Andy Warhol was born on September 28, 1930 to Czechoslovakian immigrants in Forest City, Pennsylvania. He was the youngest of three sons and had a very close relationship with his mother. This is because he suffered from Sydenham’s Chorea, a rare childhood disorder that is characterized by irregular movements, and some varying degrees of physical disturbance. His parents were able to afford a nicer place to live so the family moved to Oak Land. Andy spent most of his childhood with his mother and her friends.
Andy was a very talented artist, but he did not participate in any clubs or
art programs because he was so shy. He applied to University of Pittsburg
and the Carnegie Institute of Technology his senior year of high school. He
was accepted to both, but he decided to attend Carnegie Tech. Due to the competitive
attitudes at Carnegie Tech Warhol had a difficult time and did not pass his
classes. His professors insisted he take summer classes to be able to return
to Carnegie Tech in the fall. A collection of impressive sketches got him
readmitted to Carnegie Tech.
After graduation Warhol decided to move to New York city. He worked as a commercial
illustrator for Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. Magazine illustrations are
just one of the things Warhol did; he also designed store displays and greeting
cards.
Warhol’s mother moved to New York to be closer to her son. This is when
Warhol began to wear his trademark silver-haired wig. His first major art
show, “15 Drawings Based on the Writings of Truman Capote”, was
at the Hugo Gallery in New York. A few years later he was part of an exhibit
at the Museum of Modern Art. Andy created works based on common brand names
like Campbell Soup cans and coke bottles. “The Factory” is the
name of Warhol’s studio in New York City.
The Factory was a place that many artists found there place in the art world.
Warhol created his best work when he worked at The Factory.
Home | Gallery | Background | Websites