By Karen Parr-Moody
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Photographer Raeanne Rubenstein has shot pictures of thousands of celebrities, including Johnny Cash, Mick Jagger, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix. In the ’70s she befriended Andy Warhol, resulting in “The Fascinating Mr. Warhol,” a series of her photos of the famous Pop artist currently on view at the Customs House Museum, 200 S. Second Street.
Rubenstein will give a talk about her experiences with Warhol at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 8 at. The event is free and open to the public.
“I’m excited about this” she said of talking about “Andy,” as she calls him.
When Rubenstein arrived in New York City after a year-long photography assistant job in London, she joined friend and journalist Lita Eliscu, who was already ensconced in Warhol’s circle.
Together the duo entered the famous – some might say infamous – Factory, a studio painted silver from which Warhol worked. Its rooms were filled with eccentric characters, as well as famous ones.
An exhibit of Warhol portraits by Rubenstein, “The Fascinating Mr. Warhol,” is currently on view at the Customs House Museum. Photo by Raeanne Rubenstein
Rubenstein, who now lives and works in Nashville, spent about a decade with Warhol. But she finds it difficult to say exactly who he was as a person.
“Everyone who knew Andy had their own impression of him,” she said, noting the artist’s ability to blend in with a broad cross section of social groups. “I can’t say whether that is true or not, because I had my own experience, but that is something that has been brought up from time to time about his quixotic personality.” 
Warhol is seen in in Rubenstein’s photos wearing his trademark white wig and round glasses. Whether she was shooting Warhol in his office with his pet daschund, Archie, or on a busy New York street, Rubenstein said the artist never appeared to be in a hurry. He was generous as a photo subject.
“He was cordial, he smiled a lot,” she said. “He was friendly, he was nice. He was inclusive.”
Find more information on the museum’s website at www.customshousemuseum.org.
This 1974 photo by Raeanne Rubenstein, “Andy & Archie,” shows Warhol with the pet daschund who accompanied him to work. Photo by Raeanne Rubenstein
Karen Parr-Moody began a career as a New York journalist, working as a fashion reporter for Women’s Wear Daily, a beauty editor for Young Miss and a beauty and fashion writer for both In Style and People magazines. Regionally, she has been a writer at The Leaf-Chronicle newspaper and currently writes about arts and culture for Nashville Arts magazine each month.