Well a long awaited feat of mine was accomplished last night. I got to meet one of my muses and favorite actresses, Pam Grier. Now on my blog I tend to be quite the wisecracker on here but tonight I like to act out of character for once and be serious.
Over three years ago I was mentored by legendary Pulp / Pin-Up artist Robert McGinnis and learning from him I wanted to learn the secrets and great tips on making beautiful ladies. So for the mentor project I wanted to do a pin-up painting and I wanted it to be Vintage Looking so I said to myself I always wanted to make a nice picture of Pam Grier and I used that opportunity to make one.
The Painting went from Watercolor, to Gouache and accidently Acrylic (which I thought was goauche). And the results was this.....
...You've seen sketches and teasers for this before on the blog, quite possibly my best painting ever. And it's what made me want to continue pin-ups. And it was clear from then on that Pam Grier was a very special MUSE to me.I always said over and over that I want to give her a copy of this. I never realized three years later the dream would become a reality.
Pam Grier was at Barnes & Noble Tribeca last night signing her memoir Foxy: My Life in Three Acts. And after a long dispute of leaving work early I managed to actually make to the event. Before the signing took place Pam gave us an hour long discussion about what she went through in life. The stories she told were very heartbreaking about her being raped twice (and almost a third) and battling cancer and overcoming the obstacles to beat it even though doctors told her she had 18 months to live over a decade ago. There were lots of laughs to when she mentioned about her relationships with Kareem Abdull-Jabbar and Richard Pryor (she didn't mention Freddie Prinze Sr.). And the most amazing thing of all is after all she's been through... she is 61 and looks as great as she did in the 70s. If you ask me her inner beauty must've crawled outside to make her look and feel young. Pam was very sweet and down to Earth and when she mentioned how the fans who loved and supported her meant a lot to her and made her thankful I put my thumb up to it which Pam noticed, thanked me personally and put her hands over her heart to show how she felt about people like me. I was touched.After the discussion was over it was time for the signing and the moment of truth arrived as I approached her and told her what an inspiration she was as an actress, role model, andMUSE to me personally I gave her a print of my painting signed, matted, and framed....
She loved it. She thanked me said it was "fabulous" and that I was "very good." Hearing Pam's beautiful words of wisdom made me melt and feel on top of the world. My year is made thanks to her. Thank You Pam for being such a sweetheart and a great role model to us all.
God Bless You Pam!
