Joseph Elmer Yoakum

Place: Ash Grove

Born: 1891

Death: 1972

Biography:

Joseph Elmer Yoakum was an American self-taught painter, known for his landscape paintings in the outsider art-style. He was of African-American and possibly of Native American-descent, and his life story is a fascinating tale of creativity and perseverance.

Early Life and Career

Yoakum's biographical information is difficult to verify, but it is believed that he was born in Ash Grove, Missouri, in 1891. He spent his early childhood on a Missouri farm and later joined the Great Wallace Circus at the age of nine. Yoakum traveled across the U.S. with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show and the Ringling Brothers, among other circuses. He also worked as a bill poster and traveled to Europe as a stowaway.

Artistic Work

Yoakum started drawing in the early 1950s, and his work was discovered by the mainstream art community in 1967 through John Hopgood, an instructor at the Chicago State College. A group of students and teachers at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, including Roger Brown, Gladys Nilsson, Jim Nutt, and Barbara Rossi, took an interest in promoting his work. In 1972, just one month before his death, Yoakum was given a one-man show at the Whitney Museum in New York City. Yoakum's paintings are characterized by their use of bright colors and imaginative landscapes. He produced over 2,000 drawings during the last decade of his life, and his work is now considered an important part of American outsider art. Some of his notable works include Untitled, which can be found at the Souls Grown Deep collection in Atlanta.

Style and Influence

Yoakum's style is often associated with the Outsider Art movement, characterized by raw, unconventional expressions of creativity. His work has been compared to that of other notable artists, including Richard Mayhew, who is known for his Spiritual Space No. 16. Yoakum's use of color and imagination has also drawn comparisons to the Romanticism movement, which can be seen in the works of artists such as Thomas Cole. Some notable examples of Yoakum's work can be found at https://Wikioo.org/@/JosephElmerYoakum. For more information about Joseph Elmer Yoakum, visit his page on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Yoakum.

• Outsider Art: a type of art that is characterized by raw, unconventional expressions of creativity.
• Romanticism: an art movement that emphasizes emotion and imagination.
• Whitney Museum: a museum in New York City that showcases American art.

Yoakum's life story is a testament to the power of creativity and perseverance. Despite facing many challenges throughout his life, he continued to produce vibrant and imaginative paintings until his death in 1972. His work remains an important part of American outsider art, and his legacy continues to inspire artists today. Visit https://Wikioo.org/@@/D4N9WV-Richard-Mayhew-Spiritual-Space-No-16 to see more examples of Yoakum's style and influence.