Olivia de Berardinis, Watercolor, 12” x 7’, 1986 Pin-up, Illustration

Description

Olivia de Berardinis
Watercolor
12” x 7’
1986
On the Swing
Olivia in her Own Words...
"I was born in 1948 in Long Beach, California, but spent most of my childhood on the east coast.  As a small child, I was provided pencils and paper to amuse myself.  I would spend hours drawing my mother sleeping on the couch, mother dancing around the house, and in general the perils of being her.
“I arrived in New York City in '67 and went to The School of Visual Arts. I spent a few blurry years waitressing, and living in the Village, the Bowery, and Soho.  I had a brief stint in the fine art world participating in a few lucky, incredible shows.  All I could see ahead was a long hard road swimming upstream in the fine art world.
“Necessity demanded a new direction, and since I had always drawn women, I went to the men's magazines to start what I thought was a temporary road; somehow along the way, I thrived and stayed.  I met my husband, Joel, in 1975, and two years later we began a greeting card business, 'O Cards', to publish my art.  Joel and I married in '79, and he has been the greatest influence and partner in my life.  He has provided me with support and vision his vast collection of erotica and pin-up has been a pleasure to watch grow, and it's fed me artistically over the years.  We are inseparable. Joel is the silent partner, preferring to growl and grumble behind me.”