Hanging with Andy at The Factory...

...well, the annual Halloween party was at the host's business warehouse. But The Factory was the name of artist Andy Warhol's New York City studio.  I'll get into the explanation of our costumes in a minute (though any well-rounded educated individual won't need one...)

Our dear friends the Brights moved back up to the Queen Creek area just before we moved away from there! Bummer. But at the same time, we were able to go to the party with them and crash at their house that night and not worry about driving back home until Sunday morning. 

With the Brights and their Steampunk Duds...I want that hat and goggles!

When the four of us arrived, this is what we came upon wandering the parking lot to find the entrance to the party. It's also not a mystery why this group won the costume contest. It was hilarious. 

Such a sweet family picture...

Some other highlights at The Factory:

Kelly Kawpowski and Zack Morris

Around the Factory

Andy Warhol

In case the context of our costumes isn't completely understood at first glance, Chris was Andy Warhol (1928–1987) and I was a Campbell's Soup can, reflecting one of his well-known works. 

Andy Warhol  was one of the most influential artists in the history of 20th century American pop culture.

Andy Warhol, 'Campbell's Soup Cans,' 1962

When Warhol first exhibited these Campbell’s Soup Cans in 1962, they were displayed together on shelves, like products in a grocery aisle. At each of the canvases had a different flavor of soup. Warhol did not indicate how the canvases should be installed. At the Museum of Modern Art in New York City (otherwise known as the MoMA), they are arranged in rows that reflect the chronological order in which the soups were introduced. I guess the reason Tomato is important is because it was the  first flavor introduced by the company. If I had a choice in the flavor of soup, I'd go with New England Clam Chowder.

Andy's work Campbell’s Soup Cans reproduces an object of mass consumption in the most literal sense. The paintings were silk-screened and repeated in the same basic soup can image on dozens of canvases. He then hand-painted or stenciled the names of the individual soup flavors on his work. 

Warhol said of Campbell's Soup: "I used to drink it. I used to have the same lunch every day, for 20 years.  I guess the same thing over and over again. Someone said my has has dominated me. I liked that."

Warhol's colorful soup cans. 1965

2012 Target had 50th Anniversary Warhol promotional Campbell's Soup.

And heading to Queen Creek also had its practical purposes. I was able to deliver this large pumpkin to my friend Nikki. She was supposed to be at the party, but she had some weird excuse for not being there that couldn't possibly be as fun as the party. Still, she managed to find me and obtain her pumpkin. She had me do two last year and this year she obtained this large 12-inch one (pumpkin on the left) and had me adorn it  with elements that reflected her family. The 9-inch one next to it is one that'll be on sale at a local Wickenburg ice cream shop. I already sold one of my 6-inch pumpkins there.

And then there was piece that adds to the promotional project my customer from Toronto has entrusted her faith in me to complete. It's been a lot of fun and I still have one more piece to go! This is a snapshot of the previous one when it wasn't quite finished. It was about 95% along in this shot.

On that note.. back to the fun! School is back in session and projects are waiting. I wish Chris's crazy schedule would go back to normal. Sure, he was able to go to the party but I picked him up from work on Saturday to head there. Then Sunday morning heading back, I dropped him back off at work. Boooo! 

Normalcy will return. But patience is not my strong point.