Thrift Store Art

April 29, 2003 12:37 PM

THRIFT STORE ART | If you frequent thrift stores, you've most likely seen some enigmatic art on display. You've asked yourself the question: What was she thinking? Why paint a clown riding a tiger surfing on a wave of toothpaste? Here is someone's personal collection of thrift store art. Also, Huge Magazine (The Internet's Superchunky Arts and Leisure Magazine) has its very own Thrift Store Art Gallery.
posted by jacknose (8 comments total)

If you like this crap, you'll love the galleries at the Museum of Bad Art.

(Peter the Kitty makes me laugh everytime I see it)
posted by Samsonov14 at 12:56 PM on April 29, 2003 [1 favorite]

Hey thanks. I've been trying to remember where I downloaded that groovy tiki wallpaper from ever since I lost my hard drive a few months back. I've been MOBA-lized for several years now, and have purchased a couple of things from their gift store including the hideous "Sunday On the Pot With George" t-shirt. I gave it to a cow-orker of mine. Her husband's name is George and he looks just like the creepy old man on the shirt!
posted by MrBaliHai at 1:15 PM on April 29, 2003

I collect this stuff too. I've got pretty high/low standards, though, so I've only got about eight so far.
posted by kozad at 1:27 PM on April 29, 2003

This is so fantastic. Apparently this one, which reminds me a great deal of Boobahs, was done by Xavier Cugat, who was always on the fringe, taste-wise. He married Charo, after all. Coochie Coochie!
posted by iconomy at 1:31 PM on April 29, 2003

Apparently this one, which reminds me a great deal of Boobahs...

I keep clicking on the guy with the fork, but he doesn't poke it. Also nothing changes color. Why does this exist?
posted by soyjoy at 1:52 PM on April 29, 2003

Since I knew the collector in Chicago (the personal collection you linked, "PSB"), I've seen some of this stuff in person because it was on the walls at his home, and it's just as bad as it looks here. What doesn't show on the web is how...interesting the art actually is. He collects other stuff too, and is a very nice guy. I did not know about the ouija collection though.

Who are you, jacknose, maybe I know you too. :)
posted by astrogirl at 2:29 PM on April 29, 2003

Before opening the link I'd pictured the kind of art that involves unicorns or roses and satin toe shoes lying on a piano, but I'm more humble about my artistic standards now. Apparently they need stretching at both ends.
posted by orange swan at 8:43 AM on April 30, 2003

great stuff!
posted by amberglow at 9:14 PM on April 30, 2003