Black Velvet, If You Please

Some black velvet paintings are worth upward of $10,000, and some just pull down a few bucks at a garage sale. There are abundant Elvises and poker dogs that reinforce the stereotypes about this tacky, black-light-friendly medium, but there are also delicate portraits and detailed tropical scenes that defy a viewer's expectations. About 1,200 black velvet paintings can be found in the Velveteria Museum, a Portland, Ore., gallery run by Carl Baldwin and Caren Anderson, whose new book, 'Black Velvet Masterpieces,' describes them as 'the world's leading authorities on this underappreciated art.' Join us on a tour, narrated by Baldwin and Anderson, of some of the highlights of the Velveteria.


Photo of Authors: Alan Borrud; Velvet Images: Courtesy Velveteria Musem