Folk Masters

Book excerpt: Portraits of one hundred recipients of the United States’ highest honor in the folk and traditional arts, caputred in their element. Discover one hundred of the greatest folk artists practicing in the United States in Folk Masters: A Portrait of America. Over the past twenty-five years, photographer Tom Pich has traveled the country to the homes and studios of recipients of the National Endowment for the Arts’ National Heritage Fellowship, the highest honor given to folk and traditional artists in the nation. His portraits give us a glimpse into their art, their process, and their culture. While each image tells a story on its own, Barry Bergey, former Director of Folk and Traditional Arts at the National Endowment for the Arts, provides further insight into the lives of each featured artist as well as the remarkable stories behind each photograph. Folk Masters honors again the extraordinary women and men who simultaneously take the traditional arts to new heights while ensuring their continuation from generation to generation. “This beautiful, informative, and exquisitely produced book features 100 extraordinary traditional artists from across America, each a recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship—the nation’s highest award for excellence in the folk and traditional arts. Folk Masters is a stunning tribute to the great diversity of cultures and artistic traditions that enrich our country.” —Marjorie Hunt, Folklife Curator, Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage “Folk Masters documents and honors the extraordinary women and men who take traditional arts to new heights while also ensuring their continuation from generation to generation.” —The Library of Congress “Folk Masters is visual, emotional, and inspirational. Here is a portrait of America many Americans never see and may not believe actually exists. Pich and Bergey have done an admirable job of conveying their vision.” —Journal of Folklore Research