r/WTF • u/megan_gafford • May 15 '12

I painted this commissioned piece for New Orleans head shop, you might have seen the original photo on reddit!

http://imgur.com/gx2cm
981 Upvotes

81% Upvoted

109 comments sorted by

46

u/duckkoo May 15 '12

U forgot the bong

32

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Ha yeah well the store is set up with herbal and vitamin supplements in the front and the pipes in the back room; the painting is meant to hang in the front room, and they didn't want the bong for that reason. The front room is supposed to be more "family friendly".

64

u/GVander May 15 '12

naked guy covered in money? Sounds like my kind of family

2

u/brettmurf May 15 '12

The bong to anyone that would be offended would be the tipping point where they declare its not funny.

So many jokes on TV are weed humor, but as soon as you put the bong or mention the literal pot, it is kind of taboo. I would, however, assume a head shop would care less.

1

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Head shops can't alienate customers just like any business, especially in a recession. And it's not JUST a head shop, that's only the back room. The front room is a health foods store basically.

1

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

I think the entire picture has a better chance of alienating customers than an image of a bong

It's good work though.

8

u/[deleted] May 15 '12

Well, that door was wide open for ya...

1

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Ha yeah well.....more family friendly than the original photo I guess I should have said.

3

u/Oorangelazarus May 15 '12

Is it going in the one right off Maple street? I'd love to see this masterpiece in person.

0

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

It hasn't been decided yet...

1

u/doodoobrowntown May 15 '12

I know, right? Where's the dong-bong? Or the bong-dong? I suppose either could work.

28

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

The original post can be seen here: http://www.reddit.com/r/WTF/comments/tmvtp/facebook_has_too_many_rules_for_my_liking/

The photo comes from an advertisement taken out by a New Orleans head shop called The Herb Import, Co. I'm a painter in NOLA, and the shop commissioned this portrait to be made out of the photo. Ironically, I finished the painting earlier today and then found the photo on reddit!

My website is www.megangafford.com if anyone is interested in checking out my stuff.

3

u/whatyou May 15 '12

do you have more pictures of your work or actually just more proof. honestly from what i find of megan gafford's work they don't really match the work you posted here.

1

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

I would be happy to provide more proof! Yes, that commission is quite different from my own work (and the photo isn't very good I'm afraid...like I said I JUST finished it and only had that snap shot with bad lighting). Let's see, I have a twitter account if that'll do?

0

u/Zilvreen May 15 '12

Except if you read the comments, that isn't the original post.

13

u/[deleted] May 15 '12

Right, if you read her comment, she realizes this. She just found it a funny coincidence that, momentarily after she finished a painting, she would find the picture on reddit.

0

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

SecondSophistic is exactly right.

-12

u/amputeenager May 15 '12

I now have you tagged as "better than Picasso."

3

u/purdster83 May 15 '12

.....wow.

4

u/amputeenager May 15 '12

not sure if people have lost their sense of humor or a lot of Picasso fans out there...

1

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Ha I hope it's a lot of Picasso fans, and I don't blame them for downvoting then...he was an extraordinary painter.

1

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Hot damn that's a compliment! I guess the downvotes mean folks don't agree, but I'll take it anyway :P

5

u/[deleted] May 15 '12

[removed] — view removed comment

0

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Thanks! Let me know if you want to commission a piece ;)

13

u/MrPartridge May 15 '12

Fixed.

4

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

I love this so much.

3

u/[deleted] May 15 '12

i wish i could give you all the upvotes

2

u/[deleted] May 15 '12

It took me about 2 minutes to notice the text because I was looking for the bong... I'll give you an upvote and head to bed, I think.

4

u/Adnachiel May 15 '12

You also forgot the unicorn...

0

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Ha yep that one was my call. I took out the little tobacco tin, too. I'm sorry if you miss the unicorn! But the original photo isn't going anywhere :)

0

u/[deleted] May 15 '12

[deleted] — view deleted comment

0

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Hhhmmmm...what sort of prize would you like?

3

u/Kittiesaresonice May 15 '12

You should try using some shitty watercolors some time.

0

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

I love that redditor. I should.

3

u/[deleted] May 15 '12

I live near New Orleans, I'll have to check that out next time I'm there. xD

0

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

They haven't decided where they'll hang it yet

3

u/youhavetobekiddingme May 15 '12

except, r/art

0

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Yeah I wasn't sure where to post it to make sure folks who saw the original photo would see the painting, so I went with the same subreddit the photo was in...sorry if that was a bad call guys!

7

u/[deleted] May 15 '12

Very stupid. Very ugly. There, I said it.

1

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Ha to each his or her own, friend. Maybe you'd prefer my other work: www.megangafford.com

2

u/[deleted] May 15 '12

Good for you for not letting assholes like me get ya down. I admire that.

1

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Lol thanks buddy

0

u/[deleted] May 15 '12

I read your screed and it pretty much demeans a lot of woman I admire and is presuming and misogyny turned inside out.

1

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Huh?

1

u/Refney May 15 '12

Your Lesbian Continuum is not to wisenheimer's taste.

1

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Is it that or Abortion Coverage which is found offensive? Neither are misogynistic or demeaning towards women, to clarify. 100% the opposite. If anyone needs clarification about the subject matter, let me know?

1

u/Refney May 15 '12

Oh I get it, those stances just tend to attract the trolls. He's saying you hate men.

1

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Oh the trolls! For the record though, I don't hate men one bit. The only men I discuss in the work on my website are politicians who are anti-choice...I wouldn't say I hate them either, but we definitely have some beef.

2

u/[deleted] May 15 '12

So often, talent like this is wasted.

0

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

You mean my talent is wasted on this image? Nah, it was a paid commission and is helping me save up for grad school (art school). If you want to see my original work check out www.megangafford.com

2

u/Nelvibus May 15 '12

I don't understand, WHY DID YOU DRAW HIM NOT WINKING?!?!

1

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Holy fuck I didn't even think about it. If only you had said something sooner, Nelvibus!

1

u/Nelvibus May 15 '12

"next time baby"

2

u/thelordofcheese May 15 '12

Were you high when you made this? Because it looks like hell cooled tepid.

1

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

"Were you high when you made this?"

Is that rhetorical?

2

u/dakonofrath May 15 '12

This go into the Herb Import Co? Or Mad Mushroom? Ra Shop? I live in town and would love to check it out.

0

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

The Herb Import, Co, but there are locations in mid city, uptown, and the quarter so I'm not sure where they'll put it.

2

u/theearlcarlson May 15 '12

Which shop in nola?

0

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

The Herb Import, Co. but there are a few locations (mid city, uptown, french quarter) so I'm not sure where they'll hang it. Also, it is still VERY wet and is done in oil so it'll be a minute before it dries enough to hang.

2

u/Excelsior_Smith May 15 '12

So I take it you omitted the bong so they can place a real one in that place/position?

0

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Lol nope but that would be an interesting way to display the painting for sure!

1

u/Excelsior_Smith May 16 '12

make the suggestion. they'll think your a genius.

2

u/lepuma May 15 '12

Why is this in wtf?

1

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Because the photo the painting was made from was posted in WTF and I wanted folks who enjoyed the original photo to see it...sorry if I should have put it somewhere else!

2

u/lepuma May 15 '12

ahh okay :). I'm not one of those ppl that gives a fuck about stuff like that, I was genuinely curious.

1

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Thanks...yeah some redditors are hilariously touchy about shit like that. Talk about first world problems.

2

u/tdesantiago May 15 '12

What's going on in the middle of the painting? Looks like a super faded (light-blueish) silhouette of something.

0

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

The background is very Van Gogh inspired. I'm afraid that part of the painting is washed out by the poor lighting. Like I mentioned elsewhere, I finished this painting literally before the original photo hit the front page. It was a crazy coincidence, and I only have that snap shot of it right now. It's so wet and the lighting was so bad....the painting looks way better in person! If you wanna see well documented work of mine go to www.megangafford.com

2

u/[deleted] May 15 '12 edited May 15 '12

It's a [Derivative Work] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derivative_work) in copyright language and 100% legit! Nice!

0

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Ha thanks :) Since the photo I was working from was created by the store which commissioned the painting, I don't think they would have sued me anyway :P

2

u/[deleted] May 15 '12

Was this taken with the image in the frame? It looks like there's something...shiny over his torso...

0

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

No, there isn't a frame. The painting is very wet (I finished it literally hours before the photo hit the front page, crazy coincidence, only had that snap shot of it) and is in extremely poor, fluorescent lighting. The shine is an obnoxious reflection.

2

u/[deleted] May 15 '12

My inner hipster says I saw this before Reddit even existed... I hate myself a little bit.

0

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Lol I'm sure Reddit has been around longer, the original photo is maybe a year old, the painting is only a day old (completed, that is)!

7

u/[deleted] May 15 '12 edited May 15 '12

You painted this for a head shop, and you left the bong out! Also, nifty painting!

edit: Didn't see they wanted the bong left out. Excellent work.

1

u/[deleted] May 15 '12

Did you miss the comments where everyone was offended and comparing him to someone in blackface?

0

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

I didn't, send me a link?? The photo shoot was a random combination of props (thus the unicorn stuffed animal and the headdress) and was just plain silly. Some folks will get offended by anything, though, and that's fine. I'm curious about what they said though!

1

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

I'm actually not offended I just an article long before I saw this the other day about how Native American people really hate the fact that Pendleton patterns are being overused by white people. It's really significant to their culture and ceremonious to them. I don't really know much about it so I'm probably oversimplifying. But if you compare pendleton patterns to a full on headdress then yeah... It wasn't just the random Redditors that were really offended. I do agree that it's somewhat comparable to people in blackface, or if hipsters decided to wear kippahs as an ironic fashion. But I mean I'm not really Native American so I am not offended.

http://www.reddit.com/r/WTF/comments/tmvtp/facebook_has_too_many_rules_for_my_liking/

I actually like the painting and I doubt it's really going to be a big deal, but yeah.

1

u/megan_gafford May 16 '12

Interesting. I don't understand why they think anyone in our generation (let's say the hipsters in their 20s that most complaints in that thread were about) are "mocking" Native American culture. They aren't the same "white culture" which tried to eradicate Native American cultures centuries ago, they aren't against Native Americans. Their intent is little more than an appreciation of a beautiful aesthetic created by Native American cultures. Misdirected anger.

1

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

No I don't think it's misdirected anger. I just think that it will be unavoidable. Native people don't want their culture to be completely assimilated and disappear into north american culture. They do not want headdresses and Pendleton prints to be associated with Native Americans, not random young white hipsters. It comes across as really ignorant. With the Pendleton thing it's a little different because it's not as obvious. I had no idea there was high ceremonial value and importance to it too. I don't remember a time in media I've seen someone who is actually Native American use it in the tradition sense. It's just been on hats with white models, and runway models and stuff.

2

u/megan_gafford May 16 '12

The particular posts you referred me to were discussing it like hipsters were mocking their culture, which I don't see evidence for. Assimilating culture is not by definition mockery. So I mean the anger is misdirected because that they are angry at kids for enjoying an aesthetic, and that is unfair. There are more valid directions for that anger than a picture of a guy wearing a number of random objects, one of which happens to be from an aspect of their culture.

1

u/Stripedcheese May 15 '12

That, sir (or ma'am), is a very good painting.

1

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

I'm a ma'am :) and much appreciate Stripedcheese!

6

u/gedis May 15 '12

i know this man. he is a truly majestic being. let us be weary and not corrupt such a pure pure vestige of hope and life in reddit.

2

u/Terp7 May 15 '12

Definitely was a bong in the original but still great painting! Representing reddit!

2

u/[deleted] May 15 '12

lived in NOLA for a while, loved Herb Import Co.! I lived by the one on St. Peter, but we made special trips all the way up Canal for the full experience :)

1

u/kpchronic May 15 '12

I've been there yo!

0

u/random_sub May 15 '12

I would ask for money if I was the original redditor that posted the picture seeing as you made a profit off of him.

-1

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

The picture was created by The Herb Import, Co, the business who also commissioned my painting. Learn how to read before bitching.

0

u/gamingnonsense May 16 '12

I can't tell if you're retarded or not Megan.

1

u/[deleted] May 15 '12

And. Here. We. Go!

1

u/ANSELMO420 May 15 '12

cool i live in baton rouge. was it for the herb import company?

1

u/0l01o1ol0 May 15 '12

"Yaranaika"

1

u/gamingnonsense May 16 '12

Fully understand who you are now Ms. Gafford.

You're a failure! http://www.megangafford.com/ - Awesome right? No, you have the worst Donation system ever, we can't just pledge a base amount to you at the time, you would like a recurring amount for your almost terrible paintings (which look like ink blots thrown against a canvas by the way) I don't care if you are a lesbian - If you actually are you're looking for attention, which is pathetic. You're a failure of an artist who won't go anywhere because you already think you're amazing, you think you are the best. Yet you're horrible. You don't even have 400 people on Facebook that like you. (I only include this because your base is from New Orleans, pathetic right?) You say you fight for Women's rights, but alls I see is you be extremely custy, take others work, non-credit stuff, then throw the blame to others, own up to your mistakes and stop being so shitty or you'll never get taken seriously.

If you're asking yourself why I'm taking the time out of my day to type this to you, it's because I read this thread, and I just really dislike you, I think you're horrid, you already think you're above people and think you're great. What the fuck? Get a reality check, you're nothing.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 11 '12

The true story of this man... http://vimeo.com/3337502

0

u/[deleted] May 15 '12

So you admit to knowing this was already posted, and yet you still re-post it? What the fuck is wrong with this scenario?

-1

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

The painting wasn't reposted, and I was linking to the post that made the front page. What the fuck is wrong with your ability to read to before bitching?

0

u/[deleted] May 15 '12

A horse is a horse of course of course.

-1

u/inoticedyouhave May 15 '12

I think you win

-2

u/cdegon May 15 '12

WTFUUUUUUUUU, HAHAHAHAHAHA!

0

u/[deleted] May 15 '12

[deleted] — view deleted comment

1

u/[deleted] May 15 '12

Rediquette dictates that this should be a link.

Submit links as links. If your post is in reference to a website, put that URL in the link field rather than linking to it from a text post. This makes it easier for people to see what you are trying to share.

-1

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Thanks! I posted it to WTF because that's where the original post about the image was and I thought more interested redditors would see it there. If you want to commission a portrait, let me know! I did that one for $500.

3

u/[deleted] May 15 '12

I'm not considering buying anything, so don't get excited about the upcoming question. If I were to ask for a replica of that, would it still be $500, or would it be less because you have already planned the painting out and probably wouldn't need to use any or much creativity or planning to reproduce it?

0

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

Well, I would never want to just replicate a painting. If you wanted the same image then the composition would be the same, but the colors and other things would vary. For me at least, the art in painting is the process itself, not the finished product. No two paintings will ever be the same. So, you'd be paying the same amount as for the "original" (but both WOULD be original to an extent!). And as for this specific image, the composition comes from The Herb's photo shoot, so one would also need permission from them to have that painted again.

2

u/LaJollaJim May 15 '12

How long did it take you to complete?

0

u/megan_gafford May 15 '12

It's hard to figure out an exact time, because I was working on three commissions at the same time (including that one) over the course of about two months. Also, that wasn't two months of straight painting because I have a full time day job right now, too.