What are the ties that bind us as a family, a community, or a nation? In a country founded on cultural diversity, what is the common ground that defines the concept of "American"? How is this expressed in objects and artworks made and used by the majority of the population?

American folk art comprises many of these forms -- utilitarian, decorative, recreational, ceremonial -- that are determined by enduring factors such as cultural heritage and religion. But it is also influenced by national feelings of patriotism, exposure to other cultural byways, changing needs, and images imparted through the mass media.

As a medium of cultural community, American folk art is inseparable from the hand that makes it and the purpose it serves in fulfilling aspects of daily and cyclical life. When folk art serves as a medium of communication, its appreciation is enhanced through an understanding of the context in which it was made and the cultural standards applied to it. And as an artistic expression, it achieves an aesthetic standard that is often a unique and delicate balance of form and function, tradition and adaptability, shared vision and individual creativity.

Today, much of the handcraftmanship associated with early American folk art has been rendered largely unnecessary as mass-produced products and new technologies have been developed. Artists have turned their artistic skills toward forms that evolved from older traditions, and to new forms that answer contemporary needs. But in every period, past and present, American folk artists have continued to respond to the inspirations that have always moved them: patriotism. religion. documentation, and the desire to create objects that are beautiful as well as functional.