A habit of pushing boundaries

Imagine your 18-year-old self at a community college in your town and you love art. You sign up for the only art class you can take, then you find out your teacher is actually an 80-year-old Nun. It sounds like a joke, right? Well, it actually happened to me and here is that story.

I thought of all the cliches, she would only show us holy art and be inspired by images of Jesus (didn’t happen). She would be out of touch with the art world I craved to learn ( that part was true) but felt optimistic. I loved art and I didn’t have to be a Christian to get something out of a class with a teacher that was a nun. It was art after all, right?

Unfortunately, she was a really really bad instructor and made my love of art difficult to digest. I did every assignment and tried to get something out of each lesson, but nothing…I mean nada! She was strict, monotone and unenthusiastic. It was art for crying-out-loud, how on god’s earth could you not get excited and teach art? She often would fell asleep in class, sigh!!

We didn’t paint still-lifes, or draw from models or even from pictures. She had us paint squares of colors next to each other over and over and over. I suppose she was trying to teach us color theory, but she lacked the teaching part. All semester all I could think was ” why me, oh god, why me?” and I am not religious. I have nothing against religion or nuns, just uninspired teachers. It was the most boring class and painful art class I had ever taken. I could not wait for the semester to end.

Towards the end of the semester I learned, we had to pick an artist and do a 5-minute slide-show presentation. This is where I began to plot my revenge. I wanted to pick an artist that would make her as uncomfortable as she had made me.  This was war, so to speak. I pick Andy Warhol the Pop Icon artist who was known to push boundaries. This was exactly what I needed to make art class interesting.This was my moment to push boundaries, I loved going to my edges of what was expected. I dove into my research of Warhol and became inspired by his life and story.

Guess who the Nun picked to do her presentation last? Yup, you guessed it, me! I figured she planned it, so people would leave during my presentation, and I wouldn’t have an audience. It was the last day before holiday break it was snowing outside and the class had already run 30 minutes past. She kept most people to the there time limit. Every presentation was so bland, you could tell the students just wanted to get home and be done with this class.

I searched for all the juiciest details that might ruffle her feathers and to spice up class. I wanted to put a little shock and awe into this class. I wanted to see how far I could go. Remember I am 18 years old, and I think I know it all.

Here are some of the facts I shared in class

1. He used to urinate on his painted canvases and encouraged his friends to urinate on the canvases to create slightly different colors in the oxidation process and turn the copper painted various shades of green, brown and yellow.
2. He wore silver wigs to cover up early onset balding
3. He was shot and almost died from a radical feminist with schizophrenia
4. He was a devout Catholic, and he quietly continued to practice his religion as an adult. Regularly volunteering at church-run soup kitchens. (what? I didn’t expect this part)
5. Studio 54 a playground for sex, drugs, and disco.( now we are taking)
6. He was an artist, filmmaker, commercial illustrator, celebrity model and actor and more
7. His constant use of media changed the art world and how we consume art. ( major props here)
8. He loved to maintain an element of personal and professional mystery ( oooh I loved this)
9. He will always be known for his quirky and controversial prints ( some of the car crashes and dead bodies, celebrities etc)

Well my presentation lasted 30 minutes and to my delight, every student sat there mesmerized by the life and story of Andy Warhol and my teacher didn’t fall asleep. I didn’t shock her as much as my 18-year-old self-hope for. But I realized I needed to take over my education even if I feel locked in someones else’s perspective. I still have the freedom to choose. The research I gathered inspired my art for the next few years. It took me years later to realize my revenge-fueled me to study artists and to get influenced by their work. I think the nun has the last laugh here. Drat! Here are some examples of Andy Warhol’s work that influenced some of my art years later at the University level.

two cones side by side in purple and yellow tobacco tins enlarged. pop art modern style.

Indian family 11×14 silkscreen on paper by LeAna asher

Andy Warhol flower series

jingle study, 11×14, silkscreen on paper, by Leana Asher

Andy Warhol, silkscreen of Marilyn Monroe One of his most iconic is the Marilyn Diptych from 1962. Marilyn Monroe died in August 1962