By John Vochatzer

Cover Photo By Anthony Rogers

In September of 2020, I received a message on Facebook messenger from Juanita More inquiring about me doing a commissioned portrait of her and her French Bulldog Jackson for her annual holiday card. Admittedly at the time I hardly knew who Juanita was, and had very little knowledge about San Francisco drag culture in general. So naturally I had no idea what a tremendous honor and opportunity was being bestowed upon me in that moment. I soon came to discover that Juanita More was not just an SF drag queen, but THE SF drag queen, and her legacy as a both a queer icon and a patron of the arts is as longstanding as it is impressive. The holiday card mailing list in itself is legendary, and to be the artist chosen for this annual commission is to have your work on the card (or in my case, refrigerator magnet) in the mailboxes of hundreds of recipients in the Bay Area and elsewhere.

Portrait of Juanita and her dog Jackson I made in 2020 as a commission for her annual holiday card.

Around the time of the commission, I was garnering some notoriety from my street art which had become one of my main hobbies and ways of staying sane throughout the tumultuousness of 2020. In particular there was my “weird lady” icon which had caught Juanita’s attention and of which I modeled her commission off of—fashioning her hair and torso out out of swarming eyeballs and gore and holding a half-humanoid Jackson in a pose not dissimilar to the Madonna and Child. And I can’t leave out the second, smaller Jackson I decided to throw in with a centipede’s body weaving throughout the said viscera. Even though she had given me permission to “get weird” from the start, I was a little bit nervous that the finished product was going to be a little too grotesque for a holiday card—but rest assured, she loved it.

An unexpected surprise in delivering Juanita her new work of art was getting to visit her home and see the amazing collection she has in her downtown apartment. Although the collection hosts a variety of other works centric to San Francisco’s LGBTQ history, the majority of it is comprised of the dozens of commissions and portraits of Juanita done over the past 30 years, ranging from illustration, to photography, to my bizarre collage art. When I began this new series of interviews focusing on art collectors in the Bay Area, one of my goals was to try to highlight as many different types of collectors as possible, and so far I think Juanita’s takes the cake on the act of collecting as an art form in itself—in her case I find it to be a great example of self-reflection, self-documentation, and even self-portraiture. Recently I had the opportunity to revisit the Juanita collection a second time and to learn a little bit more about it and to share it with you all. Thank you Juanita!

Interview

Hey Juanita! It was great getting an in-depth look at all of the art you have up on your walls. Can you tell us a little bit about your collection in your own words?

Illustration for the “Gold Plated” exhibit. By Dave Davenport, 1996.

I have been collecting the art of Juanita since her inception 30 years ago. In 1996, I organized a nonprofit art exhibit at Space Projekt Gallery on Polk Street. The show was titled "Gold Plated," benefiting AIDS Benefits Counselors. Participating artists included Jim Winters, Matthew Benedict, Daniel Nicoletta, Austin Young, Timothy Cummings, Rob Jolin, Fritz, Amy Davis, Jason Mecier, David Davenport, and many more.

It's cool seeing all of your portraits done in such a wide variety of styles and mediums. I know you said it would be hard to pick favorites, but are there any that you think particularly stand out? And has commissioning portraits of yourself led to any memorable stories or encounters?

What I love most about my collection is that each artist has taken the time to shape, form, and express my identity –– as they see me. So many of my moods are conveyed throughout the collection, and the overwhelming feeling I receive from them is love and respect.

You grew up in the East Bay, said you have been surrounded by art since a very young age, and even had a cousin who worked for Walt Disney. What were the early days of your life like? And could you tell us a little more about where your art appreciation came from?

Doll by Timothy Cummings for the Gold Plated exhibit, 1996.

I was lucky enough to have a family that encouraged my artistic side. When I was about ten years old, I told my dad I didn't want to play Little League baseball anymore. However, he said it would be okay if I continued attending the games to support my little brother. In exchange, he said he would take me on a trip to the art store. I would shop for whatever five dollars would buy while he patiently waited outside, smoking a cigarette.

You recently held the title of "Absolute Empress 56 of the Imperial Council of San Francisco," one of the oldest nonprofit organizations globally. Can you tell us a little about this and what it has entailed?

My reign as Empress for The Imperial Council of San Francisco ended earlier this year, and I am now addressed as Absolute Empress LVI. It was an honor to follow in the footsteps of José Sarria, and I am proud of the work Emperor XLIX After Norton • Mr. David Glamamore, and I did during our reign. Together we raised significant money for some of the city's most impactful organizations. One of our goals was to shine a brighter light on the Founding Mother Court of the International Court System and the oldest LGBTQ+ nonprofit & charity organizing globally.

You're coming up on the 30th anniversary of your Juanita persona this fall. How does it feel to be going on three decades of it? And anything big planned that people should know about?

The years have flown by, and my attitude hasn't changed much –– just the height of my heels. However, I am becoming more at ease with my successes and failures over the years. I've never claimed to be perfect –– just pretty. In September of this year, I have a show coming up at the San Francisco Art’s Commission that will be celebrating 30 years of Juanita. The opening reception is Saturday, September 30th from 6-8pm.

Let's talk a little bit about the annual Holiday card and your famous mailing list. How long have you been doing this? And what first got you started doing it?

As a kid, when my family received holiday cards—it was the envelope the card came in that I was obsessed with—the handwriting, whether blocky or elaborate script, said something about its sender. And the stamps! Those who really "know me" know how much I love stamps (yes, I am a philatelist). So when the holidays were over, I'd gather all the cards and compare them to the names and addresses in my family's address book.

During the holiday season, I send out thousands of cards worldwide. I like to keep in touch and remind people I love that I am thinking about them. So when I sit down to address an envelope—it's a moment of reflection, a mental check-in with a friend, wherever they are, no matter how long it's been since I last saw them. I say things to myself like 'Aww — I miss them,' or 'I haven't heard from them in ages,' or, on that rare occasion, 'I know they moved—this is not their current address, and I'm not gonna waste a stamp!' Believe me, when I say I'm not shy about asking the sender to reimburse me for the cost of the stamp when mail gets returned.

You said you're constantly looking for new artists to work with and collaborate with on the Holiday cards and in general. Are there any dream artists that you'd like to work with? If you could have your portrait painted by any artist, living or dead, who would it be?

It can be magic when talented people come together to collaborate and contribute their knowledge to an art project —turning that endeavor into something extraordinary. I would have loved to see what the team of animators at Walt Disney Studio would have done with me. But, can you imagine what Norman Rockwell, Pablo Picasso, or Frida Kahlo would have done?

On top of the dozens of portraits you've commissioned in 2019 that evolved into full-blown murals of you around San Francisco, starting with Manuel Carmona's on 18th Street. Can you tell us a little bit about the murals of you that have been done in the city and how they came about?

In 2017, sponsored by Cliff's Variety, I started the Juanita MORE! Pride Mural Project. I reached out to artists J. Manuel Carmona, Serge Gay Jr., and Elliott C Nathan. In conjunction with my annual Pride party, I asked them to simultaneously paint three outdoor murals in San Francisco in the Castro, SOMA & Polk Gulch neighborhoods.

Let us now refer to the murals as part of the beautification of San Francisco. I never want it to stop.

Juanita and Jackson in front of mural by Serge Gay Jr. on Polk and Fern, San Francisco. Photograph by Fred Rowe Foto.

What has been the biggest value of your journey collecting art and how has it enriched your life?

I have always considered myself a champion of artists. And enjoy sharing their work with my community. So many talented and artistic people surround my daily and nightly life. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Last question: Why do you think it is important for people to collect art and to have art in their homes?

As an art collector, I understand its value and contribution to our culture. It strengthens the art industry, helps up-and-coming artists to establish their name, and support them in making a living by doing what they love.

Everyone should commission artwork of themselves; it seems appropriate.