Through December 31, 2007, The Brick Store Museum of Kennebunk, Maine, is pleased to present Wild Things: Selections from Kate Manko's Collection of American Folk Art Animals. The Exhibition features more than 80 objects of animal life folk art, including bears, moose, elk, deer, squirrels, snakes, turtles, fish, frogs, and a wide variety of birds. These highly inventive and playful works reflect their makers' desire to capture the animals' individual characteristics. Various materials were used in crafting these pieces; many are based in wood but infused with imaginative details fashioned out of metal, seashells, beads, and leather. Others were created entirely out of materials such as deer antlers, canvas, pieces of discarded oil drums, and even bottle caps. The objects, many of which were found in camps throughout Maine, date from the late 19th to the late 20th centuries. While a number of the pieces were created for home and outdoor decoration, others were utilitarian objects, aiding hunters or fisherman in attracting their prey or acting as rooftop weathervanes. Wild Things reflects the personal collection of Kate Manko, a dealer and collector of American Folk Art in Moody, Maine, who has assembled the wildlife objects over a twenty-year period. For more information on viewing the exhibition: www.brickstoremuseum.org or 207.985.4802.
In addition to selling American Folk Art to advanced collectors and dealers for over 30 years, Ken, Ida, and Kate have been responsible for 6 major exhibits in American folk art.
A spectacular photography exhibit of 24 items all relating to folk art and featuring a face. Then, juxtaposed with a 20" x 30" color photograph taking the item completely out of context. The exhibit received rave reviews from even the harshest of art critics.
Brick Store Museum. Kennebunk, Maine. Fall 1987.
A stunning first of its kind exhibit featuring over 30 Maine weathervanes in a vast array of forms and media. All were found in Maine and most came with a complete history and provenance. All were untouched in their original "as found" condition, many complete with their period directionals.
Portland Museum of Art. Portland, Maine. Winter 1989.
A first ever exhibit of a student's private collection at Syracuse University since the schools inception in 1870. The exhibit, held at the prestigious Lowe Art Gallery, featured nearly 70 "wild" animals in all medias from the late 1700's to the late 1990's. Kate Manko collected all of the pieces over a 20-year period on her travels that included antique shows, shops and flea markets, mostly in New England, but there were also examples from the Pacific Northwest as well as the Caribbean.
Lowe Art Gallery, Syracuse Univerity. Syracuse, New York. Fall 2002.
An extremely unique exhibit of Adirondack and Northern New England camp furniture and accessories all assembled over a 15-year period. Some of the best known and one-of-a-kind examples in or out of museums were shown for the first time ever.
Lowe Art Gallery, Syracuse Univerity. Syracuse, New York. Fall 2004.
"Camp Maine: Rustic Furniture & Accessories, 1860-1940" was a truly wonderful and long overdue exhibit on Maine camp life done in vignette settings along with highlighted pieces featuring approximately 200 items that would have been found in and around early Maine camps.
This collection of items took nearly 20 years to assemble and covers both the decorative aspect and necessities that were a part of camps before electricity and flush toilets. almost without exception every person young or old to view this exhibit was inspired to "story telling" of their own treasured camp experience.
It is also our hope that a publication featuring these signature items will be forthcoming.
Brickstore Museum, Kennebunk, Maine. Spring turu Fall 2006.
