We all have heard of Grandma Moses and her hidden talent that was revealed at her late stage in life and wonder if other hidden artists are amongst us who are talented and to never be realized or recognized.
I have traveled through the Amish communities speaking with many Amish men and women as I sell their furniture on the internet, since they cannot.
Because of their culture and religion, they choose to keep to themselves on any talents they may have because they do not want to show forth pride and must keep humility as one of their primary doctrines.
Also the community they live does not want to attract outsiders that might and do interfere in their practice of their religion.
They practice their religion in everything they do.
Their background needs a bit of explanation to understand the fullness of what is to follow.
Their education is very basic and some say very simplistic.
They learn to read write and have learn basic of mathematics but no science.
They do study some history of our country and some civics so they are at least somewhat knowledgeable of the world they live in, but want to remain disassociated.
An interesting note I have found is their love of their country fore they as patriotic as any American.
They show a genuine love of country and also the fact that they can practice their religion without condemnation or sufferings as they have experienced in their past.
The Amish only go to school to the eighth grade and the teachers are parents who have no formal training as teachers.
Their teachers also have only an eighth grade education and they might hire "English" teachers to assist them.
"English" is their term for us who live outside of their community and rely upon us for those things that they cannot do, such as driving a car.
Over the past five years I traveled and met many fine Amish people and was interested in finding those that might have some artistic talent for a project for a new product I was trying to achieve.
My expectations were low knowing that no formal or even informal training would be available and in most cases they are discouraged as bringing pride to themselves and art as they visualize it serves no productive means of caring for the needs of their family or in their contribution to the community they belong.
I did find a few men and women who made attempts at some form of art, but it was crude and rough.
The use of colors was very awkward and to say at best childish.
My expectations were warranted.
But wait a minute.
I heard of an Amish man who is a brother of one of my best Amish friends.
I went to see him and his work was marvelous and his media was varied from painting to carving.
His method was that of copying or from a photograph to a large painting.
He had this great ability to create paintings that they were done extremely well.
He had everything in proper perspective and colorations smooth and lifelike.
He excelled in several areas in paintings on canvas, rocks and even saw blades.
He has carved scenes on blades of large hunting knives which was absolutely remarkable.
He would go to gun shows around the area to sell his work for additional money for his family.
This is very unusual for the Amish to travel and he must have special dispensation from his community to do attend and sell at these shows.
I was so pleased to have found at least one Amish person who was born with this gift of art and was doing practicing his art because I thought that he was great.
Some time in the future I like to have him have a showing at my new upcoming design studio to open beginning of the year.
This showroom is to feature Amish craftsmen with innovative designs in furniture and other media.
I am finding new creative designs never see before as made by the Amish, because they realize now that they must create to survive.
In my other travels, I found another Amish man who was an artist is wood and his craftsmanship was superior.
He has created some pieces out of wood that is very complex and had a French name attached to it where the whole piece was symmetrical but different complex designs on either side of the piece.
He does carvings for expensive homes and for elaborate kitchens as he can hand carve some marvelous pieces and has the ability to take a drawing as done by an English company on a CAD system and he would fill in the intricate detail to make the piece a work of art without any tools but that of a pencil.
Then upon commission, he would make the detailed pieces life size for installation to the building or columns.
I was very fortunate to find these Amish artists and they are true artists that have talent that was give to them.
They try to use their talents but are always mindful that they must strive for humility and not to let their pride show which is a very fine line.
It was a thrill for me to find these artists hidden within the Amish community and it is not my purpose to exploit them, just to make note that they do exists and that their works will probably not grace any museums, but for a few who know where they are at or have the proper contact can find some wonderful and marvelous art work for their personal enjoyment, for you will not see their work an any art studio.
Now I realize that I have found a few artists and this is just in Northern Indiana and wonder what I can find in other Amish communities in other areas.
I will be traveling through them and will find more to add to the design studio catering to Interior Designers and the sophisticated and refined homeowner, company or other commercial venues to use these hidden talented Amish artists.