home where she taught herself lots of creative skills like drawing, painting, embroidery and more. Her and her family didn't have much in terms of money to do most things either, but her father did what he could to live comfortably.
She went through a lot of hardships in life with family passings, poverty and difficult family relationships- on top of her health. Because of that, she would create art as a means for an outlet to make a living, her beautiful vibrant and simplistic work slowly made her more popular but would mean more turn-moil on her health. Despite all the pain and hardships she continued to create art for those around her until she passed away. The topics of her work would relate to herself, whether it was through her childhood nostalgia or where she was and where she worked, or creating the nature around her. 10
Adolf Wölfli
Researching Wölfli was incredibly eye-opening, Wölfli had grown up poor and a slave to child labour, sexually abused. As he got older the more his schizophrenia developed and his behaviours became more challenged and aggressive. He begun to take an interest in young girls, which would land him in a mental asylum and was "one of the most intense cases of schizophrenia doctors had seen". 11
Wölfli found an outlet with paper and pencil, creating drawings and writing that blended life and fiction together, with more supplies that he was given, the more his work would flourish and was recognized as an artist which was unheard of for someone living in a mental asylum. The works would consist of collaging, drawings, they included musical sheets and "travelogues". 12
Two Artists/ Reflection
Out of this list of artists, I feel like I resonated more with Ferdinand Cheval and Seraphine de Senlis. For Cheval, he picked up a pebble and found inspiration, he didn't have any structural skills with sculpture or building. For Seraphine, she created art while working as a housekeeper, she was unrecognized after so many years until she was rediscovered.
They both created from a place that was really innocent and they both found what they enjoyed and intended to stick with it. For Cheval, I resonated with the desire to create something regardless of training, creating the beautiful palace with true grit-- I would love to say that I could be like this, but it's something I'm more desiring to have. As for Seraphine, her artistic style with mixed media really drew me in, I feel like I'm slowly moving towards a mixed medium style, however I am still exploring.
Each one of these artists on the list has really surprised me, I didn't know what to expect when researching but I found myself really inspired by how they were all able to make it as an artist or make an impact on people with their art- after being discovered or being rediscovered. How they were able to channel their pain, love, hardships, dedication through their art that leaves a lasting impact.
What I take away from these artists is that no matter what tools and skills I have, all I truly need is resilience, dedication and a desire to make myself vulnerable to people viewing my work.
1 U/A, Palais idéal- MONUMENT HISTORIQUE - FACTEUR CHEVAL '1879-1912 : 10 000 DAYS, 93 000 HOURS, 33 YEARS OF HARDSHIP', U/A. https://www.facteurcheval.com/en/history/#the-building Accessed May 13, 2025.
2 D Lyles, Lichtenbergianism 'Lessons from the Folk: Ferdinand Cheval', Nov 7, 2018. https://www.lichtenbergianism.com/blog/2018/11/5/lessons-from-the-folk-ferdinand-cheval Accessed May 13, 2025.
3 O Laing, The Guardian 'Joseph Cornell: how the reclusive artist conquered the art world- from his mum's basement', Jul 25, 2015. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/jul/25/joseph-cornell-wanderlust-royal-academy-exhibition-london Accessed May 13, 2025.
4 U/A, Smithsonian Artist 'Joseph Cornell' U/A. https://americanart.si.edu/artist/joseph-cornell-995 Accesed May 13, 2025.
5 MessyNessy, Messy Nessy 'Oh Seraphine this world was never meant for someone as beautiful as you', Jan 11, 2023. https://www.messynessychic.com/2023/01/11/oh-seraphine-this-world-was-never-meant-for-someone-as-beautiful-as-you/ Accessed May 13, 2025.
6 Wikipedia contributors. (2025, April 27). Govy. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Govy&oldid=1287554865 Accessed May 13, 2025.
7 D M. Roth, Square Cylinder 'The Fantastical World of Morris Hirshfield' Nov 30, 2023. https://www.squarecylinder.com/2023/11/the-fantastical-world-of-morris-hirshfield/ Accessed May 13, 2025.
8 The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "John Kane". Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 Aug. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Kane. Accessed 13 May 2025.
9 U/A, MOMA 'John Kane', U/A. https://www.moma.org/artists/2982-john-kane#:~:text=Having%20never%20formally%20studied%20art,how%20a%20painting%20should%20look. Accessed May 13, 2025.
10 R Cronin, Art Canada Institute 'maud lewis - BIOGRAPHY', U/A. https://www.aci-iac.ca/art-books/maud-lewis/biography/ Accessed May 13, 2025.
11 U/A, Art History Project 'Adolf Wolfli: The man who rewrote his life', U/A. https://www.arthistoryproject.com/artists/adolf-wolfli/ Accessed May 13 2025.
12 F KNAPP, Messy Nessy 'Who's Afraid of Adolf Wolfli?', Jun 16, 2023. https://www.messynessychic.com/2023/06/13/whos-afraid-of-adolf-wolfli/ Accessed May 13, 2025.
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