About Ridgefield Gallery
Ridgefield Gallery opened officially in 2000 in its permanent location in our 1860’s barn in Ortonville, Mi. Owners Ken and Donna Fadeley have collected the work of contemporary folk/self taught artists for over 30 years. Trained as a sculptor, Ken was initially drawn to the artists themselves, trying to understand their compulsion and need to create. Ken and Donna have traveled extensively meeting most of the artists whose work they have collected. The first was Edgar Tolson in 1970 while Ken was in graduate school at the University of Kentucky. Ken and Donna were responsible for bringing the work of Steve Ashby and Denzil Goodpastor into the Folk Art collecting world.
Ridgefield Gallery offers the work of many Folk/Self Taught artists, Southern Pottery and contemporary Spilt Oak baskets. Since 1988 Ken and Donna have collected and traveled with Gene and Linda Kangas of Creekside Art Gallery ( www.creeksideartgallery.com ) to the Philippines purchasing hand carved paper-mache molds called Takaans. These wonderful carvings are now appreciated and collected for their unique aesthetic qualities and history, as retired hand-fashioned tools, as many other folk art objects are. Ridgefield Gallery also handles carved furniture from the Philippines, much in the “Black Forest” style and custom furniture in the “Grotto” European style. Other services include; custom bases, stands and mounts for art objects.
Ridgefield Gallery is please to offer the art of many Contemporary Folk/Self Taught artists including, Inez Nathaniel Walker, Howard Finster, Eddie Arning, Tim Lewis, Denzil Goodpaster, Ben Miller, Burl Craig, Creative G. C. DePree, Linville Barker and many others.
Ridgefield Gallery was a key contributor and organizer for a show featuring Takaan Wooden Molds at the Alfred Berkowitz Gallery at the University of Michigan Dearborn. The exhibit was titled the 'Art of the Takaan from Michigan Collectors' was on display from January -February 2007.
The gallery is located about 65 miles north of Detroit and is open by appointment most days. Just call for an appointment (248) 627-2205. We look forward to meeting you and sharing our love for artists and objects we handle. Ridgefield Gallery accepts checks and money orders. We guarantee all of our work. Any purchase that does not meet with complete satisfaction can be returned within two weeks for a full refund minus shipping costs.