In my opinion, one of the absolute coolest things about BUST is that it embraces “girlie feminism” (in fact, the magazine and its founders came up with the whole concept). It’s so important to remember that a gal who likes stereotypically “girlie” things, from crafting and knitting to ponies and pink, can be just as powerful as a man who likes stereotypically manly things. She can, in fact, derive her power and sense of self in part from these “girlie” things.
One of my “girlie” loves ended up being a portal into shaping my identity: my love of horses and my beloved pony, Doc. Much like other girls, I celebrated my passion for horses with the artwork of the iconic Lisa Frank, plastering her stickers all over my room. Lisa Frank is one of the most successful artists and businesspeople of all time, and yes, she is “girlie.”
Lisa Frank just sat down with a crew from Urban Outfitters to film her first short documentary. The artist has lived in relative anonymity for decades, and this just adds to her fantastical allure, but she has finally agreed to give an interview, wherein she is filmed only in magical, shadowy silhouette. In this short piece, she reveals hidden gems from her mind and from her vintage vault.
In her Tucson, AZ headquarters, she explains her fascination with rainbows, unicorns, hearts, and “everything that makes a kid happy [and] smile.” She says she has always been “totally a girlie girl” and has remained a kid at heart. Frank is a workaholic, and each illustration can take hundreds of hours; she laughs, “I’m crazy; I’m a lunatic.”
In the vintage fault, visitors and viewers of the documentary can peek into images Frank created by airbrushing with acrylic paint. Amazing! The work put into these vintage images is incredible, and my personal favorite has got to be the 1979-1980 pegasus illustration.
Other highlights of the documentary include a young Mila Kunis starring in a Lisa Frank commercial, and a look at some of the moving fan mail Frank has received. “The best thing about being Lisa Frank is being able to make kids happy,” says Frank.
Watch the video below, and let us know what you think in the comments!
Thanks to Vimeo
Video via Youtube
Image via Vimeo
