/ WORK AVAILABLE BY
Mike Ousley
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︎ Inquire
Mike Ousley (American, b. 1976) paints a direct commentary on Appalachian life and folk traditions, though their simplicity belies their depth. Ousley has painted since childhood, and though trained (MFA, University of Cincinnati), he foils Western European traditions with the folk style of his youth. Having grown up in a small coal town in Southeastern Kentucky listening to stories told by friends and family, he credits the visionary artists and rich heritage of the region as his primary influence.
“In his approach to folk art, Ousley is fluid rather than ethnographic, taking liberties as a storyteller to embellish and heighten his paintings to maximum effect. [...] Even if it’s tempting to compare Ousley’s work to conventional art world figures (Lessons In Stone (2021) is a dead ringer for early Alice Neel; few people have painted woods lovelier, darker, or deeper since Marsden Hartley), it would be wrong to characterize Ousley as anything but a Kentucky painter. His work draws deeply from the holler and is infinitely proud of it. His generosity in turn is to pay back the riches of his heritage and to illuminate a corner of the world that has been pointedly left obscure.” - Harry Tafoya for Ousley’s solo show In Some Dark Holler at Stellarhighway in Brooklyn, NY.
Recent exhibitions include Tales from the Deep Dark Hills at James Barron Art, CT; In Some Dark Holler at Stellarhighway, NY; Nine Lives at Fortnight Institute, NY; From These Hills at the William King Museum of Art, VA, curated by Michael Rooks; and, Something on the Wind at Morehead State University, KY. His work has been featured twice in ArtMaze Magazine and included in David Zwirner’s Platform. Ousley has been a resident at the Huntington Museum of Art, studying with Alfred Leslie; Arc of Appalachia; and, North Mountain. His work can be found in numerous private collections, as well as the public collections of Ashland Community College, Highlands Regional Medical Center, Morehead State University, and Ohio State University.
Presentations:
︎ Dream 2nd
︎ 10% for Kentucky
︎ Platform
︎ In Some Dark Holler
Press:
︎ I Like Your Work
︎ Raw Vision
︎ Our Numinous Nature
︎ Platform Interview
︎ Raw Vision
︎ Alien Literary Magazine
︎ Springfield News-Sun
︎ WHIOTV7
︎ Dayton NOW
︎ Inquire
Mike Ousley (American, b. 1976) paints a direct commentary on Appalachian life and folk traditions, though their simplicity belies their depth. Ousley has painted since childhood, and though trained (MFA, University of Cincinnati), he foils Western European traditions with the folk style of his youth. Having grown up in a small coal town in Southeastern Kentucky listening to stories told by friends and family, he credits the visionary artists and rich heritage of the region as his primary influence.
“In his approach to folk art, Ousley is fluid rather than ethnographic, taking liberties as a storyteller to embellish and heighten his paintings to maximum effect. [...] Even if it’s tempting to compare Ousley’s work to conventional art world figures (Lessons In Stone (2021) is a dead ringer for early Alice Neel; few people have painted woods lovelier, darker, or deeper since Marsden Hartley), it would be wrong to characterize Ousley as anything but a Kentucky painter. His work draws deeply from the holler and is infinitely proud of it. His generosity in turn is to pay back the riches of his heritage and to illuminate a corner of the world that has been pointedly left obscure.” - Harry Tafoya for Ousley’s solo show In Some Dark Holler at Stellarhighway in Brooklyn, NY.
Recent exhibitions include Tales from the Deep Dark Hills at James Barron Art, CT; In Some Dark Holler at Stellarhighway, NY; Nine Lives at Fortnight Institute, NY; From These Hills at the William King Museum of Art, VA, curated by Michael Rooks; and, Something on the Wind at Morehead State University, KY. His work has been featured twice in ArtMaze Magazine and included in David Zwirner’s Platform. Ousley has been a resident at the Huntington Museum of Art, studying with Alfred Leslie; Arc of Appalachia; and, North Mountain. His work can be found in numerous private collections, as well as the public collections of Ashland Community College, Highlands Regional Medical Center, Morehead State University, and Ohio State University.
Presentations:
︎ Dream 2nd
︎ 10% for Kentucky
︎ Platform
︎ In Some Dark Holler
Press:
︎ I Like Your Work
︎ Raw Vision
︎ Our Numinous Nature
︎ Platform Interview
︎ Raw Vision
︎ Alien Literary Magazine
︎ Springfield News-Sun
︎ WHIOTV7
︎ Dayton NOW