The fascinating American pop artist Andy Warhol once suggested this: “Don’t think about making art. Just get it done. Let everyone decide if it’s good or bad, if they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." That’s just what local artist Phillip "Powshmack" Williamson had in mind when he started creating his own art as a child in Atlanta.
Williamson first picked up a pen and paper to draw one of his favorite Animaniacs characters at the young age of six. After surprising himself with his own talent, he continued drawing his favorite characters throughout his childhood, a practice that has certainly paid off. The artist has grown in prominence through the years, painting several murals in Atlanta and now continuing his artistic work through canvas paintings in Louisville.
His first local art show featured his newest collection, “Happily Ever After the Crown," last month at the Cure Lounge. This new collection includes several large canvas pieces depicting Disney princesses how they might appear now after winning over princes and settling into majestic castles.
“A lot of people have their fifteen minutes of fame, and then the public doesn’t really see them,” Williamson explains of “Happy Ever After the Crown.” “This collection is me gathering up all of the Disney princesses now and having a photo shoot. This is how they would look, and a lot of them are inspired by today’s music culture, like Rihanna and Iggy Azalea.”
This inspiration is very clear throughout the collection. For example, Williamson’s take on Disney’s Rapunzel shows the princess with her outrageously long hair in one sleek ponytail, similar to the famous hair style of Iggy Azalea.
And since a number of Williamson's original pieces were sold at his first art show, it’s safe to say Louisville is truly enjoying this new local talent.
To purchase one of Phillip "Powshmack" Williamson’s original pieces or for more information on his next collection and art show, follow him on Instagram.
Photos courtesy of Phillip Williamson and Quintin Harrison.
