June 13, 2024 (Stockbridge, MA)
What to do if your uncle is Andy Warhol? Become an artist, of course! That has been the life path of renowned illustrator James Warhola — nephew of Pop art icon Andy Warhol. On Friday, June 28, at 6pm, join James Warhola and filmmaker Bonnie Bien for a special evening at Norman Rockwell Museum that includes a preview of selected scenes from Bien’s yet-to-be-released documentary film, titled My Nephew Jamie, about Warhola’s career as an illustrator and his relationship with his famous uncle.
The artist and filmmaker will introduce the program and provide insights and personal reflections about the making of the project and the stories behind it. Tickets are $20 (free for Museum members) and may be purchased online. Snacks and a cash bar are available. Program to be held on Museum’s covered terrace; galleries will be closed.
Warhola’s body of work includes over 300 sci-fi book covers, the creation of the wildly popular Garbage Pail Kids card series, 35 children’s picture books, and covers and illustrations for MAD Magazine. A regular contributor to MAD for 35 years, Warhola is among the artists featured in Norman Rockwell Museum’s landmark summer exhibition, What, Me Worry? The Art and Humor of MAD Magazine.
Two of Warhola’s picture books for children focus on his celebrated uncle. Uncle Andy’s: A Faabbbulous Visit with Andy Warhol recounts a family trip to New York City to see his uncle and grandmother; the book won the International Reading Association’s Award for Best Children’s Non-Fiction Picture Book in 2004. Warhola followed up that book with Andy’s Cats — the story of Warhol and his 21 cats.
About James Warhola
Born near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, illustrator James Warhola was influenced as a child by his artistic family — especially his famous uncle, Pop artist Andy Warhol. From an early age, he watched his uncle create illustrations for shoes, shopping bags, and advertisements, which piqued his interest in the world of art. Like Andy Warhol, Warhola attended Tam O’Shanter Saturday Art Classes at the Carnegie Museum of Art, and graduated from Carnegie Mellon University. A move to New York City brought him to the Art Students League. There, he refined his painting skills, and with a focus on comics, science fiction, and fantasy illustration, found work as a freelance illustrator and designer.
About Bonnie Bien
Bonnie Bien studied film at Hunter College. She is the founder of La Presse PR, a public relations and marketing company that specializes in the unique requirements of the fashion industry. She developed her eye for fashion as a team member at Revillion, where she worked on couture collections with some of the most distinguished names in couture fashion. Her award-winning documentary, A Journey to Taiwan, focuses on designer Malan Breton and their March 2015 trip to Taiwan. The film won best short documentary film at the New York International Film Festival.
About Norman Rockwell Museum
Norman Rockwell Museum illuminates the power of American illustration art to reflect and shape society, and advances the enduring values of kindness, respect, and social equity portrayed by Norman Rockwell. A comprehensive resource relating to Norman Rockwell and the art of illustration, American visual culture, and the role of published imagery in society, the Museum holds the world’s largest and most significant collection of art and archival materials relating to Rockwell’s life and work, while also preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting a growing collection of art by other American illustrators throughout history. The Museum engages diverse audiences through onsite and traveling exhibitions, as well as publications, arts, and humanities programs, including the Rockwell Center for American Visual Studies, and comprehensive online resources.
NRM is open year-round, six days a week; closed Wednesdays. Admission is charged, Free for Kids & Teens. For details, visit the Museum online at www.NRM.org.
Daniel Quintanilla
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