Online auction focuses on Pittsburgh man's collection of 'outsider art'

JoAnne Klimovich Harrop
Monday, Jan. 8, 2018 5:45 p.m. | Monday, Jan. 8, 2018 5:45 p.m.

EVERYTHING BUT THE HOUSE

A folk art gouache painting on paper on masonite of a vintage street car by Anthony “Andy” Flanigan (Pennsylvania, 1899-2004). Depicted is a groovy, vibrant painted street car number 7407 cruising along a raised track among a plain landscape as the artist is on the controls on the Drake with a lone passenger. In response to the Psychedelic era and the Beatles Sergeant Pepper and Yellow Submarine, Pittsburgh painted their trolleys with the same look. Signed to the lower left, ‘Flanigan.’ The work is unmounted and unframed.

EVERYTHING BUT THE HOUSE

An oil painting on canvas abstract composition by W. Glen Davis (Western PA, 20th-Century), executed in 1984. Thick webs of dark color spread throughout the work with geometric forms and hard edges. The ground is rendered with flat strokes of yellows, blues, and greens. Signed to the lower right, ‘W.G. Davis 84,’ and inscribed to the verso. Presented with an aluminum frame.

EVERYTHING BUT THE HOUSE

A mixed media wipe rag art by artist Reverend William Howard Finster (American, 1916-2001), executed in June 20, 1989. Finster kept a pile of rags that he wiped his paint brushes on and used a sharpie marker to outline the paint splotches which he saw as “hobgoblins.” The rags are stapled to door panel which Finster bought from a sale at the lumber yard down the street from Paradise Garden. A long inscription to the lower part of the frame describes the work. To the verso is an inscription from Finster labeling the piece as number 10,000.032 since he started in 1976, with his signature and infamous “Noah’s Ark Bird” doodle.

EVERYTHING BUT THE HOUSE

An oil painting on paper folk art scene by Robert Wright (Pennsylvania, 1943-2006). Rendered in primitive forms and plain colors is a towering floral plant surrounded by a bird, celestial elements and an angel. Signed to the lower right. The small church to the lower right is St. Henry’s in Pittsburgh. The work remains unmounted and unframed.

EVERYTHING BUT THE HOUSE

An oil painting on canvas abstract composition by Louise Scott (Pennsylvania, 20th-century). Bold, flat brush strokes define geometric planes of varied grey tones. The spanning of white to the lower section is complimented by flashes of white in the body of the work. To the verso is a graphite signature, ‘Louise Scott.’ Presented with a wood box frame.

EVERYTHING BUT THE HOUSE

A gouache painting on paper by Marie Kelly (Pittsburgh, 20th/21st-century), executed in 1957. Depicted is an abstracted mother and child rendered with heavy dark lines and cubist style painting. Signed and dated to the lower right, ‘Kelly 57.’ Kelly was a member of the Associated Artist’s of Pittsburgh and juried into the Carnegie International. Presented under glass with a black lacquered wood frame.

EVERYTHING BUT THE HOUSE

An oil painting on wood abstract composition by Louise Pershing (Pennsylvania, 1904-1986). Three waves of white color follow one another from left to right with abstracted forms of black and brown throughout. Signed on a label to the verso. Pershing studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Arts in Philadelphia as well as the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, and the University of Pittsburgh. Most notably, she studied under celebrated abstract expressionist Hans Hoffman. Louise was a member of the National Association of Women Artists, the Pittsburgh Watercolor Society, and the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh. She had a solo exhibition at the Carnegie Museum of Art in 1945.

Patrick McArdle has an extensive art collection.

But he doesn't want to keep all these masterpieces to himself. He wants to make them available to the public.

McArdle is partnering with Everything But The House for an online auction of more than 100 pieces from his personal collection that runs through Jan. 14.

Everything But The House, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, is an estate sale and consignment marketplace with registered bidders in all 50 states and in more than 150 countries.

“Whether clients are looking to sell a collection due to downsizing, relocation, or managing a family member's estate, EBTH's full-service model — photography, cataloging, payment and delivery — makes the process easy,” says Brittany Sykes, public relations director for Everything But The House. “For buyers, the reach of an e-commerce platform and the starting bid of $1 for all items means they can access an impressive range of collectibles — from a purse to a Picasso — from anywhere in the world.”

As both a collector and dealer, McArdle believes he is giving a voice to self-taught Pittsburgh artists — known as outsider art. Bids on pieces in his collection currently range from $1 to $285 for a Howard Finster oil and marker on shaped wood sculpture of a zebra.

“We are hoping for a good outcome,” says McArdle, a Ford City native, who currently resides in Edgewood. “Everything But the House is excited about this because there are a lot of self-taught artists. There is a risk in something like this but in life there are risks. Through collecting art I have acquired a lot of treasures.”

McArdle has always appreciated art, but became especially interested in outsider art after watching Howard Finster on Johnny Carson's “Tonight Show.” Finster had created album covers for R.E.M. — McArdle's favorite band. The two met and McArdle, who is also a concert promoter, was able to bring R.E.M., as well as James Brown, The Smiths and George Jones, to Pittsburgh for performances.

“Rev. Howard Finster changed my life,” McArdle says.

More of Finster's work is in the auction as well as pieces by Robert Wright. McArdle will be hosting a retrospective of Wright's work on Feb. 2 at Jess Best Gallery in Homestead.

He says watching the first few hours of the auction has been wonderful seeing the bids for the pieces.

“These artists might be unknown to the bidders across the country and the world, but I know them and am familiar with their work,” says McArdle, who also admires work by artist John Kane, who painted many Pittsburgh-themed pieces.

“John Kane loves people to see his art,” McArdle says. “Some artists are more protective or if they do sell a piece they try and re-create that same piece. I am a collector and I don't know when to stop. If I see good art, I can't pass it up. I hope others will be like me with this auction. I say, ‘Bid early and bid often.'”

Details: ebth.com/sales/34813-ebth-select-sale

JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 724-853-5062 or jharrop@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Jharrop_Trib.

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