Michael and Denise Ulick present the work of self-taught Seattle artist James Martin, to celebrate his first show on teh east coast. Please join us for a wine tasting reception saturday, July 11^th, 4-6 PM.

The French artist Jean Dubuffet is responsible for coining the phrase Art Brut or "raw art". He was referring to art that is pure, "uncooked", without the many layers of training and cultural influences. Significantly, this art form is "outside" the hierarchy and mainstream of western and classical art history.

According to Sidney Janis, the famous art dealer, the self-taught artist embodies the centuries-old tradition of "art people". This phenomenon of human creativity has been a part of society throughout history. Janis asserts that the self-taught artist's creative resources resides deep within human nature, and that the artist is compelled to express this personal vision for complex and varied reasons.

Today the strong appeal of self-taught art among collectors can be found in its unusual spirit of individuality and inventiveness. Its surprising and unexpected freshness only adds to the outsider's originality.