Welcome to LisaMentlerFolkArt.com

    I've established this website as a way to showcase my theorem paintings and chalkware creations. Please feel free to browse the items in my gallery and contact me if you have questions or wish to inquire about ordering.

    Theorem painting is an Early American traditional art form consisting of painting on velvet, paper or other materials using layers of stencils. This form of painting was popular among Early American schoolgirls, and was considered an essential decorative craft to be mastered by the polite young ladies of the time. Along with watercolors and needlework, theorem painting was one of several art forms collectively referred to as "schoolgirl art".

    Chalkware figures were a popular form of decorative accessory common as carnival prizes in the latter part of the 19th century. The art form consists of figurines formed from a plaster-based compound. The pieces are formed using molds, cured, and hand-decorated with various period elements such as mica flakes, tinsel and chenille. Chalkware flourished as an alternative to more expensive ceramic figures of the time, becoming known as the "Poor Man's Staffordshire".

I am listed in the Early American Life Magazine 2006 Directory of Traditional American Crafts. This directory is a showcase for craftspeople such as myself, who are committed to preserving the skills used in creating crafts from this period in history.

Thank you for visiting my website and feel free to contact me via email or phone.