When people go through the list of iconic figures in American history there are the standards, those who framed our nation's Constitution and government as we know it today, and those who fought against the British to gain the land, those who freed us from slavery, and so on. There are not too many lists that include people such as musicians and artists, but my list does.

Sometimes music and art can speak much louder than any political figure or revolutionary ever could. So many people try to change the world using the media, and only a few succeed. Last paper you read about John Lennon and his eternal fight for peace which lives on today in his lyrics and ideals. Now, I would like to introduce you to Andy Warhol.

I'm sure many of you aspiring artists have heard of him, he was a ground breaking artist, the Pop Art King, some even called him untalented. But what people do not realize is that he was not trying to be an icon. His art spoke louder than even he had expected. After World War II's end the nation needed a little bit of shaking up. No longer did people wish to see life as it was, but life as it could be. Andy's art reflected just that. He turned ordinary objects into colorful masterpieces, took iconic figures such as Jackie O and Marilyn Monroe and turned them into incredible art, all for the purpose of escaping reality.

Andy insisted on testing boundaries, he was never satisfied with what was there; he was interested in the future. Even when his paintings were selling for millions of dollars, he got bored and moved on to the next form of art. Whether he was turning every day items such as Brillo boxes or soup cans into art, or making cows into wall paper, he was always trying out new things. Many said that he was throwing the American people's lives back into the faces of those who lived it by making something so ordinary so beautiful.

His films challenged everything that the "American Dream" stood for, white picket fences, a mom, a dad, and two children. He replaced these wholesome images with sometimes controversial scenes and called it art, when others were horrified. He may have gone over board at times, but to him, it was just an expression of life. His New York studio, the Factory, became home to innovation and openness in all walks of life. He was seen as the black sheep of the art world, which made him even more appealing.

Sometimes being the odd man out isn't such a bad thing. Never be afraid to test your boundaries, and always look towards the future. Innovate.

Thanks for taking time out to change the world,
Screamxx