Murals have traditionally been painted to tell a story from the Caves at Lascaux to Renaissance High Church murals to Picasso’s tribal-African-mask-inspired Guernica to modern day masters but they don’t always have to be realistic or abstract. Sometimes whimsy and stylistic pattern can add a decorative element that realism may bypass.
Here are some examples that I thought were noteworthy because we are getting ready to introduce yet another talented Casart Collaborative Artist, who rather than “wearing her heart on her sleeves,” passionately paints a celebration of life on her walls. You won’t want to miss her murals debuting as Casart, since they were in one of the most commented on ideabooks in Houzz (over 230 comments and counting) and received one of the Best of 2013 awards (Coziest Dining Room, Most Talked about Ideabooks, etc.,). They were cross referenced on many. Sign up hear to be the first to learn of the news this week!
When I was thinking of folk life murals, I recalled itinerant artists in the South. Although this mural is not an antique, and is painted by a Franklin Tartaglione, a professional muralist and decorative painter, who excels in a variety of styles, this pastoral theme imparts a naivité-art-style of the early Colonial painters and even reminds me a little of Rousseau with the stylized stroke for the leaves.
Many Medieval and Renaissance tapestries depicted scenes in an intricate yet folksy-way with color blocking. They were symbolic stories, richly weaved as art and also for a practical purpose to warm the walls of castles and chateaus. 
A Chinoiserie style has graced Gracie Wallpaper with the depiction of ornate trees with leaves and branches and birds that add pure decorative delight and focus in this dining room, designed by Suzanne Rheinstein.
The Decorative Furnishings Association uses another folk-like Chinoiserie design as their promotion to finding great design on their website.
Finally, but not for naught, look what you can do with wallpaper! This highly patterned folk-like design by Adelphi Paper Hangings is a clever work of art and serves functionally as a decorative folding screen. This design looks contemporary to me but you’d never guess, with its bold coloration and pattern, that it is a French Spiral Willow pattern from the 1920’s. Adelphi takes great care to reproduce historically accurate custom wallpaper. As artists at Casart, we appreciate the time and attention this takes to produce a top-notch quality-product with versatility of use.
Stay tuned for our new Folk Art Style Mural that portrays pure happiness and fun with a flourish.
— Ashley
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