Uncle Andy's: A Faabbbulous Visit with Andy Warhol

With all the great picture books out there, it's no wonder that one or two fall through the cracks. I was very partial to "Uncle Andy's" when it came out last year, but no one seemed to pay it any mind. And this is a real shame when you sit down to look at it. Imagine, if you will, being related to one of the hippest New York artists working in the Pop Art scene. James Warhola has taken one of his childhood experiences and woven it into a faabbbulous story about visiting his rather well known uncle, Andy Warhol. Living with his family in the countryside just a little ways from Pittsburgh, James Warhola always looked forward to the regular trips to Uncle Andy's. James's father was Andy's eldest brother, and worked in a junkyard. Always taking Andy a couple choice junk pieces, the family would pile into their station wagon and make the trip to visit Andy and their Grandmother Bubba. Once there, Andy's home was a kid's dream house. It was filled with crazy junk, pop art, and millions of different peculiar odds n' ends. It had twenty-five cats (all named Sam), paint by number paintings, wigs, art, you name it. Warhola goes on to recount some amusing problems that would arise from staying with Andy. For example, Andy was prone to staying out late partying and then sleeping in. One morning, James's little sister Maddie got tired of waiting for Andy to wake up so she walked right in. The house was pierced with a shriek (on the part of Andy) when it was clear that he hadn't put his wig on yet. James then goes on to explain that everyone in the family knew that Andy was bald, and that once Andy sent a box of his old wigs to his brother, allowing the family to goof around and try them all on. In the end the family would usually leave in the early morning when Andy was asleep, but he'd always leave a box of gifts for the kids by the front door to take home with them. There's something so bizarre about this story that it makes perfect sense. For anyone doubting the possibility that Andy Warhol (he dropped the extra "a" from the end of his name when he moved to New York) would have country nieces and nephews, you need only look at a photograph supplied on the back book flap. There, beside two clean-cut early 1960s youngsters grins a devilish Andy Warhol, sunglasses and white wig intact. The authenticity of the tale doesn't stop there, however. Warhola has a wonderful sense of detail and intricacy that help him to tell his story well. When little James wakes up in a makeshift bed (a door set atop four strategically placed paint cans) he finds himself in a room filled with junk, art, and scattered clothing. There are Fantastic Four comic books and cats perched in every nook and cranny. Every picture in this book has at least fifty different tiny details and moments in it that make it worth rereading again and again. So let's say you want to introduce your children to the great artists of the 20th century, but the last thing you want to do

I was drawn to this book due to its wonderful drawings and the first page that said something about a junk yard... only when I brought the book home I learned that the wonderful drawings were no coincidence as we soon understand - and nor is the junkyard connection. My son was immediately hooked and has asked me to read this story for the past three nights in a row. There are many things to like about this book: the large eccentric family (where the eccentric uncle fits like a glove), the very rich drawings that have you checking details on every page, and the interesting different story which seems to appeal to all ages. There are many things to look for when reading the book together and our favorite page seems to be the one showing Uncle Andy's house "which is like an amusement park". What occupies us is our search for the twenty-five cats ("all named Sam"). Mysteriously we can only find twenty-four cats and are still looking for the missing Sam. We also have many other questions and wonders such as "Can't Bubba cook anything other then Salami and Cheese"? (that's the mother asking) and "What job did Uncle Andy assign to the young members of the family"? (that's the child asking). The story has a very inherent artistic philosophy (art is everywhere and can be found everywhere) which is very easily understood by children and seems to perfectly suit their way of thinking. Also a lot of legitimacy to any kind of "art".

The early dispatches are correct - but they tell only half the story. Yes, writer-illustrator Jamie Warhola (nephew of Andy) has brought both his talents to bear on a children's storybook that will please and surprise Warhol's adult fans. Yes, it is any child's ideal introduction to the world of art-making: the messy stuff of art - drips, stretched canvasses, the junk of life that can inspire. Unlike other Warhol books, there is little about opening-night hype, superstars, or the impenetrable sophistries of critics and historians. And yet: this, in its own way, adds to art history. For example: Was there another significant artist in the family? Did Paul Warhola, Andy's brother, have some weird intuition about the importance of the commonplace years, even decades, before Andy's infamous soupcans at the Ferus Gallery? So it would seem (see opening pages); and so we are apprised of new alleyways, new influences on Warhol barely mentioned by Bokris, Bourdon, Guiles and other standard biographies. Jamie Warhola's style of illustration is detailed, colourful, incident-filled and affectionate. It is as much memorial vanitas as record or memoire - a superb, child's eye portrait of someone who, like a child, brought a fresh eye. James ("Jamie") Warhola has brought just that to this portrait of his famous uncle. A classic.

As a professional artist, I can relate to those early childhood experiences that fostered and led me into my career in art. What a wonderful gift for a child. My niece loved it!!!

I really enjoyed reading this book. The story was cute and the artwork was really great to look at.