Garde Rail Gallery specializes in work by contemporary folk, self-taught, outsider, visionary, and developmentally disabled artists from the Deep South, Midwest, East and West Coasts, as well as Canada and Great Britain. GRG opened in June of 1998 by founders Karen Light and Marcus Piña in Seattle, WA. In September 2009 the gallery moved to Austin, TX, and focused on art fairs (Outsider Art Fair NYC and Paris) and the work of Gregory Blackstock.
Since 1998 the gallery has been fortunate enough to work with the Museum Gugging, Collection de l’Art Brut, Commes de GarconTacoma Art Museum, Whatcom Museum, Seattle Art Museum, Boise Art Museum, Frye Art Museum, Microsoft and the Microsoft Collection, the Safeco Collection, the Swedish Collection, the Seattle Channel, Evening Magazine, The Stranger, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, The Outsider Art Fair, Folk Fest Atlanta, Intuit Chicago, Museum of American Folk Art, American Visionary Art Museum, Raw Vision, Folk Art Magazine, and countless other publications across the US and in Europe.
In 2006, GRG co-authored Blackstock’s Collections, published by Princeton Architectural Press.
Past Shows + Events
December 2015
Outsider Art Fair, New York, NY
December 2014
Outsider Art Fair, New York, NY
October 2013
Outsider Art Fair, Paris FR
November 2011
East Austin Studio Tour, Austin TX
September 2011 – February 2012
Gregory Blackstock exhibit at Collection de L’Art Brut, Lausanne, CH
December 2010
Art Basel: Aqua Art Miami – Terry Turrell, Pooneh Ghana, Rebecca Shapiro, Lloyd Benjamin, Gregory Blackstock, Mr Hooper, Holly Farrell
August 6 – 22, 2009
Holly Farrell
June 4 – 27, 2009
The Misplaced Beast: Kevin Titzer
April 2 – May 30, 2009
Rebecca Shapiro, Marcus Mårtenson, Frank Zeni
February 5, 2009 – March 28, 2009
John Taylor
January 2009
Outsider Art Fair, New York, NY
December 4, 2008 – January 31, 2009
Jennifer Harrison & Bill Miller
October 2 – November 29, 2008
Holly Farrell & Scott Griffin
September 4 – 27, 2008
Scattered, Smothered & Covered! – Alyne Harris, Paul Cordes Wilm, R.A. Miller, Jimmy Lee Sudduth
August 7 – 30, 2008
Line Dried: Hand-Pulled Print Show – Block prints by Tim Fowler & Yee-Haw Industries
June 5 – August 2, 2008
Vernacular Photography of Gregory Blackstock
May 1 – 31, 2008
Peace, Love, War No More: Story Rugs of Dale Gottlieb
April 2008
INTUIT Outsider Show, Chicago IL
April 3 – 26, 2008
Lloyd Benjamin, Mr. Hooper, Paul Cordes Wilm: Folk Pop!
February 7 – March 29, 2008
Southen Folk Art: James “Buddy” Snipes
December 5, 2007 – January 26, 2008
Gregory Blackstock
October 4 – November 24, 2007
Kevin Titzer
September 2007
Outsider Art Show, Santa Fe NM
August 2007
Gregory Blackstock + Comme des Garçons + Garde Rail Gallery Collaboration – Japanese fashion label Comme des Garçons launches line with patterns from Blackstock’s Collections
July 5 – August 4, 2007
Wales Via Chicago: Jon Langford
June 7 – 30, 2007
Southern Folk Art: Ab The Flagman
April 19 – May 26, 2007
Toronto Still Life: Holly Farrell
March 1 – April 14, 2007
Southern Folk Art Unseen: Sarah Jane Perkins
February 1 – 24, 2007
Tom + Melissa D.: Grand Visions From Grand Rapids
December 2006
Blackstock’s Collections book signings, Outsider Art Fair, NYC
December 7, 2006 – January 27, 2007
John Taylor: New Work, New Ships
October 2006
The Affair at the Jupiter Hotel, Portland OR
October 5 – November 25, 2006
Gregory Blackstock’s Collections
September 7 – 30, 2006
Kevin Titzer + Casey McGlynn
August 2006
Folk Fest, Atlanta GA
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uly 6 – September 2, 2006
Southern Folk Art: Howard Finster + Mose Tolliver
May 18 – July 1, 2006
Bill Miller + Scott Griffin
April 6 – May 13, 2006
Trio: Holly Farrell, Jesse Montes, Greg Pelner
February 16 – April 1, 2006
Jennifer Harrison: Blocks
January 5 – February 11, 2006
Connections: Story Rugs of Dale Gottlieb
November 17 – December 31, 2005
James “Buddy” Snipes: The Real Deal
October 2005
The Affair at the Jupiter Hotel, Portland OR
October 6 – November 11, 2005
Jimmy Lee Sudduth: Alabama Mud Paintings
August 2005
Folk Fest, Atlanta GA
August 4 – 27, 2005
A Snowball In Hell: Art Inspired by They Might Be Giants – Guest curator Kevin Titzer. Richard Borge, Simon Boses, Rik Catlow, Craig Cheape’, Marco Cibola, Sacha Eckes, Tom Haney, Mr. Hooper, Andy Kehoe, Joshua Krause, Aaron Leighton, Kim Maria & Craig LaRotonda, Bryce McCloud, Chris Neal, Valerie & Jonathan Nicklow, Shaunna Peterson, Eduardo Recife, Keren Richter, Martha Rich, Chris Sickles
July 7 – 30, 2005
Four X Northwest: Anne Grgich, Ree Brown, Tim Fowler, Gregory Blackstock
May 5 – June 25, 2005
Clint + Scott Griffin: Flight Or Fight Of Fancy
April 7 – 30, 2005
Kevin Titzer
March 3 – April 2, 2005
Ships of John Taylor
February 3 – 28, 2005
Gregory Blackstock
December 2, 2004- January 22, 2005
Old Neighborhood: Jennifer Harrison
November 4 – 27, 2004
Vinyl Stories: Bill Miller
October 7 – 30, 2004
Casey McGlynn: New Work
August 5 – September 25, 2004
Rick Borg
April 4 – 27, 2004
Kevin Titzer
February 6 – March 27, 2004
Gregory Blackstock: Outsider Artist
December 5, 2003- January 31, 2004
Coal Miner Jack Savitsky
October 3 – November 29, 2003
Ships of John Taylor: Wreckage + Reclamation
August 2003
Folk Fest, Atlanta GA
August 1 – September 27, 2003
Open House – Pacific Northwest artists Tim Fowler, Ree Brown, Anne Grgich, Stephen Powers, Wally Shoup, Jeanette Sullivan, Betty Williamson, and James Ardena.
June 6 – July 26, 2003
Blame Canada For Clint + Scott Griffin
April 4 – May 31, 2003
Blame Canada For Casey McGlynn
February 7 – March 29, 2003
Blame Canada For Jennifer Harrison
December 6, 2002 – January 25, 2003
The Toy Show – The first themed show at the gallery. Owners Karen Light and Marcus Pina asked a number of the artists on their roster to create “toys”. The toys should be actual toy-like objects, able to be “played” with, kinetic pieces that call for interaction. The results range from toy ships, blocks, and cars, to bone dolls and B.B. games. John Taylor, LaVon Williams, Buddy Snipes, Ruby C. Williams, Jerry Coker, Mark O’Malley, Stephen Powers
October 4 – November 30, 2002
Scattered, Smothered + Covered!!! On the menu: LaVon Van Williams, Rick Borg, Jennifer Harrison, Clint Griffin, Scott Griffin, Casey McGlynn, Georgia Folk Pottery Families The Hewell’s & The Fergusons, Jimmy Lee Sudduth, Annie Tolliver, Mose Tolliver, James “Buddy” Snipes, Suzy Odom, Ab The Flagman, Anne Grgich, Stephen Powers, Mark O’Malley, Ree Brown, John Taylor, Tom D., Donna Collins, Alyne Harris, Ruby C. Williams, Missionary Mary Proctor, Eileen Doman, Daniel Belardinelli
August 2002
Folk Fest, Atlanta GA
August 2 – September 28, 2002
Antjuan Oden: The Myth of Captivity + The Truth of Consequence
June 7 – July 27, 2002
John Taylor: New Ships
April 5 – May 25, 2002
It Ain’t The Size That Counts celebrates all that is wonderful in dimensionally challenged art. Mark O’Malley, Stephen Powers, Buddy Snipes, Anne Grgich, and more.
February 1 – March 30, 2002
Jimmy Lee Sudduth + Wally Shoup
December 7, 2001- January 26, 2002
Method of Annie: 12 Years of Anne Grgich
October 5 – November 24, 2001
Charlie “Tin Man” Lucas
August 2001
Bumbershoot – Across The Miles featuring Charlie “Tin Man” Lucas
July 6 – September 29, 2001
Ships by John Taylor
June 1 – 30, 2001
Yard Art – Group show of art found in the yard or for the yard. Birdhouses, whirligigs, carvings, and more created by folk artists from the Deep South, Midwest, and Northwest. R. A. Miller, Minnie Adkins, Ivan Laycock, Buddy Snipes, Tom D., and more.
April 8 – May 26, 2001
Jesus Says Buy More Folk Art: Reginald Mitchell, Big Al Taplet, Charles Gillam
December 1, 2000 – January 27, 2001
Scattered, Smothered + Covered!! – A healthy helping of folk art from the Deep South and midwest, “Scattered, Smothered & Covered” is a group show of self-taught, folk, and outsider artists from Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Florida, Ohio and Michigan. Donna Collins, Tom D., Jimmy Lee Sudduth, Reginald Mitchell, James “Buddy” Snipes, and many more.
November 3 – 25, 2000
Anne Grgich
September 7 – 30, 2000
Zeitgeist – Group show of 17 Self-Taught, Folk & Outsider Artists from Across the U.S. That means floor-to-ceiling folk art. Installation of work from our recent cross country trek on display. Richard Burnside, Jimmy Lee Sudduth, Annie Grgich, Buddy Snipes, and artifacts from the W.C. Rice Cross Garden.
August 2000
Folk Fest, Atlanta GA
August 4 – 26, 2000
Open House – Tom D., John Taylor, and Annie Grgich
March 2 – April 29, 2000
Livin’ In Louisiana: Reginald Mitchell, Big Al Taplet, Artist Chuckie Williams, Carol Myers
February 3 – 26, 2000
The Daniel Belardinelli Experience
November 4, 1999 – January 15, 2000
Storytelling: James “Buddy” Snipes
August 1999
Folk Fest, Atlanta GA
July 1 – 31, 1999
Rick Borg: Don’t Fence Me In
June 3 – 26, 1999
Best of the Northwest – Featured artists include Rosemary Pittman, Ree Brown, Antjuan Oden, Tim Fowler, Von Nell, Wally Shoup, and Michael Tippett.
June 18, 1999
The End Is Near! Originally on show at The American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore. This one evening event will feature a slide show and discussion by Aberdeen, WA artist Stephen Powers as he discusses his life and work. Also in attendance will be Seattle woodcarver Tim Fowler, Greenville, SC painter William Thomas Thompson, and Arizona artist Frank Bruno.
May 6 – 29, 1999
Tom D. – Birds, Babes, Bluesmen
April 1 – 30, 1999
Shiny Happy Paintings: Ralph Auf der Heide + Verna Weatherly
March 4 – 27, 1999
Making Our Way – Show of art by adults with disabilities from NIAD (National Institute of Art and Disabilities) in Richmond California, and Barrington Farm, Norfolk, England. Artists include Samuel Gant, Doreen Poole, Audrey Pickering, James Chilton, Sylvia Fragoso, Leofric Baron, Rosita Pardo, and Roy Colinson.
February 4 – 27, 1999
Carol Myers + Wally Shoup
December 3, 1998
Mose Tolliver: Art Objects From The 1980’s
November 5 – 28, 1998
Profile of the Future Primitive: Antjuan Oden, Von Nell, MC Koehler
October 1 – 31, 1998
Scattered, Smothered + Covered! A generous serving of folk art from across the United States. Jimmy Lee Sudduth, R. A. Miller, Tubby Brown, Tom D., Willie Jinks, Mose Tolliver, Annie Tolliver, Butch Anthony, LaVon Williams, and Rosemary Pittman, it focuses on four folk artists from the South; Melanie “Mel” McGinnis, John Henry Toney, Alyne Harris, and James “Buddy” Snipes.
August 7 – September 5, 1998
How Do You Like Them Apples? features Washington State’s own self-taught vernacular artists Ree Brown, Tim Fowler, and Stephen Powers.
September 1998
Outsiders Outside, Harbert MI
August 1998
Folk Fest, Atlanta GA
July 3 – 25, 1998
Kindred Spirits of Alabama – Jimmy Lee Sudduth, Mose Tolliver, Annie Tolliver, Charlie Lucas
June 5 – 27, 1998
Ready Or Not, Here We Come – The inaugural show presented by Garde Rail Gallery. The title is in reference to the undiscovered talent on display by Fryma Mantel, Raymond Kempe, and Roberto Valenza, as well as the introduction of “folk” art to a town and region that has yet to truly experience this wonderful genre.