'Beauty is Embarrassing': Artist Wayne White's work featured in Oklahoma filmmaker's documentary
BY JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Scene Writer
Thursday, November 15, 2012
11/15/12 at 4:55 AM
Wayne White never expected to be doing this for a living.
By "this," he means doing exactly what he wants, pretty much when he wants.
White's long, mostly-happy and often hilarious journey as a fine artist started way back in the late 1980s when he was a designer and puppeteer for the cult classic "Pee-Wee's Playhouse." At one point as a commercial designer, he met an intern named Neil Berkeley, a liberal arts and broadcasting student at Oklahoma City University.
Berkeley was new to L.A. "He was this kid out of Oklahoma. We never really kept in touch - I think maybe I hired him to paint a kid's room or something," he said, then laughed, during a recent phone interview.
"Nine years later, we crossed paths again, and he was owner of his own company."
Berkeley picked up a copy of White's 2009 book - "Wayne White: Maybe Now I'll Get The Respect I So Richly Deserve" - a 382-page monograph of White's work, edited by high-end fashion designer Todd Oldham.
They'd both come a long, long way, since their earliest days.
White and Berkeley will be in Tulsa on Thursday and Friday to show - and discuss - Berkeley's documentary on White, "Beauty is Embarrassing." They'll be at the Philbrook Museum's Third Thursday event and Friday's debut of the film at Circle Cinema.
White has won three Emmy awards and designed most of the puppets on "Pee-Wee's Playhouse," including Dirty Dog the beatnik puppet, which he also voiced, and freckled bully Randy.
Raised in the Tennessee mountains, Berkeley also became an illustrator for East Village Eye, New York Times, Raw Magazine and the Village Voice. For more than two decades he designed and created characters on children's shows including "The Weird Al Show," "Shining Time Station," "Beakman's World," "Riders In The Sky" and "Bill & Willis."
He also animated groundbreaking videos "Tonight, Tonight" for the Smashing Pumpkins and "Big Time" for Peter Gabriel.
He's developed into something of a provocateur in fine art circles and often blends humor with his work.
White is a longtime puppeteer, animator, illustrator, artist, painter, sculptor, cartoonist, set designer and art director, and his recent works include supersized paintings of oversized, three-dimensional text integrated into reproductions of vintage landscapes. "I keep a notebook and write phrases in them, then I find art that fits." Not figuratively, but literally. "The painting needs to be big enough so my words fit."
For an art show in Dallas, he also built what he called "the world's largest George Jones puppet head" for a piece called "Big Lectric Fan To Keep Me Cool While I Sleep."
Berkeley's interest was piqued, and though he'd never directed a film before, he wanted to document White's eclectic life and art.
"Neil said he wanted to do a short film about me. I said no. He kept asking, and his ideas kept getting bigger and bigger until one day he said he thought he could do a documentary," White said. "Finally, I said OK."
The documentary, "Beauty is Embarrassing," will have two Tulsa premieres this week, both featuring Q&As with Berkeley and White, he said.
"This is the only city where we're doing two events," White said.
Said Oldham in the documentary: "I saw Wayne's first New York show, and I was astonished. It really just blew me away, and I had to find out about it and him."
Now everybody can learn about the artist, thanks to the new filmmaker and his Future You Pictures and brkly broadcast media company.
"I think his career's been a lot like mine," Berkeley said. "Exciting. Yes, this is what I've wanted to be as long as I can remember. I've wanted to be an artist, but I never really planned for anything. What I've learned is that means I can do everything I want to do.
"We work hard. We're quirky. He's funny, and he never quits," White said of Berkeley. "I can very much relate to that. ... That's what I learned about him while he was filming me."
THIRD THURSDAY
featuring documentary "Beauty is Embarrassing"
Q&A to follow with Wayne White and documentarian Neil Berkeley
When: 5:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday. Doors open 5:30 p.m., showtime 6:30 p.m., Q&A at 8 p.m.
Where: Philbrook Museum of Art, 2727 S. Rockford Road
Admission: Free with paid museum admission: $9 general admission, $7 (age 62 or older). Group discounts available.
Note: Unrated. Not recommended for children under age 13.
CIRCLE CINEMA DEBUT
"Beauty is Embarrassing" documentary
Q&A to follow with Wayne White and documentarian Neil Berkeley
When: Friday's film debut showtimes are 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., with a Q&A from Berkeley and White at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Circle Cinema, 10 S. Lewis Ave.
Admission: $8.50 adults; $7 students, seniors and military; $5 members; $5 for children age 11 and younger. Prices may vary for festivals and special events.
Note: Unrated. Not recommended for children under age 13.
'Beauty is Embarrassing'
Directed by Neil Berkeley, starring Wayne White
Winner:
Best Documentary: Cleveland International Film Festival
Best Documentary: Crossroads International Film Festival
Best Documentary: DeadCENTER Film Festival
Audience Award: Nashville Film Festival
Original Print Headline: Capturing an artist
Jennifer Chancellor 918-581-8346
jennifer.chancellor@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Artist Wayne White is featured in the documentary "Beauty is Embarrassing," by Oklahoma filmmaker Neil Berkeley. Courtesy
|
