Lauren Bacall By: Karl Soderlund

Lauren Bacall started her career as a model and was discovered by director Howard Hank's wife after seeing her on the cover of Harpers Bazaar in March of 1943. Lauren had that sultry look that Hanks was looking for in a leading lady to work with Humphrey Bogart.

Lauren Bacall was cast in the 1944 movie "To Have and Have Not" with Humphrey Bogart. She was so nervous acting with Bogart that the only way to control her shaking was to tuck her chin into her neck. This became known as "The Look". Bacall did so well during production that the script was rewritten several times to add more lines for her now leading lady role. The movie was a success and had the classic line said by Lauren Bacall, "You know how to whistle don't you. You just put your lips together and blow".

Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart married in 1945 and their unique chemistry led to several more movies. They had two children and together they epitomized the Golden Age of Hollywood. After Bogart's death Lauren Bacall left Hollywood for New York to pursue theater.

Lauren Bacall's transition to Broadway was very successful. Over the next two decades she stared in a string of hit Broadway productions. Lauren Bacall later continued acting in film and during her lifetime she won many awards including an Oscar, Emmy, SAGA, Golden Globe, Kennedy Center Honors and two Tony's. Her star on Hollywood Boulevard is the background for this painting.

In my paintings the subjects are iconic in who they are or what they represent.  However, the real story is what is revealed within the painting.  I use representational symbols to create scenes within paintings to tell the story of the subject.  Like a puzzle, the closer you look, the more symbols you will find.