Margaret Keane: Mother of Big-Eye Art

NEWS FLASH! "Big Eyes is Finally Coming to the Big Screen!

"BIG EYES," the Tim Burton produced biopic detailing the life of Margaret Keane, known as the "mother of big-eye art," is finally making its way to the big screen, with the talented and lovely Reese Witherspoon in the starring role. Ryan Reynolds will portray Margaret's husband, Walter Keane.

"Big Eyes" has been in the works since 2009 with Kate Hudson originally in the role as Margaret, but it somehow didn't pan out.

I, for one, am tickled pink that filming will begin this spring (2012), and am delighted that Reese Witherspoon, one of my very favorite actresses, will portray Margaret.

~~This Lens Has Been Blessed~~

Don't let Margaret Keane's quiet demeanor fool you. Although a self-professed introvert, Margaret has a constitution of steel. Margaret, like the proverbial cat with nine lives, has landed on her feet with each and every hardship and disappointment that has come her way. She picks herself up, dusts herself off, and gets back in the game of life, becoming stronger and even more determined with every challenge she encounters.

Margaret Keane has endured much anguish and disappointment in her life, starting from early childhood. Thankfully, her perseverance and faith in God have seen her through many a rocky road. At the time of her marriage to Walter, her paintings very much reflected her feelings of hopelessness and desperation: Margaret Keane: My Life as a Famous Artist

Walter Keane took undue credit for Margaret's Work for many years. In a 1970 radio interview, Margaret finally spoke out, revealing that it was she, in fact, who created each and every big-eye painting, and challenged Walter to a painting contest. He was a no-show. When in 1984, Walter complained to USA Today that Margaret was taking credit for his pictures because she thought he was dead, she took him to court for slander: Read The Full Story

Margaret Keane's big-eye "children" have undergone many transitions throughought the years, a reflection of her own life. At first, the children were desolate, lonely, and often crying. Over the years, as Margaret changed, so did her children.

During her marriage to Walter, Margaret was forced to create paintings that Walter took credit for. While creating these works, Margaret was ordered by Walter to remain hidden from public view and threatened with bodily harm if she failed to comply. When Margaret finally divorced Walter and later proved in court that all paintings were done by her, even the ones that Walter took credit for, it empowered her, and gave her back her self-confidence and hope in the future. Margaret further gained strength in her religion, that of an active Jehovah's Witness.

Notice the changes in the children? As Margaret became happier, so did the children. What about their surroundings? Notice how dingy, dark, and depressing changed to sunny, bright, and happy?

"SIAMESE CAT" ORIGINAL ART FOR SALE AT AQUARIUS ARTS

Margaret Keane's art is a hot commodity among celebrities, who have avidly snatched it up over the years. Some famous folks have even gone a step further by commissioning Keane to capture their essence in her trademark goggle-eyed style.

One such celebrity who had the honor of becoming immortalized in Keane's saucer-eyed style is the late Natalie Wood, former child star and glamorous Hollywood movie star of the 1950s--1980s.
Wood, who first became obsessed with Margaret Keane's sad-eyed waif paintings in 1959, commissioned Keane to paint portraits of her at different stages of her life--as a pigtailed child clutching her dog, and, as a glamorous movie star of 21.

Other celebrities immortalized by Keane include: Joan Crawford, Kim Novak, Jerry Lewis, and Tim Burton's wife and her dog, Poppy.

Margaret and Walter Keane were a very successful team in the 1960s and '70s, pulling six figures yearly.

Unfortunately for Margaret, the public's image of the Keanes was all a facade, at Margaret's expense. In the public eye, the Keanes seemed to have the kind of life most people could only dream about.

Little did they know the shocking secrets that were being hidden behind closed doors: Margaret Keane: The Lady Behind the Big-Eyed Kids

In the 1960s and '70s, big-eye dolls inspired by Margaret Keane's saucer-eyed waifs were produced; most notable among these are Susie Sad Eyes, Little Miss No Name, and Blythe.

With gargantuan dark, brooding eyes, Susie Sad Eyes is the doll that most resembles Margaret's sad-eyed waifs. She is a small doll (only eight inches), but makes a big impact with her disturbing and hypnotic eyes.

Little Miss No Name is a pitiful barefoot orphan doll wearing a burlap dress and a tear. She's rather scruffy and scary-looking, so it takes a special person to love her.

Due to her revival in 2000 by photographer/ producer Gina Garan, Blythe is the most famous of all, and my personal favorite. She was originally produced for one year only--1972, and wasn't popular then. Today, she is extremely popular, and is even being reproduced by Takara of Japan. Vintage Blythe dolls don't come cheap, so you may want to opt for the less expensive Blythe reproduction dolls, which come in both regular size and mini. Also check Amazon.Com for Blythe reproduction dolls for sale by Ashton Drake.

Margaret Keane, who was born in Tennessee in 1927, is still painting today, but in a different way--her style has changed from "sad and weepy" to "sunny and optimistic," a reflection of the happiness she has discovered since divorcing Walter and becoming an active Jehovah's Witness.

The children are no longer emaciated and desolate. They're happy, they're healthy, they're positively beaming! The children no longer cower in filthy alley ways or timidly peek out of abandoned buildings. They now live in a world of perpetual sunshine, fun, and frolic--where trolly cars, rainbows, hot air balloons, and friendly wild animals take them anywhere their little hearts desire. RIP sad-eyed waifs.

The influence of Margaret Keane's art is still evident more than fifty years after the debut of her first big-eye painting. When Conan O' Brien got a new puppy, "bumper" art was posted (in goggle-eyed Keane style) on his show, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, depicting a glum O'Brien at his desk with an equally glum dog.
O'Brien & Dog--Photo Credit: gikev

Animator Craig McCracken's popular Powerpuff Girls were partly inspired by Keane's sad-eyed waif paintings. The girls' schoolteacher is appropriately named "Ms. Keane."

Margaret Keane's paintings may be found in public collections all over the world: Hawaii State Capitol, Honolulu; the National Museum of Western Art, Tokoyo; National Museum of Modern Art, Mexico City; the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Madrid; Musee Communal Des Beaux-Arts, Bruges; Brooks Memorial Museum, Memphis, Tennessee; Tennessee Fine Arts Museum, Nashville, Tennessee; the United Nations, New York City and others.

Keane's work has been featured in many one-artist shows around the world: National Museum of Contemporary Art in Madrid; the Brussels Pavilion at the Brussels World's Fair, by special invitation of the Belgian government; Tokoyo American Cultural Center in Tokyo, sponsored by the U.S. State Department, as well as galleries in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Honolulu, Beverly Hills, and more.

After exhibiting in three annual juried shows in the M.H. De Young Memorial Museum in San Francisco, Margaret Keane was honored with the title of Fellow of The Society of Western Artists.

Vicki Berndt creates retro-style portraits of friends and famous people that bear an uncanny resemblance to a Keane original. Her celebrity portraits, although big-eye caricatures, are amazingly accurate portrayals of these pop culture icons. Courtney Love, Deborah Harry from Blondie, and Belinda Carlisle from the Go-Go's are among my favorites.


Misty Benson shrouds her big-eye characters in surreal settings with Gothic overtones. Her "morbidly adorable" paintings typically feature girls sporting gargantuan Kean-esque eyes with a devilish gleam in them. Favorite subjects include skeletons (she calls them "skellies") with huge eye sockets, fairies, witches, mermaids, day-of-the-dead, ghostly and devilish beings, and other decadently fun and creepy characters.

Blonde Blythe draws her incluence from Margaret Keane's vintage portraits of children, as well as the Blythe doll, a changing-eye doll that was first produced in 1972. She creates mostly kawaii (cute) style paintings, but has also been known to create kawaii noir (cute & dark) style paintings, especially for Halloween. Her most popular work to date is a big-eye take-off of Jeannie from the '60s sitcom, "I Dream of Jeannie," in which both Keane and Blythe doll influences can be seen.

Carrie Hawks creates fantasy cat art with an undeniable Keane feel. Her feline cuties typically sport wings or mermaid tails, and she has also created cats all decked out in Victorian finery (for her steampunk art), ghost cats, Egyptian cats, bird cats, and pirate cats. Hawks' vampire cats, sometimes shrouded in Dracula-style capes, flash glowing eyes and menacing fangs while haunting gloomy graveyards.

Jasmine Becket-Griffith, known world-wide for her big-eye fantasy art, typically creates fairies and mermaids in a Gothic style, as well as other interesting subjects: nymphs, fairy tale characters (Alice in Wonderland, Rapunzel, Snow White, Wizard of Oz), dragons, rococo beauties, and infamous characters such as Countess Bathory (the blood countess) to name a few.

Jasmine was influenced early on by fantasy art as well as the work of Margaret Keane. She first discovered Keane's art in the form of big-eye prints advertised for sale in the back of old comic books that her Mother had saved, and was instantly smitten.

Jasmine's work is licensed worldwide in the form of posters, sculptures, jewelry, tee shirts, dolls, ornaments, car accessories, and other fun items. She has created exclusive big-eye characters for Disney, Hamilton Mint, Aston Drake, and other companies.

Vicky Knowles Creates her very own world of Keane-style fantasy creatures called "Wibbley World." Her wall-eyed Boston terriers, who smile at you with a toothy grin, have all sorts of adventures in fun and unusual settings, such as boxing rings, school yards, and even graveyards on Halloween night. Knowles' genius and imagination can been seen in her other unique characters, as well. Her depictions of elephants, squids, cats, dogs, bunnies, caterpillars, and other interesting creatures, are very fresh, very kawaii, and very unique.

The art of Vicki Berndt, Misty Benson, Blonde Blythe, Carrie Hawks, Jasmine Becket-Griffith, Vicky Knowles, and sixteen more big-eye artists may be found in the first book on the market about contemporary big-eye art: Big Eye Art: Resurrected and Transformed.

In the twenty-first century, big-eye art is popular once again. Many changes have come about since big-eye art had its beginnings, and today's big-eye art reflects these changes. Influences include: Japanese anime, manga, big-eye dolls such as Blythe (whose reincarnation is largely attributed to photographer Gina Garan), Pullip, Dollfie, and Bratz, Gothic subculture, video games, fairies, fantasy art, lowbrow, steampunk, the occult, and horror movies and novels.