The Everhart Museum’s American Folk Art Gallery is a snapshot of one of the finest American folk art collections. Folk Art: By People, For People, the first exhibition in the reestablished Gallery, celebrates the role folk art had in the lives of the people who created and enjoyed it. Artists without academic training created these pieces to serve practical family needs; mark religious and cultural occasions; stand as remembrances of loved ones; provide comfort and enjoyment; facilitate trade; and more, both reflecting and enhancing the human experience.

In many quarters, folk art remains viewed as untrained and naive, visionary but not real art. Folk art remains true to its creative vein: it is expressive, emotional, elegant, symbolic, and often expertly crafted. It stands as a pure, unadulterated expression of emotion, unfettered by the ideals of academic art.

The re-establishment of the Everhart’s American Folk Art Gallery in 2023 was made possible by a generous gift from the Oppenheim Family, which also supports continued care for the American folk art collection.