Doris Fish was Sainted by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence on November 3, 1990, as part of the benefit tribute “Who Does That Bitch Think She Is?”. Typically, the Sisters attribute some miracles to their saints, and in Doris’ case there are many apparent miracles to choose from, before and after her death. In my opinion, there are none so vivid as the “Miracle of the Silkscreens’.
Around the time of Blonde Sin and the beginnings of the Sluts A Go-Go Doris was interested in silkscreen printing, an inexpensive way for her as an artist to mass produce self promotional images of herself, which she, of course, adored. The images she made have become iconic among Doris fans: A Sluts A Go-Go group image that is referenced in her great painting of the Sluts, the hero poster for Blonde Sin which she printed on hand-colored t-shirts, and striking portrait of Tippi that became a Blonde Sin flyer.
Copies of the flyers and posters, and even a couple of t-shirts survived, but the fate of the original silkscreens were unknown.
The, in 2007, Daniel Detorie came across a heap of rubbish on a sidewalk in the Mission and took investigated a set of discarded silkscreens. MIRACULOUSLY, he was fan of Doris Fish and the Sluts A Go-Go, and he immediately recognized the significance of the artworks and rescued them from the garbage pile.
As detailed in the Bay Area Reporter, he took them to artists Jim Winters and Michael Wertz who knew what to do with them. After cleaning and printing the silkscreens in a limited series, they donated them to the GLBT Historical Society where they reside today.
An authentic miracle from Saint Doris!
In 2016, Michael Wertz (Wertzateria) produced a stunning silkscreened poster for the 25th Anniversary of Vegas In Space produced by Peaches Christ. Doris Fish Forever has commissioned a commemorative poster of the Sluts A Go-Go South Pacific Nightclub Tour which will be on sale at the 2024 RuPauls Drag Con and San Diego Comic-Con in a signed and numbered limited edition. We are so pleased to offer it to fans of Doris Fish, for Michael is truly a part of the artistic legacy of Doris Fish and the Sluts A Go-Go.
An Original Blonde Sin print by Doris Fish, 1980-81.
Blonde Sin (Tippi Portrait)
Hotel Utah, October 30-November 1, 1980
Design and illustration by Doris Fish
Miss X Collection
The original ink drawing of Tippi on tracing paper which Doris used to create the silkscreen image for Blonde Sin.
The declaration of Sainthood from the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. November 3, 1990 (Doris Fish Day as proclaimed by San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos).
2007 Jim Winters and Michael Wertz reprint of the 1980-81 Blonde Sin hero poster by Doris Fish.
2007 Jim Winters and Michael Wertz reprint of the 1980-81 Sluts A Go-Go group image by Doris Fish.
2007 Jim Winters and Michael Wertz reprint (on wall paper) of the 1980-81 Tippi portrait by Doris Fish.
