Outsider art or “folk” art is a term used for artwork created outside the traditional art world, often by self-taught artists who have little or no formal training and may work independently from galleries, museums, or academic institutions. Today, outsider art encompasses a wide range of styles and mediums, from intricate drawings and sculptures to visionary environments and found-object constructions.
While once viewed as separate from mainstream art, outsider art is now celebrated by major museums like the Johnson Collection and the High Museum of Art. But the best way to experience them, especially the artists of the South, is to see where the key figures lived and created their work. Oftentimes, they’re literally off the beaten path, and hours can be irregular, but they’re well worth the journey. Note that this list is by no means exhaustive.
Alabama
Museum of Wonder Drive Thru, Seale
Created by self-taught artist Butch Anthony, the Museum of Wonder Drive Thru consists of shipping containers filled with eclectic artwork, found objects, sculptures, oddities, and curiosities that visitors view from their cars as they drive through. It started as his taxidermy shop in the 1970s and has continued as a roadside attraction.
Georgia
Paradise Garden, Summerville
Paradise Garden is the former home of small-town preacher Howard Finster, whose work was featured all over the world, including SoHo galleries in New York and R.E.M. album covers. After several years of irregular hours, it’s now a full visitor experience, where you can see his work on every possible surface, take in the Folk Art Chapel, and even spend the night at one of the onsite rental properties.
Pasaquan, Buena Vista
Set in a rural area outside of Columbus, Pasaquan is the futuristic former home of St. EOM, the artist formerly known as Eddie Owen Martin. His futuristic visions are the basis for his work, including sculptures that dot the property, since restored by the Kohler Foundation. While in the area, tuck into the Columbus Museum to see more of his work.
Louisiana
Abita Mystery House, Abita Springs
The North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain is home to several charming communities, including Abita Springs. It’s also where you’ll find the Abita Mystery House, a converted service station filled with the quirky work of artist John Preble, including dioramas of Southern life and mosaics using found objects.
Melrose Plantation, Natchitoches
Clementine Hunter’s work at Melrose Plantation in Natchitoches is some of the most important folk art created in the American South, where she began painting in her 50s using discarded paints and materials left behind by visiting artists. The series of murals in the African House, completed in 1955, traces the history and daily rhythms of the Cane River region. Note that photographs are not allowed inside.
Mississippi
Margaret’s Grocery, Vicksburg
Margaret’s Grocery in Vicksburg began as a small country store in the 1950s. After her first husband was killed during a robbery, Margaret married Reverend Herman D. “Preacher” Dennis, who promised to build her a “castle” in exchange for her marriage. He painted it and built towers around the store that became a popular roadside stop. After their deaths, it fell into disrepair, but the site is currently raising funds for restoration with help from the Mississippi Folk Art Foundation.
North Carolina
Vollis Simpson’s Whirligig Park, Wilson
Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park in Wilson, North Carolina, is a public sculpture park dedicated to the work of folk artist Vollis Simpson, who created massive kinetic “whirligigs” from salvaged metal and found objects. The park preserves and displays about 30 of his wind-driven sculptures. Simpson originally built these works on his nearby farm, where they became a local roadside landmark before being carefully restored and relocated.
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