‘Warhol and Watts’: Students take on Pop art
![Anthony Dixon's contribution to Pharmaka's Warhol and Watts exhibit featuring the works of Pop art icon Andy Warhol and Watts elementary school kids. The project came about through a partnership between youth organization Urban Compass, Pharmaka and investment banker-turned-art collector Richard Weisman.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2093d4d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/335x425+0+0/resize/335x425!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcf%2Fbe%2Fc44c5fafb10408088c969f5eeffe%2Fla-et-0407-warhol01-kj72jmnc.jpg)
Anthony Dixon’s contribution to Pharmaka’s Warhol and Watts exhibit featuring the works of Pop art icon Andy Warhol and Watts elementary school kids. The project came about through a partnership between youth organization Urban Compass, Pharmaka and investment banker-turned-art collector Richard Weisman. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
![Emely Garcia for 'Warhol and Watts'](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4117aee/2147483647/strip/true/crop/331x425+0+0/resize/331x425!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F24%2Fda%2Ff7c4d9b6bbe9061e9a0b57793814%2Fla-et-0407-warhol02-kj72llnc.jpg)
Emely Garcia is pretty in pinks. Using photographs of themselves, the students created the effect of Warhols silk-screens of various pop culture images and icons by applying bright-colored paints to the photos. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
![Alfredo Ramirez for "Warhol and Watts"](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f9ff89b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/331x425+0+0/resize/331x425!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff0%2F75%2F60d3b848428eac4c4c19a9b58cc7%2Fla-et-0407-warhol03-kj72itnc.jpg)
Alfredo Ramirez shows his soccer spirit. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
![Cristal Garcia for 'Warhol and Watts'](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e760e3b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/333x425+0+0/resize/333x425!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F54%2F09%2Fb0f26a60f15a8f995a53569cbc88%2Fla-et-0407-warhol04-kj72kqnc.jpg)
Cristal Garcia in red and blue. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
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![Anthony Dixon](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e7aea8d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/586x401+0+0/resize/586x401!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff2%2F05%2F9cb3b6a81e02220028d778746855%2Fla-et-0407-warhol05-kj72bdnc.jpg)
Anthony Dixon is hard at work on his Warhol-inspired painting at Urban Compass after-school program. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
![Isah Hill](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e02bd11/2147483647/strip/true/crop/586x404+0+0/resize/586x404!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F01%2Fff%2F285065700e5c16621d2802fe2b80%2Fla-et-0407-warhol06-kj729vnc.jpg)
Isah Hill works on her design. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
![Sarah Erker shows Airiana Henderson some of Warhol's silk-screen style paintings](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/99311dd/2147483647/strip/true/crop/586x439+0+0/resize/586x439!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F45%2F4c%2Fdc178d54d1ed950794ea60214f06%2Fla-et-0407-warhol07-kj72h0nc.jpg)
Sarah Erker acquaints Airiana Henderson to some of Warhol’s silk-screen style paintings at the Urban Compass after-school program at Verbum Dei High School. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
![Cagney Johnson](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4b3751c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/268x425+0+0/resize/268x425!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F04%2F8e%2Fc32a11c5bfa5d24320494a2cfc3f%2Fla-et-0407-warhol08-kj72hhnc.jpg)
Cagney Johnson works on her painting. Says artist Rachel Breithaupt, who provided some guidance: I wanted to keep it loosely attached to Warhol, but I was more interested in the process itself. I really just want to get the kids exposed to the arts.” (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
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![Anthony Dixon cleans his brushes.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b9c4230/2147483647/strip/true/crop/283x425+0+0/resize/283x425!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F27%2F59%2F857eb73563c9975d7f659e95ce9a%2Fla-et-0407-warhol09-kj72eync.jpg)
Anthony Dixon cleans his brushes. Founded in 2004, Urban Compass brings kids from the nearby 112th Street Elementary School and other underserved areas to Verbum Dei for after-school programs; the group also sponsors field trips, a filmmaking workshop and a summer camp program. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
![Ashley Sotelo, from left, Airiana Henderson and Emely Garcia pick their favorite Warhol style to copy.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/16dae8a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/586x399+0+0/resize/586x399!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fba%2F67%2Fe38fc146c9b41c7199b5fbd96ce0%2Fla-et-0407-warhol10-kj72jznc.jpg)
Ashley Sotelo, from left, Airiana Henderson and Emely Garcia pick their favorite Warhol style to copy. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
![Emely Garcia](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c587d99/2147483647/strip/true/crop/586x430+0+0/resize/586x430!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe9%2Fc9%2Fb36e7a91e3ce7222f770d7efab25%2Fla-et-0407-warhol11-kj72cznc.jpg)
Emely Garcia adds bright colors to her design. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)