The still-emerging market for 20th-century self-taught art has seen an explosive rise in demand during the past 30 years and continues to attract new collectors. An extension of the American folk-art tradition, “self-taught art” refers to art made by individuals without formal art training. Works by the best-known self-taught artists that were once overlooked are now fetching five- and six-figure prices and working their way into major museum collections and mainstream contemporary art galleries and fairs.

“This art is the new truth,” says Frank Maresca of New York City’s Ricco/Maresca Gallery. “Because it was made outside the traditional art historical continuum, it has a raw power and universal appeal. Like music, it speaks directly to the soul. And it’s affordable. You can buy a masterpiece by a blue-chip artist for around $75,000; that’s a bargain compared to the millions you’d spend for contemporary and modern art of comparable quality.”

And self-taught art continues to increase in value. Works on found cardboard by Alabama ex-slave Bill Traylor (circa 1854–1947) that sold for $1,000 about 25 years ago are now selling for more than $100,000. William Hawkins’ (1895–1990) art also saw an increase in value over the past 25 years: His architectural and figurative paintings, which once sold for $2,000, are now worth up to $50,000. In January 2003 the market rose to a new level when Christie’s held an auction of 20th-century self-taught and outsider art, which was the first of its kind held by a major auction house. (The term “outsider” refers more specifically to artists outside of mainstream society, like prisoners or institutionalized persons.) “The fact that nearly 80 percent of the works sold demonstrates the strength of this diverse market,” says Christie’s specialist Margo Rosenberg. Top sellers included Drossos P. Skyllas’ still life “Untitled (Roses),” which brought $65,725.

Heavy-hitters aside, many excellent works by lesser-known self-taught artists can be purchased for less than $3,000, according to Steve Slotin, whose eponymous Buford, Georgia, auction house holds twice-yearly sales of self-taught, outsider and folk art, primarily from the Southeast. “This market is hot, hot, hot, and it’s one of the best buys around,” says Slotin, who also founded Folkfest, an art fair held each August in Atlanta. The fair has become a major venue for the sale of self-taught art, along with New York City’s 12-year-old Outsider Art Fair in January and Chicago’s Intuit Show of Folk and Outsider Art that opened last fall.