DIRTY FOLK

Wildcrafted artworks inspired by and made from nature. Creating environments of beauty and nourishment to encourage folks to be present, whole, curious and fed.

News & Events

Save the Date

BABCOCK WINE BRUT NATURE RELEASE PARTY

Join us July 26 at Babcock Winery for a special afternoon celebrating the latest release featuring artwork by Artist-in-Residence Lou Schad & Dirty Folk!!!!

Join us on Sunday, July 26 2-5pm, to celebrate the release of Babcock Wines limited-edition Brut Nature featuring original artwork by Artist-in-Residence Lou Schad of Dirty Folk. Set among the rolling hills of the Santa Ynez Valley, the day will include live music from Sage City, paella, vintage finds from The Vault, and an immersive experience of the landscape that informs both the wine and the artwork.

As part of her residency, Schad will also present new work inspired by the upper pastures, where wild mustangs graze as part of Babcock’s regenerative farming landscape—an ongoing reminder of the relationship between land stewardship, wildness, and renewal. Guests will have the opportunity to see new paintings alongside a live painting session unfolding throughout the day.

ON-VIEW, FOX WINE CO.

Funk zone, Santa Barbara, THROUGH JUNE, 2026

Poster for an art exhibit called 'Dirty Folk' at Fox Wine Co., featuring artworks by Lou Schad, opening on Saturday, May 2, from 4 to 7 pm at Fox Wine Co. in Santa Barbara, California.

ACORN PAINTINGS

Paintings made from pigments extracted from foraged acorn shells on organic cotton canvas.

Wildflower Paintings

Inspired by and made from our natural world.

A framed painting of a bouquet of small white daisies with yellow centers, with a butterfly on the right side, set against a dark background.
Watercolor painting of white flowers with long stems and green leaves against a pastel background.
A painting of wild daisies with white petals and orange centers against a dark background.
A small framed floral painting featuring pink and green flowers, with a wooden frame and a textured wall in the background.
A painting of yellow and orange flowers with green leaves in a dark pot.
Abstract painting of a floral bouquet on a pastel pink background with splashes of green, purple, and white.
Watercolor painting of five purple flowers with green and yellow stems and leaves on a light pink background.
Watercolor painting of purple thistle flowers and yellow and white wildflowers on a pink textured background.
A painting of wildflowers, mostly white with yellow centers, on a yellowish textured background.
Painting of wild daisies and dark foliage against a muted, cloudy background.
A painting of a mixed bouquet of flowers on a pink background.
Watercolor painting of a bouquet of wildflowers including daisies, thistle, and various leaves on a pink background.
Watercolor painting of wilted flowers on pastel pink paper.

Traditional Clayworks

Primitive pinch pots, kiln fired.

Two small, empty halves of an eggshell with a textured surface, placed on a yellow surface with shadows cast beside them.
Three small pottery cups and one larger pottery cup on a wooden plank, outdoors.
Close-up of a small, cream-colored ceramic cup with vertical grooves at the base, placed on a wooden surface with a blurred dark background.
A person holding a handmade ceramic mug with both hands.
Three small ceramic cups with a crackled white glaze on a weathered wooden surface, filled with a dark liquid.

Wild foraged clay

Vessels formed from Santa Ynez Valley earth, camp fired

  • A small, rustic clay bowl resting on a wooden surface with a white textured wall in the background, casting a shadow.
  • Three small, weathered clay pots resting on a wooden surface against a white textured wall, with shadows cast on the surface.
  • Two small pottery bowls, one larger with a rough texture and dark interior, and one smaller with a smoother surface and reddish-brown color, placed on a wooden surface with shadows cast from sunlight, against a white painted wood background.
  • Two small, weathered clay pots on a wooden surface, with sunlight casting shadows, placed against a white wooden wall.
Burning logs and embers inside a fire pit or fireplace with orange flames and blackened charred wood.
Clay pots and a clay figure on a barbecue grill over fire.
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“Roots and things,” Sharon says, lighting a joss stick for Michael. Michael’s mother is still in the kitchen cooking seaweed. “You can eat them.”

About

Artistic discoveries led by wild curiosity.

The witching hour, wildcraft, dirty dress hems, well used pockets, large spoons, other people's kitchens, cloud shadows, small jars for filling, fallen fruit, useful fire, found bones and fine china.

Inspirations

EXHIBITIONS

Babcock Wines, Artist in Residence, Wildflowers and Wild Horses, 2026

Fox Wine Co. Tasting Room Exhibition, Santa Barbara, CA
“Dirty Folk”, 2026

Lo-Fi Wine Tasting Room & Gallery, Los Alamos, CA 
“Dirty Folk” Solo Exhibition, February 2026

Gruet Tasting Room Santa Fe, NM
“From Vine to Wine” May, 2024

Covet Art Gallery Oceanside, CA “Abstract Show” March, 2024

Covet Art Gallery Oceanside, CA “Say What?” February, 2024

FILM DIRECTORIAL PROJECTS & Awards

Director & Writer, Narrative Short Film

Best Short Film
“We Say Thank You”
Hollywood Just4Shorts Film Competition, 2020,

Best Drama
“We Say Thank You” Vegas Movie Awards, 2020

Official Selection
“We Say Thank You”
California Women’s Film Festival, Winter 2020

Official Selection
“We Say Thank You”
Paris Lift-O Film Festival, 2020

Official Selection
Best Women Empowerment Short “Christmas Carol”
Paris International Film Festival, 2020

Official Selection
Best International Short
“We Say Thank You”
Paris International Film Festival, 2020

Official Selection
“Christmas Carol”
Hollywood Women's Film Institute
Hollywood Women's International Film Festival, 2020

Projects

Education

Maryland Institute College of Art
Baltimore, MD | Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fiber Arts | 1999 - 2003

Rudy Perpich Center for Arts Education
Minneapolis, MN | Visual Arts High School Diploma | 1997 - 1999

Parsons School of Design
New York, NY | Painting and Drawing Intensive Certificate | Summer 1998

views of a wildcrafted life.

  • Lou at tone of her pop-up markets, December 2025
  • Handmade ceramic bowl with pink and green floral pattern on a wooden shelf
  • The Dirty Folk pop-up shop!
  • Two white, textured, ceramic cup-shaped objects with wide openings and narrow bases sit on a wooden surface in front of a rustic piece of wood. A small glass jar with a colorful object inside is partially visible on the left side.
  • A small nest made of dried grass on a wooden surface with a blue and white floral patterned vase and a glass container in the background.
  • A round, gray, textured flowerpot with green moss growing inside, placed on a wooden surface. In the background, there are out-of-focus objects including a glass container and a small dish.
  • Wreath made of dried leaves, flowers, and herbs hanging on a white wall.
  • Close-up of a small painting of a branch with purple flowers and a brown leaf, on a white background.
  • Sepia-toned botanical illustration of a plant with leaves, stems, and small flowers or seed heads.
  • Close-up of dried flowers and plants with a blurry background.
  • Dried plant arrangement with various leaves and flowers mounted on a white wall.
  • Dining room with a long wooden table set with plates, glasses, utensils, and small floral centerpieces, near a sliding glass door leading to an outdoor patio with chairs and an umbrella, decorated with plants and wall wreaths.
  • Dried flower wreath made of twigs and small cluster flowers hanging on a white wooden wall.
  • A dining table set for a meal with empty plates, glasses, and leftover food and drinks, with a bottle of wine and a partially consumed bottle of beer on the table.
  • A wooden outdoor table with potted plants, green leaves, and a metal colander filled with dried pinecones. The background shows a grassy yard and trees.
  • From the garden, a bowl of zucchini flowers and vegetables.
  • A row of ceramic cups on a wooden shelf in a market or craft store, with blurred people and bright lights in the background.
  • A cozy art studio workspace with a wooden table filled with art supplies like brushes, jars, and palettes, illuminated by natural sunlight coming through large windows with beige curtains, overlooking a green outdoor garden.

Lou Schad

Lou@DirtyFolk.Co

Los Alamos, CA

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