Wednesday, October 7, 2009

The Newest Great American Pop Artist and Her Butterfly Angel Art


My eight-year-old daughter Lauren is definitely an up-and-coming American pop artist, bound to go down in pop culture history. Today was somewhat different from other days in that she awakened extra bright and early on her own initiative without our usual song and dance routine. In fact she awakened so early that the rooster hadn’t even had his usual morning cup of joe by the time this little lady found her way to my bedside. 

Lauren was toting a handful of art supplies. She held, amid her cute little brown fingers, paintbrushes of varying sizes, paints in shimmering hues, and a multitude of crayons. Of course, my half-opened eyes and ears were only able to decipher myopic metered doses of meaning at that time of day, so I’ve only come to understand that that is what was happening as the day has turned to evening and my wits have rejoined my life. 


Basquiat
When it’s still bright and early in the morning, long before six o’clock, I don’t usually ask questions of anyone. I don’t talk to people either, for that matter, that early in the morning, unless, of course, our nation’s security is dependent upon it and I happen to be the absolute last and final person on earth who is capable of defending it, with words, I might add. If I don’t fit that bill, with great specificity, well then I usually just roll back over.

So when Lauren mumbles whatever she mumbles next, I make great attempts to exhale words. I mean I really, really try. “Good job baby, but go to bed first. It’s not even six o’clock yet.”  Still oblivious to almost everything, Lauren reemerges from her bedroom displaying her latest work of art – a masterpiece, she’s certain – for all to see. She has taken great care to decorate her new, beautiful, white-hooded, long-sleeved shirt! The one that would be absolutely perfect to wear on this very chilly day in early Fall, you know, from a mother’s perspective and all. 

Jean-Michel Basquiat also made great contributions to the American Pop Art movement and was the first African-American painter to become an international star in the art world. (Basquiat was of Puerto Rican and Haitian descent, to be specific.) He too, created beautiful, mind-blowing expressions of his talent on unconventional media.
Originally recognized as a graffiti artist and musician, Basquiat is also remembered as a protégé of Andy Warhol.  His graffiti could be described as street poetry, and he painted scrumptious art pieces on buildings in New York City under his alias, SAMO. All this was before he was ever accepted as a Neo-Expressionist artist by his peers.


Andy Warhol
As the little artist in our family continues to do her thing, we’ll continue to encourage her in every way possible, as my parents and entire family did for me and still do to this day with my writing. My deep ability to understand, appreciate, and celebrate the sheer genius of Lauren’s beautiful “Butterfly Angel Art” is by no means due to any brilliance on my part, that’s for sure.

The great fortune that I reap, in addition to all of this, is a pair of parents who stopped, first to breathe, and then to somehow rejoice, some 21 years ago when my crayons made “Olympic Circle Art” on the walls in my brother Richard's bedroom.

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2 comments :

  1. My wife and I were talking this morning about the differences between people that grow up with up with parents that are continually praising the work of their children and those that do not have this advantage. It takes considerable confidence to put yourself on the line as an adult and keep yourself out there through critique and rejection. Some are lucky enough to believe in themselves and manage to survive the storms of challenges. Other give up easily and some never try. Thanks for reminding all us by your example, and your writing.

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