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"
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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...
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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.