James Warhola facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Warhola
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Warhola in 2011
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| Born | March 16, 1955 Smock, Pennsylvania, U. S.
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| Education | BFA, Carnegie Mellon University |
| Known for | Illustration |
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Notable work
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Uncle Andy's: A Faabbbulous Visit with Andy Warhol |
| Movement | Children's books, Science fiction |
James Warhola (born March 16, 1955) is an American artist. He is famous for illustrating over 24 children's picture books since 1987. He is also known for his science fiction artwork and for drawing for Mad magazine.
Contents
Early Life and Education
James Warhola grew up in Smock, Pennsylvania. This area was known for coal mining. His father, Paul Warhola, was the oldest brother of the famous artist Andy Warhol. Their family came from what is now Slovakia.
James Warhola studied design at Carnegie Mellon University. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in 1977. After that, he continued his art studies in New York City until 1980.
Artistic Career
Warhola briefly worked for his uncle Andy Warhol at Interview magazine. However, he soon decided to become a science fiction illustrator. His uncle Andy was not happy about this choice, as he wrote in his diary.
Science Fiction and Mad Magazine
In the early 1980s, James Warhola became a very busy science fiction illustrator. He created cover art for more than 300 books. He also joined the "Usual Gang of Idiots" at Mad magazine. There, he drew pictures and covers for many articles.
Warhola also enjoys fantasy games. He has created cover art for role-playing games and magazines like Different Worlds.
Uncle Andy's Books
James Warhola wrote and illustrated a book about his famous uncle, Andy Warhol. The book is called Uncle Andy's: A Faabbbulous Visit with Andy Warhol. It was published in 2003. The book became very popular. It was featured in The New York Times and James Warhola was interviewed on TV and NPR.
The book tells the story of James's visits to his uncle Andy's house in New York City when he was a little boy. His father had a junk business, and their yard was full of interesting things. When they visited Uncle Andy, James saw how "junk" could become amazing art.
The book shows what made these family visits special. Andy's house was wonderfully messy. It was filled with art and collected objects. James and his family would wake up surrounded by these treasures. They even tried on Andy's wigs! Andy had 25 cats, all named Sam, who roamed the house. When it was time to leave, Andy would give James art supplies as a goodbye gift. These visits taught James about the creative process. They also inspired him to become an artist himself.
Horn Book magazine said that James Warhola used a friendly, conversational style in his first book. They noted his detailed watercolor illustrations. These pictures showed New York City in the 1960s. You could see old cars, famous buildings, and even a store advertising cheap pork chops!
The book also shows Andy Warhol's house. It was packed with all sorts of things, including 25 cats. Andy's mother thought the house was a mess. But Andy would say, "Ohhh, no. This is art." The book teaches that art can be found everywhere. James Warhola's admiration for his uncle, who helped him find his own artistic talent, shines through in the story.
In 2009, a follow-up book was published called Uncle Andy's Cats. This book tells the funny story of how Andy Warhol's two cats had 25 kittens. It shows how he solved the problem of having so many cats.
Other Work
Warhola has worked for many big publishing companies. These include Warner Books and Prentice Hall. He also helps out as a consultant for the Andy Warhol Museum of Modern Art. This museum is in Medzilaborce, Slovakia, which is near his family's ancestral village of Miková.
Personal Life
James Warhola lives in Tivoli, New York. He lives there with his wife, Mary Carroll, and their daughter, Oonagh Warhola.
