EYES ARE THE WINDOWS TO THE SOUL…

by Maggie

When I was a kid, my eccentric and most creative aunt in Oregon hung these visually appealing, but somewhat disturbing framed prints of little kids with big eyes, and sad faces in her bathroom…  So, every time I had to use the loo at her house, I felt these "Keane" images were staring directly at me.  Sometimes I would try to imagine what was going on in these big-eyed, little kids world, and why they were all so sad?  

 
It seems that I’m not the only one fixated with those imagery.  There are a lot of true lovers of such art, and now there’s even an indie film in the making about the artist, Margaret Keane.  No surprise that the movie is titled “Big Eyes”, but what is fascinating about the film is the storyline of Keane’s personal awakening at the onset of the feminist movement, which led her pursuit to a victorious lawsuit she filed against her husband, Walter Keane, who claimed credit for her works… Who would have expected that such a successful and prolific artist would have allowed her man to take credit for her accomplishments?  Was that the reason for some of the sadness that was represented in her early works?

 

The world-renowned and inspiring, Margaret Keane is still representin’ at the age of 81!  Her works are now happy and cheerful.  She is a resident of the San Francisco Bay Area, and has her own fab-o gallery there. Our friends at Sympathy For The Record Industry even co-published a commemorative booklet on her works, "Margaret Keane and Keaneabilia."  

There’s also a wonderful Los Angeles artist that has been following in the art and tradition of the great "big eyes" movement.  I love her rock ‘n’ roll style!  Check out Vicki Berndt’s refreshing takes on the "big eyes" and the rest of her awesome works!  I’m saving my pennies to commission a custom piece from her.

 
Lovechild

Exene

You may also like

Get the print magazine.

The best of BUST in your inbox!

Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter

About Us

Founded in 1993, BUST is the inclusive feminist lifestyle trailblazer offering a unique mix of humor, female-focused entertainment, uncensored personal stories, and candid reporting that tells the truth about women’s lives.

©2023 Street Media LLC.  All Right Reserved.