ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Anne Buckwalter and Other Women Artists Blend Sexuality with Pennsylvania Dutch Folk Art

artist · 2026-10-19

Anne Buckwalter's artwork, titled Angels (2026), showcases a couple sharing an intimate moment on a vibrant patchwork quilt that takes up half the canvas. In the middle of the quilt, there's a tulip symbolizing faith and renewal, a common theme in Pennsylvania Dutch art. At the bottom, you can see a bare back with winged tattoos, while one leg wraps around the waist and two hands grip the shoulders. Behind the headboard, two pieces of folk art—a geometric sampler and a peaceful countryside scene—are displayed. Originally from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, but now living in Maine, Buckwalter combines modern sexuality with traditional styles, expressing that this fusion is very meaningful to her. This article emphasizes the work of contemporary women artists, highlighting Buckwalter’s contributions.

Key facts

  • Anne Buckwalter's painting Angels (2026) depicts a couple making love on an appliquéd patchwork quilt.
  • A tulip, a symbol of faith and rebirth in Pennsylvania Dutch folk art, is at the quilt's center.
  • One figure's bare back has winged tattoos; hands grasp the shoulders and a leg wraps around the waist.
  • Two framed folk art pieces—a geometric sampler and a pastoral scene—hang behind the headboard.
  • Buckwalter was raised in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and is now based in Maine.
  • Her family's Swiss German roots go back to the late 1700s or 1800s.
  • Buckwalter says blending Pennsylvania Dutch aesthetics with sexuality, kink, and queerness feels very personal.
  • The article examines contemporary women artists reimagining Pennsylvania Dutch folk art.

Entities

Artists

  • Anne Buckwalter

Institutions

  • Artsy

Locations

  • Lancaster County
  • Pennsylvania
  • United States
  • Maine

Sources