Marvin Finn Kentucky Folk Art Sculpture

Details

Description

Presenting an offbeat bird sculpture made from plywood by the popular folk artist Marvin Finn (1913-2007). It measures a little … Read more Presenting an offbeat bird sculpture made from plywood by the popular folk artist Marvin Finn (1913-2007). It measures a little over 10 inches high by approximately 14 inches wide and is, as they say in the art world, "non finito" meaning "not finished". In the art world unfinished art is respected and highly collectable as these pieces can feel more raw, fresh, and honest. It allows us to peak inside the world of an artist revealing the layers of the composition, what kind of sketches and materials they used or discarded. It is also insightful into the emotional journey of the artist.

This sculpture left incomplete by Marvin Finn makes the viewing process interactive. These blank spaces in the bird's fan tail plume allows us to fill in the missing pieces. You can see that the plywood on that side, as well as the base, is extremely rough and unsanded. Looking closely you can see where he painted over the original lines of the plume with the faint lines peeking out inbetween the new lines. This shows the artist's frustration with the rough unsanded surface. Also, the base of the sculpture is also made from the same rough plywood as you can see how the signature and date bled into the unsanded surface.

This bird is from my personal collection. It has been displayed out of direct sunlight in a temperature controlled environment. Like all of Marvin's sculptures, the sculpture is mounted on plywood between wood braces then glued to the braces and base. I have been collecting Finn's work over 20 years and have decided to thin out my flock. It is signed Finn on the bottom and dated 90. This is the only unfinished Finn sculpture I have owned or seen but I am sure there are many more out there.

As you can see by the photos that overall, the sculpture is in good condition with handling wear throughout. His beak on both sides shows handling wear as well as the base with some areas of over painting and paint loss. The base is also an asymetrical shape suggesting that he used a found scrap of plywood, common for folk artists. Nonetheless, the sculpture is intact and sturdy and still presents with that famous Finn whimsy.

For those of you unfamiliar with the artist, Marvin Finn was a resident of Louisville’s artistic community for more than thirty years. His work was highly sought after by collectors during his lifetime and continues to be sought after by discerning collectors today. Born in 1913 in Alabama, the son of a sharecropper, he had to leave school in the first grade to go to work in the fields. His father often whittled on wood and from an early age he would stand alongside him to learn carving skills from him. Marvin also liked drawing, painting and building.

Marvin came to Louisville, Kentucky after the outbreak of World War II. It was here that he met and married his wife and developed his folk art sculptures and became a working artist . Over the years, Finn created whole populations of birds and animals inspired by his life on the family farm. Finn is perhaps best known for his haughty, fun and imaginative roosters, chickens and birds. His systematic use of bold stripes, dots and dashes painted on scrap wood against a solid background in unconventional color combinations is his signature style. The entire piece has a charming, rustic aesthetic with visible hand cut edges and a playful color palette. His pieces are getting harder to find and continue to rise in value. This would make a great addition to a new or existing collection.

I will pack this very carefully and double box it for shipping. See less