Diary of an old cheeser

Hi there! Like other blogs, this is my chance to wax lyrical (some might say talk utter cr*p) about a) what's happening in my life b) all of my pet obsessions in particular music, tv, movies, books and other generally connected things, quite often of the retro, old and "cheesy" variety. Hence the title of my blog. Feel free to leave a comment if the mood takes you. There's nothing like a good chinwag about one's favourite topics and besides I love to meet new people! Cheers, Simon

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Positively Warholian

I've never been much of an art connoisseur, but I do know what I like. And one artist I have always had a soft spot for is Andy Warhol. His pop culture art has been derided by some and viewed as "not very good". Admittedly Warhol's work isn't highly complex art - a child could probably produce stuff like his e.g. photos or pictures which have been painted over, coloured in or given a lurid day glo effect. But they have a striking quality of their own and in their own way are chic, stunning and sophisticated. Regardless of what others might think, I LOVE WARHOL'S IMAGES. The famous Marilyn Munroe picture is a case in point.

And a few years ago my Mum gave me an Andy Warhol "Divas" calendar for Christmas which I loved - images of Judy Garland, Liza "with a Zee" Minnelli, Aretha Franklin, Joan Collins - fabulous! I loved it so much that when the year was over I cut up the images and made them into a framed poster, which now hangs on our living room wall:

Anyhoo, a while back, my nefarious blogger-in-crime Minge did an interesting post on a Warhol website that he'd found - you can give your own images the Warhol treatment and/or turn yourself into a work of art! It's like, totally groovy maaan! The results of which can be seen in my new profile avatar...which I hope you like.

Don't be shy, give the Warholizer a try. I want to see you all looking colourful and funky, dudes and divas.

(And there's also this equally groovy associated site in which you can do many other creative things).

8 Comments:

  • At 11:19 pm , Blogger Minge said...

    Your poster is wonderful. I can't believe you put it together yourself, it looks so professional! You should get a job in the arts!

     
  • At 7:22 am , Blogger Steve said...

    I agree. That's a topnotch job - I'm dead impressed. Seems you're something of a polymath yourself, my friend! You've certainly got a good many strings to your bow. Personally I find Warhol very intriguing - his character and concepts are fascinating and the crossover into pop culture just adds a healthy injection of glamour. Which is always a good thing!

     
  • At 6:23 am , Blogger TimeWarden said...

    In the words of David Bowie...

    Andy Warhol looks a scream
    Hang him on my wall
    Andy Warhol, Silver Screen
    Can't tell them apart at all

     
  • At 2:17 pm , Blogger Old Cheeser said...

    Thanks for the positive comments, gents! My head is going to explode!

    Minge - Yeah, I am a creative kind of person, given half the chance.

    Steve - I guess I am a polymath, yeah. Writing, teaching, working in education, studying web design...the list goes on!

    Yep Warhol is very much about glamour and I do love pop art.

    Tim - What are those words from?

     
  • At 7:06 am , Blogger TimeWarden said...

    The words form the chorus of David Bowie's song "Andy Warhol" from his best album "Hunky Dory".

    Bowie met Warhol and the Velvet Underground whilst taking "A Walk on the Wild Side" with Lou Reed!

     
  • At 5:58 pm , Blogger matty said...

    Wow! That hanging on your wall rocks! I need to play with that site! I like your new profile picture!!!

    Most cool!

    I, for one, love Andy Warhol's work. I think he was a genius. I don't think I would have liked him much as a person, tho. Seems rather 'vacant'

     
  • At 9:40 pm , Blogger Glenda Young said...

    We've also got one in our living room of a certain Corrie character!!

     
  • At 11:51 pm , Blogger Old Cheeser said...

    Tim - Thanks for that - and here's a coincidence, did you know that Bowie once played Andy Warhol in the movie "Basquiat"?

    Matty - Thank you for the compliments, babe!

    And I know what you mean about Warhol as a personality - he did seem a bit vacuous. And a snob too apparently, and rather humourless. I remember reading about him in Boy George's autobiography, he come across as someone who took themself too seriously - as true artistes sometimes do, darling!

    Nora - A-ha! I wonder who that could be - Hilda Ogden perchance? No! Bet Lynch, isn't it?!

     

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