The six outside artists worth name-dropping

Artists with disabilities are frequently left out of the Basels and Friezes of the art industry. Enter Outsider Art Fair, one of the only international fairs focusing solely on showing work from ‘outsider’ artists. While the categorisation of ‘outsider art’ is dated, the fair presents creations from people who don’t have formal fine art training, but should belong to the contemporary art world. 

For the first year, Arts of Life, a progressive art studio and gallery in Chicago supporting more than 60 adult artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities, will be presenting six artists at a booth (C3) at the fair. Here, Vincent Uribe, director of exhibitions and external relations for Arts of Life shares the artists showing at the fair. 

Additionally, check out the booths from other progressive organisations supporting people with disabilities, such as Creative Growth, Creativity Explored, LAND Gallery, Pure VIsion Arts, SAGE Studio, Project Onward, Tierra Del Sol Gallery, and Center for Creative Works. 

Outsider Art Fair is on now until Sunday 6 March. 

Susan Pasowicz

Fascinated by colour, shapes and organic forms, Susan Pasowicz uses coloured pencil to create whimsical compositions that reflect her dream-like state. Looking at the everyday, her work incorporates hints of her surroundings, which become tangled in the web of forms created by wispy, worm-like marks that build up on the works’ surface. Often incorporating windows, doors or portals, Pasowicz transports the viewer to a new environment. 

Chris Austin

With a background in mechanics, Chris Austin’s thoughtfully composed works emerge from methodical planning that manifests through research, sketching, and assembling source materials. His meticulous process of alternating between painting on canvas and hand-cut cardboard results in layered painting grounded in realism with a nod to folk art. He primarily focuses on ‘the composition [and] the colours’ in his work. 

Danny Frownfelter

Inspired by dramatic narratives, Danny Frownfelter’s subject matter explores dichotomies of religion and the destructive forces of super villains. His flair for the theatrical is realised using high contrast, bold brushstrokes, and subjects gazing directly. 

David Krueger 

David Krueger draws inspiration for his pop-art paintings from graphic art. His geometric style is characterised by horizontal bands drawn across the canvas, which break up the frame into narrative sections, reminiscent of a comic book. 

Rebecca Kubica 

Rebecca (Becky) Kubica has a methodical sketching practice in which she works out all of the details in advance of her final piece to construct her ideal composition. A natural storyteller, she creates artistic narratives of herself alongside friends, family and fictional characters. Kubica’s artwork has been exhibited at the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art.

Hubert Posey

As a non-verbal artist, Hubert Posey utilises his art-making process as a tool for connection and communication. With the help of support staff and volunteers, Posey builds multidimensional sculptures, amassing an array of materials collected from around the studio. His additive method of layering creates finished objects that are otherworldly.

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