A friend warned me of the danger of the “velvet Elvis syndrome”. This is when a painter use famous people to promote their work, hoping that the association will create greater interest. Rather than depending on their own ability, they hide their lack behind a halo of the famous. This dependence leads to weak work and dictates its direction.
Famous People
With this warning, there is still a place for some famous peoples paintings. As it turns out, there’s been around 50-plus since 2013. The fact that were famous was not necessary a consideration when painted, it was secondary in choosing the image. The following deliberately meant as portraits of the famous. Their fame is based on my personal criteria. Feel free if you think, someone has been left out to tell me and might include your choices.
- Hunter S Thompson
- Gore Vidal and Buckley
- Stand By Me
- Aaron Swartz
- Nelson Mandela
- Frida Kahlo Diego Rivera
- Modern Dance Graham
- Little Red Riding Hood
- Evelyn McHale, Empire State Building
- Francis Bacon Painter
- Stand by Your Man
- Mutually Destruction Bonnie and Clyde
- Glenn Gould at Piano
- Shadows Right Follows
- Chet Baker
- Harry Belafonte
- Malcolm X Rocking
- King Prawn Isabella Rossellini
- Marlene Dietrich Dishonored
- Robert Crumb
- Buster Keaton, Silent Film God
- Charles Bukowski
- Phyllis Diller No Idea What
