MARGARET KEANE
Creator of the iconic “Keane Eyes,” also known as the “Big-Eyed Waifs,” Margaret Keane painted successfully for more than sixty (60) years.
Born in 1927 in Nashville, Tennessee, Margaret showed a deep love for painting and drawing from an early age. She first rose to prominence in the 1950s in San Francisco’s North Beach, where her distinctive big-eyed children captivated the public and quickly became a cultural phenomenon.
Although her work received limited acclaim from traditional art critics, it was embraced and adored by audiences around the world. As Andy Warhol famously remarked, “I think what Keane has done is terrific! If it were bad, so many people wouldn’t like it.” By the early 1960s, Margaret had become one of the most successful living artists of her time—a distinction she maintained throughout her remarkable career.
Margaret’s art ignited the “Big Eyes” movement of the 1960s, influencing a wide range of artists including Lee, Gig, Maio, Ozz Franca, Igor Pantuhoff, and Eve. Her legacy extends far beyond fine art. The Big Eyes aesthetic helped shape toy designs and popular culture, inspiring creations such as Little Miss No Name dolls, Blythe dolls, and even animated characters like The Powerpuff Girls, created by Craig McCracken. In more recent decades, her influence can be seen in the work of numerous illustrators and New Contemporary and Pop Surrealist artists, including Yoshitomo Nara, Mark Ryden, and Tim Burton.
One of Margaret’s favorite artists was Amedeo Modigliani, whose elongated forms and expressive portraits significantly influenced her depictions of women beginning around 1959. Over the years, she also drew inspiration from Vincent van Gogh, Henri Rousseau, Leonardo da Vinci, Gustav Klimt, Edgar Degas, Pablo Picasso, Sandro Botticelli, and Paul Gauguin. Each of these masters contributed to her evolving use of color, dimension, and composition. Yet it was Margaret’s singular vision—her unmistakable Big Eyes—that defined her genius and continues to inspire countless artists today.
Adored by fans and collectors worldwide, Margaret sketched daily until her passing on June 26, 2022, in Napa, California. She remains one of the most prolific and influential artists of the modern era—an American icon and a true master.
We invite you to explore more than six decades of timeless art and experience Margaret’s enduring labor of love.
PEOPLE SHE WAS COMMISSIONED TO PAINT:
George Christopher – Mayor of San Francisco, California
Liberace – Entertainer
Adlai Stevenson – Politician and Diplomat
John and Carolyn Kennedy – Children of President John F. Kennedy
Walter Johnson – Palace of Fine Arts
Duke Kahanamoku – Hawaiian Olympic Champion
Don Ho – Hawaiian Entertainer
Tony Morabito – Former Owner of The San Francisco 49ers – this painting now hangs in the new Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers, in Santa Clara, CA.
Joe Perry – San Francisco 49ers, In The FootBall Hall Of Fame in Canton, OH
Leo Nomellini – San Francisco 49ers, In FootBall Hall Of Fame in Canton, OH
Hugh Downs – His Daughters
Jennifer Nicholson’s children – Fashion Designer, Daughter of Jack Nicholson
Robert L. Brown – Executive Director, of Keane Eyes Gallery
FEATURE FILM:
“BIG EYES” a movie about the life of Margaret & Walter Keane, Directed by Tim Burton, and staring Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz to be released December 25, 2014.
FAMOUS HOLLYWOOD ACTORS:
Natalie Wood – Robert Wagner – Kim Novak – Don Defore – Zsa Zsa Gabor – Joan Crawford – Merv Griffen – Jerry Lewis and Family – Dean Martin – Helena Bonham Carter – Lisa Marie – Linda Cardellini
NATIONAL CAMPAIGNS:
THE BEST FOUNDATION FOR A DRUG FREE TOMORROW – A Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Which Helps Children Stay Free Of Drugs, Alcohol And Tobacco
THE CHILD WELFARE LEAGUE – (San Francisco Affiliate: KINSHIP CARE) Foundation Which Helps Children & Grandparents Unite, When The Parents Are Not Around For Any Number Of Reasons
SOHO PARTNERSHIP – Provides Training And Employment For The Homeless
NEW YORK TIMES – Created 6 Paintings From Designer Dresses, Fashion Layout For The NY Times Sunday Magazine
SOME OF THE MUSEUMS COLLECTING HER PAINTINGS:
BRUGES – Musee Communal Des Beaux-Arts
CONTEMPORARY MUSEUM OF ART – Hawaii & HAWAII – State Capital
MADRID – National Museum of Contemporary Art
MEXICO CITY – National Museum of Modern Art
TENNESSEE – Brooks Memorial Museum & Tennessee Fine Art Museum
TOKYO – National Museum Of Western Art
TRITON – Triton Museum of San Jose, California
LAGUNA ART MUSEUM – Laguna Beach, California
UNITED NATIONS – New York City (Our Children, Painting)
Margaret KEANE – Was named a Fellow of Western Arts after exhibiting in three annual juried shows at the M. H. De Young Memorial Museum in San Francisco, California
SCHOOLING:
Watkins Art Institute – Nashville, TN; Jacksonville Jr. College – Jacksonville, FL
Traphagen School Of Design – NY, NY; Chaffey Jr. College – Ontario, CA