Who doesn’t need a daily dose of Bea Arthur in their life?
Artist Mike Denison has made a name for himself by drawing “The Golden Girls” every day on Twitter for the past few years, beginning with the hashtags #BeaADay, #BettyA Day and #RueThe Day.
His artwork often takes the iconic actresses and mashes them up with other pop culture staples. Recent creations include Rue McClanahan by way of Looney Tunes for “Pepe Le Rue” or a soda bottle of Mountain Rue.
This past February, Denison launched a Kickstarter campaign for “Cuter Than An Intrauterine: The #BeaADay Coloring Book,” which was a great success and this Saturday, the 37-year-old artist will be signing copies at Big Gay Ice Cream’s West Village location.
amNewYork chatted with Denison about the coloring book.
Where did the idea to draw “The Golden Girls” daily come from?
I grew up watching “The Golden Girls” with my grandmother. Three years ago, the thought occurred to me to paint the girls as a birthday present for my friend Ryan, and before I knew it, I committed a year to drawing Bea Arthur every day.
What makes “The Golden Girls” so memorable?
For me it’s the comedic timing and sense of friendship.
Do you have a favorite “Golden Girls” episode?
I’m fond of the episode titled “The Artist,” where a sculptor uses Dorothy, Blanche and Rose as the inspiration for a piece. I can relate.
How has the fan reaction been?
Amazing. It’s been a blast to connect with other fans of the show. And then to see people show up at my events wearing my T-shirts is completely mind boggling to me.
How did the coloring book come about?
I wanted to do a book collecting my art, but I felt that a straight up art book wasn’t interactive enough and would sit around, collecting dust. With the coloring book craze that’s been going on, it seemed like a no-brainer.
Do you have a favorite “Golden Girl”?
Dorothy. Her wit can slay for days.
What is the key to capturing “The Golden Girls” artistically?
For Dorothy, it’s the eyebrows. Rose, the cheekbones, Sophia, the glasses and Blanche, the sass. Their hairstyles also play a huge factor.
Have you heard anything from Betty White?
She actually selected a drawing of mine as the winner of a Betty White art contest. She signed it and it hangs on my mini wall-of-fame.
