Patrick Swayze: Now pushing up daisies…

Just a titch of dirty dancing. Somehow, somewhere, in the big of everywhere, a lovely artist by the name of Karen Bystedt, reached out to me. It was beyond fascinating as well as intelligent and comforting. She had lost some photos of a defining time in her life, in New York city, where she had the opportunity to convince, and photograph Andy Warhol for a modeling shoot she was working on. She lost those photos, and later found them. It had been like 30 years or something since her initial photo shoot.

As Karen and I met we started brainstorming about ways we could collaborate with these photos, it was a beautiful conversation, and the ideas were flowing. She has had a successful career of photographing amazing people before becoming famous.  I am blessed to have a copy of her book , “They Dared to Dream” showcasing these amazing actors and their words, prior to their successful careers.

Karen had this beautiful picture of a young Patrick Swayze, she offered to give me a high res file of the image, to see what I would do with it. I accepted the offer, and produced a few different versions of Patrick to show her what I was seeing, as the first step in our collaboration together. Ironically I had been obsessing over daisies dancing, while in Idaho. Perplexed, Daisies and Swayze’s, seemed to belong together.

Enjoy the Big of it ALL!
MW

Lindsay Lohan behind bars, but not DOA Diana!!

While cruising my Huffington Post, the title mortified me, "OLD PHOTO HAS PARENTS REMEMBERING HAPPIER TIMES". I thought it was going to be an article about one of WAY TOO MANY victims in CT, but the photo caught my attention with the sofa in the background covered in the old ever so brilliant clear vinyl.. assuring that that sofa textile material stays pristine.. yet everyone would rather sit on the floor! (I guess the sofa is a good look.. lol) Never the less, I thought, gosh.. who in CT is still using that vinyl on their sofa's certainly this must be an older pic of someone. Indeed. It was not a CT victim.. it was Lindsay Lohan.

The article went on to talk about how Dina tweeted this Christmas pic of her and her children during happier times, and that she forgets what gifts were given to the children, and goes on about how now Lindsay is going back to jail or something. I have children.. though I tend to say I have little people.. because that is what they are, little people. One day they will be big people.. at least that is the mindset we have and live in every day. Somewhere along the way, Lindsay Lohan as just a little girl was put into the spot light ONLY with her parents help. Little people cannot drive themselves to auditions, agencies etc. that I am aware of. During that journey of $$ and fame, Lindsay apparently got lost... as she seems to get into trouble an awful lot. Yet, for a woman that seems to get in trouble and not much else, opportunity STILL seems to be at her door. That seems to work out ok! They didn't write about me in the Huffington Post. (..when they do, I won't be in trouble.)

Fame, fortune, and children don't seem to mix very well. The spot light puts one in view and so many in the dark behind that light, and it seems if a person isn't aware of their direction, it will provide certain confusion and turmoil. These ideas remind me of my painting "DOA DIANA". While painting Princess Diana, I came to the conclusion that something seemed to be missing ... yes her smile that lit up a room was there, but the stories that I heard (of Diana and her life) from behind the gates at Her Majesty's the Queen of England's home in Sandringham, didn't seem to show at all in the painting. Unlike Lindsay, Diana, seemed to love to do good things for many people. In fairness though, Diana was an adult when the spot light was turned on. Light is light, and it allows many people to see, sometime when it's too late. Diana was DOA, after a car accident with the/avoiding, paparazzi. Diana was run over, run down.

So many lives, so much beauty ends up before it even begins. It is the holiday season and while so many are hoping and wishing for gifts, and stressing about giving, there are many whose lives are excruciating. I started my day the very same way some of the parents in CT did, as they readied their little ones for school.

I would love to offer, and honor the lives of these beautiful little angels by doing paintings of each and everyone one of them, for them to be hung altogether.. and shown together, as they left this world together. Together we can remember, as it's all about the journey, we don't take the destination with us.

Enjoy the big of it all...
MW

Common Sense Is Uncommon

Morning is always my favorite time of day.  I tend to be up before most individuals, which is nice because it gives me a chance to evaluate the plan of the day before the circus begins.  This morning was particularly poignant, as it seemed to be filled with amazing complications of everyone in the household grasping common sense to solve a problem.  If your hair is tangled, try brushing it.  If your leg is in pain, try some Tylenol.  If you want Chex cereal for breakfast, ask for it before you lick the icing off of a cinnamon roll.  I think that common sense isn't common anymore.  Once everything and everyone was off into their set plan of the day the reality that the lack thereof expanded into how it seems to be a widespread problem.  Randall clicked on some current news as I was cruising the web for potential new spaces and that is when I heard it.  "Apple Maps, are leading people into the middle of nowhere and creating life threatening situations... some people being stranded for up to 24hours without food, water, gas, or cell reception!"  Really?  At what point does one or should one.. go on instinct or perhaps a natural thought process and say.. "hmm.... this doesn't seem right?".  It's things like this that was part of the motivational process for the painting I created, "The buck stops here".  What does that really mean?  Does the buck ever stop?  I think a lot of people go throughout their daily lives without actually even touching paper $.  Virtual doesn't mean actual.  It seems to me the buck can keep going long after it should, creating an entire new set of dilemmas.  But what is the buck even?  I think that you can rely on that notion as much as apple maps.  Sometimes it may just be a good idea to be basic, but I guess if you end up in the middle of nowhere, that would be an entirely new opportunity for an exciting adventure!

 

Enjoy the big of it all...

MW

 

I must have forgotten to paint Jack White......

While skimming the news and emails this morning as it's too early to use the pressure washer.. I came across an article on the Huffington Post.  Jack White apparently had big words and ideas on celebrity including a big artist, Lady Gaga.  (Gosh, I don't think he would appreciate my art either!) In the article he said..."The goal of modern celebrity is to make yourself into the lowest common denominator," said White. "'Hey, I'm a guy just like you. I like a beer, a football game.' Especially in reality television, you'll see people will go so far as to make a fool out of themselves just to prove that."

The drummer went on call out Lady Gaga for creating music that lacks substance.

"I don't think she lives it because it's all artifice" said White. "It's all image with no meaning behind it. You can't sink your teeth into it. It's a sound bite. It's very of this age, because that's what people want. They want a Twitter line, a jpeg, an MP3."

I love the comment, "It's all image... with no meaning behind it". This stirs a question in my head, Does it not take an idea that comes from a struggle or overwhelming sense of "meaning", to create an image that is so powerful and so well known?  Is it not up to the individual to have their own thoughts about what they think about an artist's "image"?  This concept one of the many elements why I painted Michael Jackson, Black or White.  Michael Jackson could be black white...or purple, and obviously no matter what he looked like his art... his power.. his "image" transcended his soul, why? Because it didn't matter.  Despite such a great icon's changing image... his body of work greatly impacted art, society, and music.  Beauty and talent can go far beyond an image.  Yet choosing a specific image or likeness to paint of such an icon can leave a mood or tone all on its own.

 

I am not sure about Jack White.. I didn't know who he was until a few days ago. I guess my fiancées hair style carried a likeness to his..

 

I wonder if he(Jack White) thinks that Lady Gaga's meat dress was merely a stylists choice... and that it was devoid of any meaning.  I wonder if the lowest common denominator when multiplied by 6 would be greater than the highest common denominator of Jack Whites definition of celebrity.  I am not sure, but I doubt Jack White is a Steeler fan.  

So many words in the big of it all!  That's what makes it so much fun.

MW

Mind, Body, Casa

I had an early Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday by being a part of the launch of "Mind Body Casa", a concept and creation of the lovely Tanika Ray.  Invited as the guest artist, I found myself surrounded by the supreme brilliance and queen, Jody Watley, amazeballs actress, Tangie Ambrose, Heaven HI and hallelujah singer/songwriter Niki Leonti, ethereal beauty, Andrea Bendewald, delectable and delightful celebrity chef Ameera, magic hands and masseuse to the stars Greg Lewis, and my drop dead hotness musician with astrological infusion, Randall Swindell.  We dined, danced, sang, teared up and bonded in a way that the universe could only set in motion. A pilot, and collaborative unity that warms, guides, educates, and entertains left me tranquil, and ecstatic!! Hand in hand with producer, P. Frank Williams and so many other amazing individuals, I can't wait to share what was captured, and continues to grow well after the cameras turned off.  This is everything that is FABULICIOUS!!!!

 

Try

For Sale: Visit: http:/www.monicawarhol.com

While watching Pink's performance at the AMA's of "TRY". I had to smile and feel I could somewhat relate on so many levels.  As I haven't been abused in the last year.. nor been involved in any domestic abuse and violence in at least 3 years (joke.. and  I do take such matters very seriously.. but my cynical nature provides me a bit of a buffer to maintain a peppy spirit.) I find Pink’s lyrics, performance, abilities and talents quite amazeballs.  Though aspects of the song, and or performance could be controversial, I have to say that the overall message to continue to get up and "TRY" is something I can relate to, and maybe everyone could be encouraged or reminded to do the same.

This is epic and necessary as an artist... especially with screen printing.  From the journey of concept, to drawing and composition, to Photoshop, to being reliant on a printer (which may or may not be problematic) to exposing a transparency, to proper exposure time, to pressure of water while hosing out, to applying paint with varying weather conditions, to hand registering (which is how I do my work) differently each and every time, so many things can go wrong.  This rings very true on many of my pieces, but especially my "Family Crest" of the Campbell's soup can.  While doing this print, my transparency literally got eaten by the printer... and I had to dig it out after search and rescue to even at least fix the printer.  I took this mess, slop, and did my best to flatten it out, and found that I saw a lot of parallels of the image to myself and who I felt I was that day.  The image and what had happened to my work was what happened, and as a person, I found it unique and wanted to keep going, use it, and just "TRY". 

Chaos + Chaos

We were doing a little bit of filming last night.. which was a family event.  I was surprised at how competitive, and willing the little people and a few big people were with such a notion going on.  It was really great.  I realized that I think that the desire to shine, share and entertain, if unscathed is really there at birth and will grow if given proper light, stage and opportunity.  So I guess we are born that way.  

This brought me full circle back to an original work I did of Lady Gaga, or Stephanie Geramatta.  I really was visually excited with the somewhat simple image of her face for the "Born this Way", album.  Hair that looked like smoke almost... ethereal.  My mind went all sorts of places, and I thought about how amazing, talented and beautiful she is.  I thought about all her amazing costumes and the many hands of artistry that make up such an amazing creation of the production of her.. and as she sings.. "I was born this way..".  I thought ...golly, I know she has worn a dress of meat..and I can't imagine did that smell, or feel cold, slimy..? Who sewed that?  Does a meat dress need to be refrigerated? Is it like beef jerky?  Can you serge a cut of meat?  Is there a possibility of bacterial contamination?  Looking once again at the album cover, I thought she kind of looks like a gorgeous "Medusa", the snake god or whatever from the "Clash of the Titans".  Medusa with hair of snakes though, wasn't born that way... at least not according to the story I know which is mostly based on the 1970-something movie.. maybe 80's I don't know.  Never the less... I wondered why Lady Gaga hasn't worn a headdress of snakes yet.  I thought I would like to just go ahead and paint it.  Only make the snakes somewhat happy.. because I like happy things.

Once well into this painting which takes time, a person had asked me while picking up my little lady from preschool if I had any more little people.. I said yes, and started doing inventory.  The lady looked at me all wide eyed.. and said "WOW... that is amazing.. ", .....and "... how do you do it.. it must be chaos!!!??" ... I thought about what she said.  I wasn't sure what to say, that happens alot.  So I said.." Well, I suppose it is chaos.. but I think after you have a 3rd, it can be chaotic.. and really what is the plural of chaos???". "Chaos + Chaos...= .... what's the difference... the equation doesn't matter at that point.

I went back to my Lady Gaga painting.  My screens gave me WICKED issues... which I am sure comes down to some sort of magical user problem.. never the less... my own challenges.  What is a challenge, or a problem?  It is nothing more than an opportunity... so  I pounded out my ink onto lovely BFK Rives French paper.  One at a time I registered every single one differently.. much like the noise and activity around me.. the "chaos", that I wouldn't feel comfortable if it wasn't. I finished my Gaga... and looked down at my work.  I didn't like it.  I didn't understand why I would have worked so hard ... on an image I just wasn't thrilled with.. why didn't I just stop?  I guess I was just born this way.  Nah, I know I was.  Quite certain..(and that is something to celebrate)

Gaga Chaos is now one of my favorite works.  From frustration scanning my drawing into Photoshop, to redrawing it at least 4 times, to torn screens, to bad photo emulsion, too pleased initial pulls of ink, to disgust of 4th pulls of ink, to tranquil quiet moments in the gallery at Rancho Linda Vista looking at her all framed and deciding, I wasn't sure why I was ever unhappy with the painting, Gaga Chaos, is a full journey for me.  I really like it.

As I went through my collection trying to choose something for the Children Institute for donation, I knew what work I wanted to see there at the London on the rooftop in West Hollywood.  Chaos + Chaos = whatever you decide ... and you can always change your mind.  That is why it is the ever "Big of it all :-) "