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

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". 

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

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!