Name/Title
Charlotte "Baychar" Morris, 1949-2024 | BiographyDescription
From AskArt (2025) website:
Biography from Barridoff Auctions
Baychar: "My name is Baychar. I am an abstract and conceptual artist. I was born and raised in Maine. Dr. Robert Bishop, the founder and former Director of American Folk Art Museum was my guardian and a very dear friend. At a young age, Bob Bishop’s guidance, care and wisdom supported my artistic vision. Bob introduced me to Andy Warhol in the mid-1980’s and we discussed conceptual art and my future during an American Folk Art fundraising event in NYC. It was a wonderful and life changing experience. In the 1980’s, Andy dropped the “a” from his last name and during our conversations he convinced me to drop my last name. I have only one name. Andy showed me a collection of his Warhol shoes drawings on paper bags during a gathering at Bob’s home and he encouraged me to pursue my vision of commercialized conceptual footwear art. Andy unexpectedly passed away not long after our discussions and Bob became ill with AIDS. Bob fought the illness for years while building the American Folk Art History and Museum. Shortly before his death in 1991, Bob asked me to visit him at his home in NYC. We discussed life and graduate school. I was very sad, but he reminded me that life was a journey and the future was waiting. Bob then invited me to select a gift from his closet. I entered the closet to find numerous motorcycle jackets hanging in a row. Bob called out, “Pick One”. I emerged with the jacket on. Bob laughed and told me this was a “Warhol moment” and then informed me the jacket had formerly belonged to his friend, Andy Warhol. Bob explained Andy had worn the jacket during one of his performances after which he gave it to Bob. Bob smiled and said, “It was a great night out on the town” and “that jacket is a perfect choice for you”, and then reminded me of my conversations with Andy a few years back. Bob passed away shortly after our moments in NYC and I returned home to Maine to begin developing my conceptual Vision and Art."