Spring Break
Student paints 'Old Hollywood'
Paulina Malek
Issue date: 3/6/09 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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According to Esdale, the stars of that era were naturally beautiful and represent "the epitome of class: the way they talked, the way they dressed."
The boutique will display approximately 20 acrylic paintings of Old Hollywood movie stars of the '20s, '30s and '40s including Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Sofia Loren and more, as well as three abstracts. But legendary actors and figures of that time need not feel underappreciated as Esdale also paints pictures of the great Andy Warhol and Humphrey Bogart. All of the paintings range in price from $40 to $100.
Esdale began working on her art in high school as an assignment in a painting and sculpture class in which she chose to paint a picture of James Dean. From then, it progressed into making inexpensive and meaningful gifts for family and friends such as her grandparents' anniversary. While Esdale loves what she does, painting her Hollywood icons eventually parlayed itself into a money making venture in college and with the TONY boutique.
Esdale became acquainted with TONY as it fell into her lap after another co-op did not turn out as expected. It proved to be a positive transition as the boutique is an outlet for her creative nature.
For instance, her Monroe portrait is "fierce," as the blond bombshell is painted in a confident stance in deep pink against a black background. The artist also shows the different sides of doe-eyed Hepburn, first in a somewhat somber and pensive tone in blue and the classic "Breakfast at Tiffany's" imagery. Also making an appearance in the show is Bogart as he is as handsome on canvas as he is on screen. Perhaps one of my surprise favorites on display was Loren as her face was painted in a little more detail, which showed the artist's flair for facial features as well as the star's great bone structure.
"I put so much of myself into each one of them," Esdale stated.
As much as she is talented, Esdale is inspirational. As the world is littered with people with lost dreams, she is encouraging to those that perhaps believe they are unable to accomplish something if they did not begin at a very early age. According to Esdale, one just needs to begin a project and continue progressing.
As Esdale would like to have a customer-based business in the future - in which one e-mails her a picture and she negotiates a price - she playfully admits that she does not know what she necessarily wants to do with her life.
While we may not be able to predict the future either, I think we'll all be making a little trip to Old Hollywood this weekend.
TONY is located at 47 N. 3rd St. in Old City. More information about TONY is available at www.tonyonthird.com.
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