Duff Lindsay has been a lifelong collector of folk and outsider art, art that is created by self-taught artists or discovered art made by “outside” artists who are cut off from the mainstream culture. This art typically encompasses folk traditions like wood carving and memory painting.

Duff’s love and respect for the genre was sparked by a 1974 encounter with the renowned African American folk artist Elijah Pierce. Duff says, “He had a profound impact on me.” This encounter spurred Duff to begin researching and collecting art by self-taught artists like Elijah. But finding pieces was a bit of a challenge. Folk and outsider art is not expansively represented in the U.S., and when Duff would find a gallery that represented the genre, the curators and gallery workers would often be stuffy, snobby, and unknowledgeable. “That didn’t seem right to me. I thought things should be different,” says Duff.

So, he opened his own gallery, the only gallery in Ohio that exclusively represents self-taught artists. His first location was one of convenience, close to home and to his son’s elementary school. A frequent visitor to the gallery, Sandy Wood always cautioned Duff that he would get him to move to the Short North by making him an offer he couldn’t refuse. By 1999, Sandy made good on his claim, and Lindsay Gallery (986 N High St) moved to the district.

Duff realizes that the move was a good one. He says, “As a gallery owner, you spend a lot of your time alone, on the phone or on the internet researching artists to bring in, and just taking care of the gallery by yourself. I like being in the Short North because it gives me a sense of community. Being part of something is appealing. I know there are other owners down here doing the same thing I’m doing, and we can work together to promote our galleries. I work with Sherrie Hawk and Rebecca Ibel all the time. When the gallery was in Upper Arlington, I was more of a destination. People would come because they knew I was there. I didn’t get many walk-ins. Now I have regulars and first-time visitors.”

Duff admits that his livelihood is driven by serious art collectors with few sales from first-timers. He has a large collector base in Columbus, but is most known from his national reputation and clientele base. “My competitors aren’t Sherrie Gallerie or Rebecca Ibel or anyone else in the state because the work my gallery represents is unique in Ohio. My real competition is in Chicago and New York and the few places outside of Ohio that represent folk and outsider art.”

Currently showing at Lindsay Gallery are intricately detailed needle point Rapidograph drawings by Morris Jackson. Morris’ work grew out of his high school doodles. He never begins a drawing with a plan. Instead, he lets the lines and dots that emerge on the page inspire him and move him in new directions as he goes. His exhibit has been very well received by Lindsay Gallery patrons who have already purchased a number of the new drawings for their private collections.

Morris’ showing will end in late May. Then one of Duff’s personal favorite artists, Karl Mullen will begin showing. A Dublin native, U.S. resident, and successful rock ‘n’ roll musician, Karl is best known for his works on paper. He mixes and paints mostly with his hands. His subject matter often focuses on musicians, ghosts, whiskey, kings, circuses, and cities – inspiration drawn from the Irish tales of his youth. Karl has painted on every imaginable surface from human and auto bodies, bricks, books, and clothes to buildings, windows, and bottles. An opening reception for Karl’s work will be held on Friday, June 6 starting at 6p. After the reception, at 9p, Karl will play a folk rock show in the gallery.

Always on display at Lindsay Gallery are sculptures by Stanley Greer.

by Morgan Baughman