Mr. Imagination
Mr. Imagination was on this earth from March 30, 1948 until May 30, 2012 when complications from a spider bite returned him home. He passed away at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta GA. Born Gregory Warmack, to a large religious family in the Chicago suburb of Maywood, he was one of nine children.
Before a robbery in the late 1970s, Mr. Warmack worked as an artist, clothing designer, and hair dresser. During the robbery, he was shot and nearly died. While recovering, a reawakening formed heightened artistic and spiritual goals. He changed his name to Mr. Imagination, and became a prolific artist, using a canvas of materials most of us see as discarded junk. “I saw myself as Mr. Imagination, an African king,” he said in a 1996 interview with the Sun-Times’ Dave Hoekstra. His last years were spent in Atlanta, where he led workshops for kids and seniors while continuing to rebuild his life after a fire in his former studio in Bethlehem, PA.
Mr. Imagination's art is in the collections of the American Visionary Museum in Baltimore, MD; The Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC; the Museum of American Folk Art, New York, NY and other institutions.
CREDITS:
Jeanine Taylor Folk Art
Slate Gallery
Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Tribune
Access Atlanta
Before a robbery in the late 1970s, Mr. Warmack worked as an artist, clothing designer, and hair dresser. During the robbery, he was shot and nearly died. While recovering, a reawakening formed heightened artistic and spiritual goals. He changed his name to Mr. Imagination, and became a prolific artist, using a canvas of materials most of us see as discarded junk. “I saw myself as Mr. Imagination, an African king,” he said in a 1996 interview with the Sun-Times’ Dave Hoekstra. His last years were spent in Atlanta, where he led workshops for kids and seniors while continuing to rebuild his life after a fire in his former studio in Bethlehem, PA.
Mr. Imagination's art is in the collections of the American Visionary Museum in Baltimore, MD; The Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC; the Museum of American Folk Art, New York, NY and other institutions.
CREDITS:
Jeanine Taylor Folk Art
Slate Gallery
Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Tribune
Access Atlanta
An "outsider artist"
This video was created in partnership with Lehigh University Religion Studies Department Professor Norman Girardot, the Lehigh University Art Gallery (Professor of Art, Director/Curator Ricardo Viera) and it's installation "Four Outsider Artists: The End Is A New Beginning" featuring Mr. Imagination, Norbert Kox, Charlie Lucas, and Lonnie Holley (December 2000 - March 2001). A special thank you to the Lehigh University Media Center, the Banana Factory, Diane Labelle, The City of Bethlehem, PA, Southside/First Fridays, and many Lehigh students & friends (Sean Henry, Sarah Zurat, Jenny Ribeiro, Ali Richardson, Mike Stabinski, Luc-E).
Filmed, edited, produced, and scored by Matt Nawada (Lehigh '00, B.A. Sociology/Social Psychology and Religion Studies). Contains EARLY original music from Matt Nawada (known in the audio world and music industry as composer/producer Stupid Genius).
Filmed, edited, produced, and scored by Matt Nawada (Lehigh '00, B.A. Sociology/Social Psychology and Religion Studies). Contains EARLY original music from Matt Nawada (known in the audio world and music industry as composer/producer Stupid Genius).
Grant that I may not criticize...
The film by Matt Nawada captures a wealth of almost unnoticed treasures. This frame grab from the walk-up sequence at the top of the stairs.
'Automatic', a music video by Matt, "Stupid Genius" speaks to rising above criticism.
'Automatic', a music video by Matt, "Stupid Genius" speaks to rising above criticism.
Sanford Treasures
I met Mr. Imagination in 2007 while he was completing the store-front memory wall of the Jeanine Taylor Gallery in Sanford FL An improvised photo-shoot followed, producing some of my most treasured captures, memories, and life-lessons.
