Eddie Mandaggio. Sculptor. Bridgewater, Nova Scotia. Active early 1970’s – 2003.

Eddie Mandaggio came to Nova Scotia from Manitoba and Northern Ontario. He carved animals and birds, usually good sized and full of color. He often worked with old hydro and telephone poles to make his larger carvings. These pieces of round seemed to influence his forms And he knew when to leave well enough alone. Mr. Madaggio has been collected in museums and privately around North America.

Russell Lynds. Sculptor. Wood carver. Fox Harbour, Nova Scotia. Active mid-20th century.

Russel Lynds. His mark is seen on a well carved and painted diorama of a mother goose with goslings on the nest. (C. 1960)

Lorne Reid. Painter. Sculptor. Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Active mid to late 2oth century.

Lorne Reid was the Co-founder (with David Stephens) of the Nova Scotia Folk Art Festival. Mr. Reid was a major young naive artist when he died at the age of 38. His color pallet was astonishing and his work was transcendent.

Ref: A joyous Vision-Contemporary Folk Art in Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Folk Art Festival Society. See the Resources page for a more complete list of references.

Joseph ‘Joe’ Sleep. Painter.  St. John, New Brunswick. Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Joe Sleep was a lobster fisherman before working with the ‘Bill Lynch’ travelling carnival show. He began to paint while he was in the hospital in the early 1970’s,  recovering from a heat attack. He worked with various ‘as found’ media, on paper and on board. His experience working with carnivals shows in his paintings; they all seem to call the viewer to “look at me”. His pallet and the images that he painted reflect this as well.

Joseph Sleep was widely recognized  and had a retrospective in Halifax during his lifetime.

One of his paintings. ‘Kangaroos and flowers’. Signed and dated 1977.  ‘As found’ colors on a panel:

Joe Sleep. Painter. Halifax, Nova Scotia. Kangaroo and Flowers. 1977.

Ref: Bruce Ferguson. Joe Sleep Retrospective. Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. Halifax. 1981.

Eli Whiteway.  Sculptor. Shelburne. Nova Scotia. Made carvings of animals and  dioramas of life. He was part of the “Folk Art of Nova Scotia” travelling exhibition in 1977-1978.