Margaret Keane facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Margaret Keane
|
|
|---|---|
Keane at her art studio
|
|
| Born |
Peggy Doris Hawkins
September 15, 1927 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
|
| Died | June 26, 2022 (aged 94) Napa, California, U.S.
|
| Other names |
|
| Occupation | Artist |
| Spouse(s) |
|
| Children | 1 |
Margaret D. H. Keane (born Peggy Doris Hawkins, September 15, 1927 – June 26, 2022) was an American artist. She was famous for her unique paintings of people, especially children, with very large eyes. She often used oil paints or mixed materials for her artwork.
Her paintings became very popular and were sold on many items. You could find them on prints, plates, and even cups. While many people loved her art, some art critics did not. They sometimes called her work too simple or too similar. For a long time, her ex-husband, Walter Keane, claimed he painted these "big eyes" pictures. But after they divorced, Margaret bravely told everyone the truth. A court case in Hawaii later proved she was the real artist.
Interest in Margaret Keane's art grew again when the movie Big Eyes came out in 2014. This film, directed by Tim Burton, told her life story. Margaret Keane had her own art gallery in San Francisco. It was known for having the largest collection of her artwork anywhere in the world.
Contents
Early Life and Art Beginnings
Margaret Keane was born Peggy Doris Hawkins on September 15, 1927. She grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, with her parents and a brother. When she was two years old, she had an ear operation. This surgery damaged her eardrum, making it hard for her to hear well. Because of this, she learned to watch people's eyes closely to understand what they were saying.
Margaret loved to draw from a young age. When she was 10, she started taking art classes at the Watkins Institute in Nashville. Her first oil painting, which she gave to her grandmother, showed two little girls. One was crying, and the other was laughing.
At 18, she studied art for a year in New York City. In the 1950s, she started her career by painting clothes and baby cribs. Soon, she began painting portraits. Margaret mostly painted women, children, and animals like cats, dogs, and horses. She used both acrylic and oil paints.
Her Art Career
Working with Walter Keane
In the mid-1950s, Margaret met Walter Keane. At the time, Margaret was married and had a child. Walter was a real estate salesman who also painted. They married in 1955 in Honolulu.
Margaret said that Walter started selling her "big eyes" paintings right away. But he told everyone that he was the artist. He sold her paintings at a comedy club in San Francisco. When Margaret found out, she kept quiet. She later explained that she was afraid of him. She also wanted her art to be seen, even if it was under his name.
In 1957, Walter began showing the "big eyes" paintings as his own. He was very good at promoting the art. He arranged shows in different cities like New Orleans, New York City, and Chicago. He even created a story about himself and Margaret, calling them "The Painting Keanes."
During the 1960s, Keane's art became incredibly popular. Many people bought her paintings. Even famous artist Andy Warhol said he thought her work was "terrific." However, some art critics did not agree. They often called her paintings too sentimental or too simple.
After Walter Keane
In 1970, Margaret Keane finally announced the truth on a radio show. She told everyone that she was the real artist behind the famous "big eyes" paintings. After this, a "paint-off" was set up in San Francisco. A reporter arranged for Margaret and Walter to paint in front of the media. Walter did not show up.
In 1986, Margaret sued Walter and a newspaper for saying Walter was the real artist. During the trial, the judge asked both Margaret and Walter to paint in the courtroom. Walter said his shoulder hurt and refused to paint. Margaret, however, finished her painting in just 53 minutes. After the trial, the jury decided that Margaret was telling the truth. They awarded her $4 million in damages. Margaret said she didn't care about the money. She just wanted everyone to know that she was the one who created the paintings.
After leaving Walter, Margaret moved to Hawaii. She also became a Jehovah's Witness. Her artwork changed a lot after this. The paintings she made while with Walter often showed sad children in dark settings. But after she left him, her art became much happier and brighter.
Margaret explained, "The eyes I draw on my children are an expression of my own deepest feelings. Eyes are windows of the soul." Many of her newer paintings show "tears of joy" or "tears of happiness." She said these paintings showed "children in paradise."
Famous actors like Joan Crawford and Natalie Wood asked Margaret to paint their portraits. In the 1990s, Tim Burton, who collected Keane's art, asked her to paint his girlfriend. Keane's art also inspired toy designs, like the Little Miss No Name and Susie Sad Eyes dolls. The cartoon The Powerpuff Girls also features characters with very large eyes, inspired by her work.
In 2018, Margaret Keane received a special award for her lifetime of art at the LA Art Show.
Art Style
Margaret Keane's paintings are easy to spot because of the very large, innocent-looking eyes of her subjects. She said she was always interested in eyes and used to draw them in her school books. When she started painting portraits of children, their eyes just "got bigger and bigger and bigger."
Keane focused on the eyes because she believed they showed a person's inner feelings and soul. She said that children naturally have big eyes. She was influenced by other artists like Amedeo Modigliani, Vincent van Gogh, Gustav Klimt, and Pablo Picasso in her use of color and composition.
Personal Life
Margaret Keane's first husband was Frank Richard Ulbrich. They had a daughter together. In 1955, she married Walter Keane. She left Walter in 1964 and divorced him a year later. After their divorce, she moved from San Francisco to Hawaii.
In Hawaii, Margaret met a sports writer named Dan McGuire. They married in 1970. Margaret said that Dan helped her become less shy and afraid after her divorce from Walter. She lived in Hawaii for over 25 years. In 1991, she moved back to California. She lived in Napa County, California, with her daughter and son-in-law.
In 2017, when she was 90 years old, Margaret Keane began receiving hospice care at home. This extra care helped her feel better and allowed her to keep painting. She passed away from heart failure at her home in Napa, California, on June 26, 2022, at the age of 94.
Media About Her
- The cartoon series The Powerpuff Girls, which started in 1998, has main characters with very large eyes. These eyes were inspired by Keane's art. The show also has a character named "Ms. Keane," who is a teacher.
- In 1999, the album In Reverse by Matthew Sweet featured one of Keane's oil paintings on its cover.
- The 2014 movie Big Eyes tells the story of Margaret Keane and her ex-husband Walter. Amy Adams played Margaret, and Christoph Waltz played Walter. The movie was directed by Tim Burton. Margaret Keane herself even appeared in the film briefly. She is seen as an elderly lady sitting on a park bench. Margaret had turned down many offers for a movie about her life. But after meeting the screenwriters, she agreed. The film took 11 years to be made.
Images for kids
-
A robot with big eyes, inspired by Keane's art style
