Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Adam Oestreich. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Adam, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
Ever since I can remember, I have loved art. I have always enjoyed making art and still have works I made in elementary school. After a year in college not making art, I immediately switched majors to ensure I took art classes. Like many young people trying to make it in the art world, I struggled a lot and felt my work needed to be better. I found my niche in the artwork when I saw the work of William Hawkins. I was immediately humbled. I could never do that, and why would I want to? Once I discovered the folk, outsider, and self-taught art world, I knew I had found my people. Why would I need to make art when this work was already made and so mind-blowing? Some of the most incredible art makers of all-time were often marginalized and left out of the traditional art world, and it was then that I finally felt like I didn’t need to make my own art. There was this great artwork that was already out there that I would love to share with everyone else. At times I feel like a fraud, not making my art and only sharing the art of others, but in the past year, I have felt so much joy helping artists who otherwise may not be noticed find an audience and a new home for their artwork. Spending late nights stumbling upon works of art that I wasn’t aware of, artists like Mamie Deschillie, King Godwin, or Esteban Whiteside, and seeing other people discover them for the first time and be inspired is special. While I would love to make art that brings joy to others, it has made me extremely happy and honored to share a small part of other great artist’s artistic journeys.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I started an Instagram account five years ago to share my love of folk art. I didn’t realize that I was sharing artwork by self-taught artists, visionary artists, and outsider artists, and there was already an entire world of these non-conforming artists of beautiful artists and fans of this art. Since then, I have started assisting in the sale in the distribution of artwork for ten emerging non-conforming artists as part of the FolkArtwork Collective. It has been an excellent way for extraordinarily talented and hard-working artists to showcase their artwork to many art lovers, gallerists, and collectors worldwide. While the FolkArtwork Collective is currently an online-only gallery, in the coming years, we will be taking these artists on the road for art fairs, shows, and markets with the ultimate goal of opening up a one-of-a-kind brick-and-mortar gallery in Des Monies, Iowa. Along with the FolkArtwork Collective, the weekly “This Week in Outsider Art” newsletter is becoming the one-stop shop for all things folk, self-taught, and outsider art, including news, exhibits, must-watch documentaries, and more.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The three qualities that have most impacted me in my journey are passion, confidence, and kindness. Having a passion for art, that no matter if one person or a thousand persons like what you are doing, either way, you are doing this thing because you love it, and whether it works out or not, it is still there for you. Having the confidence to do it, knowing that what you are doing is worth it, challenging yourself, making mistakes, and taking risks — knowing that it can and will work out in some way, shape, or form. And being kind is at the core of what I do. Kind to all artists, my students, clients, people I meet online, and anyone who is interested in what it is I am lucky enough to do.
The best piece of advice I could give is just go for it. There have been numerous times when I wasn’t sure how things would work out, if I could even pull off selling artwork, or if am I was even qualified to teach artwork. Every step in my journey has been scary, times when I wasn’t quite sure how it would go, but I just did it. And it was bumpy at times, but at the end of the day, you are just like everyone else you are looking up to, most everyone started at the same place, you just have to have confidence in your ability and go for it.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
The most impactful thing my parents have done for me is to be present. They have never questioned what I am doing or why I am doing it, instead showing interest and becoming my biggest fans. They are constantly asking how my website is doing, if we’ve sold anything for artists lately, and offering advice on whether it is warranted or not. They have always and will always be there for me and support me, no matter how crazy of a path or career choice I make. The lack of judgement and constant support makes the journey all the easier and better.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.folkartwork.art
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/folkartwork
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089449065426
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamgoestreich/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@folkartwork
- Other: https://folkartwork.substack.com/
Image Credits
‘Adam Oestreich – Vesterheim Tour’ and ‘Adam Oestreich – Vesterheim Museum’ please credit: Vesterheim Museum / Isaiah Solheim
