Ohio Finds: Wooden Folk Art Squirrel

As Midwestern winters lingered, rural folks often used the time to complete household chores such as sharpening tools and mending tarps. However, early 20th-century artist Earl Hastings Beymer, like many others, also used the time to pursue creative endeavors. Perhaps it was while waiting for spring that he carved this wooden squirrel.

Beymer was born in 1890 in Guernsey County and spent most of his years on the family farm. During his lifetime, Beymer created a sizable volume of work, using historic events, farm life and the surrounding nature as his subjects. A self-taught artist, he used materials that he had on hand, such as leftover house paint and scrap wood. He would often construct the frames for his artwork himself, hand-carving decorative elements for them.

While most of Beymer’s portfolio consists of paintings, he also made several wood carvings throughout his life. His work sadly languished after his death, tucked away in one of the outbuildings on the family farm, until it was recently rediscovered and offered at auction.

Sold: $76.70

Hollie Davis is a co-owner of Meander Auctions in Whipple, Ohio. meanderauctions.com