Arnold Kramer (1882–1976) was an American folk artist.

Early life

Arnold Kramer was one of 12 children born to Michael and Gertrude Kramer in Mitchell County,

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

. In 1891, when Arnold was nine years old, the family moved to a homestead near

Seaforth, Minnesota Seaforth is a town in Redwood County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 86 at the 2010 census. History Seaforth was originally called Okawa, and under the latter name was platted in 1894. The present name is after Loch Seaforth, in ...

in Redwood County where they farmed. Arnold was a contemporary of children's author

Laura Ingalls Wilder Laura Elizabeth Ingalls Wilder (February 7, 1867 – February 10, 1957) was an American writer, mostly known for the ''Little House on the Prairie'' series of children's books, published between 1932 and 1943, which were based on her childhood ...

who lived near Walnut Grove in southern Redwood County. Arnold married Rose Boushek on June 2, 1914. They raised their four daughters on a farm north of Seaforth. Their only son Myron, died at the age of 13.

Career

Arnold Kramer was nicknamed Minnesota's Grandpa Moses by the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...

during the hey-day of his painting career in the 1960s. A self-taught artist, he completed over 400 pieces in a style referred to as

naïve Naivety (also spelled naïvety), naiveness, or naïveté is the state of being naive. It refers to an apparent or actual lack of experience and sophistication, often describing a neglect of pragmatism in favor of moral idealism. A ''naïve'' may b ...

or primitive. His folk art was reminiscent of paintings done by

Anna Mary Robertson Moses Anna Mary Robertson Moses (September 7, 1860 – December 13, 1961), or Grandma Moses, was an American folk artist. She began painting in earnest at the age of 78 and is a prominent example of a newly successful art career at an advanced age. H ...

(1860–1961), another self-taught artist, from New England, whose work is still extremely popular among collectors. Like Grandma Moses, Kramer didn't pick up a paint brush until after retirement when he began recording the history of Midwestern agronomy in primary colors. Arnold began painting and recording history after a visit to see his daughter, Irene. She introduced him to oil paints and canvas to keep him busy while she and Rose went shopping. When Arnold returned to Wabasso, Minnesota he began his career creating his own distinctive work. According to an article in the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, published August 1, 1972, Kramer had shows at the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, Dayton's Art Fair, and was part of a traveling art show sponsored by the University of Minnesota. Kramer had also participated in countless rural art shows which produced several scrapbooks full of awards and ribbons. He was also featured in ''The Farmer'' magazine.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kramer, Arnold 1882 births 1976 deaths People from Mitchell County, Iowa 20th-century American painters American male painters People from Redwood County, Minnesota 20th-century American male artists