The formal definition of Folk Art: Art originating among the common people of a nation or region and usually reflecting their traditional culture, especially everyday or festive items produced or decorated by unschooled artists. Unschooled? Ha. So much for Mr. Webster.

The Nancy Thomas Gallery in Yorktown is opening ‘Envision’ – a show of New American Folk Art gathered from artists all around the country. Folk Art is being presented to the “cultured” public more and more these days. The fact alone that some pieces in this emerging genre have sold for thousand of dollars pretty much convinces me that no one who is “unschooled” will make much of an impression. Not without a whole bunch of natural talent thrown in there as well.

Don’t be scared off by that high money mark though, apparently there’s some affordable stuff too. For Folk Art newbies, there are also some pieces that are, well… more accessible to people not quite so familiar with the style. No worries that all you’d be looking at will be black canvasses with a tiny circle of red in the middle (I know, that’d be considered Modern or Abstract, not Folk, but you get my drift.) Nor will it be a bunch of drawings that look like your one-eyed, one-toothed, one-braincelled cousin from Arkansas carved it on a beer can. That's the wrong kind of "folksy". <editors note: The views expressed in this article with respects to the honorable state of Arkansas in  no way reflect the opinions or views of OnHamptonRoads.com (or its editor). Arkansas is a beautiful state populated by intelligent, cultured and fully toothed people.>

I think a better definition for Folk Art would be "art that reminds us of all the good things about home".

Nancy Thomas has been wielding a brush at home in Yorktown for about 30 years now. Her art is in the homes of collectors, in magazines, museums, films (including Spiderman 3 – “Coffee Cup Lady” in the coffee shop scene), on Broadway and on television. She’s been commissioned by the White House, for Pete’s sake! You’ve got to figure she knows good art when she sees it.

On Saturday, July 21^st between 4pm and 8pm, put down Harry Potter for a couple of hours and come out to see the opening of “Envision – New American Folk Art”. Some of the featured artists include Michael Banks, Sherry Dooley, Cornbread and Carleton Bakkum. Refreshments will be served and admission is free, plus it's in Historic Yorktown. If you want your date to think you're all cultured-like, this one would be a good bet. Who knows, you might even become a bit less "unschooled". Silly Mr. Webster.