[Electric Speed] Warhol: good business is the best art

A note from Jane

A long time ago, I stumbled on this quote from Andy Warhol: "Being good in business is the most fascinating kind of art. Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art."

Did he say this with complete earnestness, or was he being a provocateur? Maybe both?

To understand better, I began watching the new Warhol documentary on Netflix, based on Warhol’s diaries. It mentions an ad he ran in the Village Voice in the 1960s: "I’ll endorse with my name any of the following; clothing, AC-DC, cigarettes, small tapes, sound equipment, ROCK N’ ROLL RECORDS, anything, film, and film equipment, Food, Helium, Whips, MONEY!! love and kisses ANDY WARHOL, EL 5-9941." (Yes, that’s a phone number that really reached Warhol’s business.)

Coincidentally, I read a New Yorker piece this week on the TikTok path to fame. Apparently it only takes a couple brief videos going viral for a singer or musician to suddenly become a paid brand representative for a company like American Eagle.

My combined intrigue and revulsion at this phenomenon made me realize: Perhaps this is what it was like 60 years ago to see Warhol in action.

I just ordered the 900+ page Warhol biography written by Blake Gopnik and can’t wait to dig in.

Revision, it’s said, is where the hardest part of writing begins, but this stage can also be the most rewarding and pleasurable. The key to effective revision—whether you are writing a book or a six-page memoir essay—is having a plan, having a goal, and understanding that revision can have multiple approaches. Noted editor and memoirist Dinty W. Moore will focus on the key questions you can ask after the rough draft is completed to determine where to place your revision efforts first.

In the last issue, I asked you to recommend a wallet or other method of carrying around IDs, cards, and cash. Here’s a selection of what you said:

I love my Flowfold wallet, made in Maine. Very lightweight and it holds a lot of IDs and cards as well as $ bills. The only drawback to my aqua one is that you can see what bills are present. Hubby’s black, more opaque wallet is not see-through. —Leslie Girmscheid
I like the VBAX elastic minimalist wallet since I carry my wallet in my front pocket. I only need to carry cards and sometimes a little folded up cash. —Scott Weigle
My husband and and I are so pleased with the Big Skinny line. What a difference. It was a big step for me to move away from leather. There are many configurations, the cards don’t fall out, and I could still get a coin compartment (a rarity in thin wallets). —Meg Mulhern
Lifetime Leather Phone Wallet from Duluth Trading Company! Easy access to paper bills, change, license, credit card, and all those other cards. I’m done searching for a better wallet. This is my forever wallet. —Rita Schunk
Fossil rocks wallets in general and I recommend the Madison Clutch in particular. It has individual pockets for 17 cards, three pockets that fit bills, and a zippered change pocket on the back. It’s slim. It closes easily, even when fully packed. Mine looks barely worn despite being used every day for the past decade. —Michelle Bish
When I was in college, I kept leaving my wallet behind. Then I found Levenger’s Bavarian Key Case. I attached my keys, put in the cards, cash, and IDs I needed. I always kept track of my keys, so I always had my wallet. —Nikki Finlay
I’ve been using Secrid wallets for years. At first, it was the protective case for your cards (so they can’t get scanned and stolen), but the ability to pop out my credit cards and ID without actually opening my wallet is amazing. —Dana Kaye

Next question: Do you have a pair of wireless earbuds you recommend, aside from Apple AirPods? Big bonus points for anyone who can suggest something with great touch controls while wearing chunky winter gloves.

[Electric Speed] Warhol: good business is the best art

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