Joseph Yoakum

Joseph Yoakum Valley of El Capatan  c. 1960's  watercolor and ball point pen on paper
9" x 12"  
fleisher-ollmangallery.com

Joseph Yoakum's drawings are avidly collected by folk art collectors as well as museums, artists and fine art collectors around the world. My take on his popularity is that his work cuts across all genres. They are beautifully drawn and composed using delicate line and muted color to define his impression of places he visited in his mind. The originality of his style and authenticity of his approach to making his art resonated with people with the ability to see and feel his presence in the work. 

In my experience viewing contemporary artists today, I feel many are trying to capture Yoakum's approach with varying degrees of success. What is almost impossible to attain for contemporary artists is the authenticity that comes from an inner directed "outsider" person of color that grew up in the middle of the last century. That experience is is what makes his work so unique, beautiful and touching.