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

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 :-) "

One Nation Under Facebook

No time like the present with the election yesterday taking a second to explain my original artwork of my AMERICAN FACEBOOK FLAG.

Initially when I came up with the concept, and jotted it down onto a post-it, I had in mind that Facebook not only is a ginormous part of American life, but also many countries..

That being said Facebook has been the paper, and the user the pen, to post opinions, and argue with otherwise folks they don't have issue with. From Lady Gaga, overzealous teens, and all walks and users... It brings out yet another meaning in my artwork... As most of it does. A bit contradictory to the word... 'United'.

 

Ah the big if it all...

Monica Warhol

Facebook: The Game of Life

My brain tends to move very quickly... and I tend to not explain totally where I am coming from on purpose. I think that takes the fun and potential new ideas generated in others minds if I spell out EXACTLY where I am coming from, not to mention, a series will be created in my mind, and take on more and more meaning throughout time, with new elements that come out that weren't there originally. This happened ALOT in my Facebook/ Religion series.. which needs to and will grow as Social Media earthly existence. I know there are some countries that are quite poor.. and do not have cell towers, and computers as readily available.. but would we all know those places exist if we didn't exists off of ours?? So my idea is Facebook: The game of life. Now.. once I paint this.. remember, someone may look at it.. chuckle and move on, but think about it.. does anyone play board games anymore? People play a lot of games on Facebook, and other games, maybe not be on Facebook, but your scores, and plays etc may be posted on Facebook. So with all of this swirling in brilliant colors, and witty sarcasm I thought.. that is just brilliant! As I am on a mac I thought.. the wheel of death would make an awesome spinner. You could have spots including and not limited to, "unresponsive page, go back 4 spaces", "someone Liked your status jump ahead 2 spaces", "someone commented on your status, move ahead 4", " OF 597 of your friends only 8 people are attending your event go back 2", "Computer froze, go to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200 (as your credit is maxed out, and you have to file chapter 7)." I think it would be awful fun.. yet.. no one would ever buy Facebook the board game... and people certainly wouldn't get together to play it... yet if I were to paint it.. a few people may like the pic on Instagram, or Facebook.. but with all that being said.. at that point.. should I even bother to paint it? Does anyone go to SEE art anymore, I think mostly people only go out to be seen, and have their picture taken to post to show just how much fun they are having.. or other various reasons. Wouldn't it be actually more beneficial to blog about it.. give it to the kids and see what they may or may not make of it? The concept could infiltrate many more mediums if you just put it out there, and isn't that the point? Isn't that one of the main reasons an artist an artist paints or makes anything? But then again.. there I go, dare I say, everything has already been done,(so says the author of the Wall street Journal article) and as an artist, I can't go beat a dead horse.. and what does that even mean anyway.. why would you beat anything..? People can't even be bothered to exercise.. so eventually, I don't think beating will be the same as it used to be. I suppose artists paint and create things to express their feelings and emotions, but are people losing their ability to be empathetic? Do people really help others or reach out selflessly, or is there always some sort of self-motivated advantage for the individual? If indeed the majority of patrons who go and see art, buy art, is merely to be seen and a scheduled social gathering, isn't it time then, to create new avenues to address the need? Update art and how we show it to include the lifestyle of the majority of emerging youth. Lifestyle for the 19 year old, vastly different from what it was like for the 45 year old. With that thought in mind, the artist today has to also adapt it's craft. Photographs that were once "airbrushed", would be unusable. Any artist knows that if you want to manipulate a photo, you would never get out an air compressor, you would get out Photoshop, or software of the like. Art I think, is to express an idea, to encourage thought, to share........isn't that what Facebook is? Why bother painting and making a mess, spending $ on supplies, and working??? Or does creating it, hanging it in a gallery or museum, really allow for an experience that can't be had online. Seeing my own work hung, and going to such marvelous places such as the Louvre, MOMA, or even art on the streets OR do we have to settle for it being viewed, liked or shared on Facebook is the height of the accomplishment. The outreach is that much more than an actual museums... WILL SOCAIL MEDIA REPLACE MUSEUMS?

Dollar Dog

I love the idea of dogs; especially puppies, they look so much better when they are someone else's. Reason being is they just cost alot of money for that loving companionship and darling entertainment. Upon this thought, my circus brain began... and my ink followed. My gorgeous friend Gary said to me upon gazing at my Dollar Dog the following quote which I find his perspective very entertaining...

Gary:
"Hmmm!? Does this innocent looking canine eat money? Poop money? Have monetary ticks? Is it an entrepreneurial pup, a leveraged buyout doggy, a hedge fund hound, a trust baby poodle or just genetically money maned? Are its roots (hair follicles) evil?"

My response is of course:

"Gary, I love your vocabulary, it's a 4 course dining experience :-) .. I don't really know her origins.. but it's probably safe to say, it's not a penny pinching poodle".

Now you tell me your thoughts on my Dollar Dog!