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