How Steve Jobs Showed Warhol and Keith Haring the Macintosh

By Editor in Chief | Approved by Will Nichols, Editor in Chief | 2/5/2026

Apple is #169 on the FO Pulse (2026-07-13 close), up 9 from the previous close.

Steve Jobs taught Andy Warhol to use MacPaint at Sean Lennon's 1984 birthday party, accidentally launching the digital art revolution with a simple circle.

Key Points

Steve Jobs demonstrated the Macintosh to Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, and Kenny Scharf at Sean Lennon's 9th birthday party in 1984
Warhol was mesmerized by drawing a simple circle on MacPaint, exclaiming 'Look! Keith! I drew a circle!'
The impromptu tech demo connected three pillars of 1980s culture: Apple's innovation, pop art royalty, and street art pioneers

The Night Technology Crashed the Art World

October 9, 1984. Steve Jobs shows up to a nine-year-old's birthday party with a Macintosh computer tucked under his arm. The guest list reads like a cultural hall of fame: Walter Cronkite, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Louise Nevelson, John Cage, Harry Nilsson. And Yoko Ono, because it's her son Sean Lennon's party after all.

Jobs had brought the newly released Macintosh as Sean's birthday gift. He set it up on the bedroom floor and started showing Sean how to create digital art with MacPaint and the mouse. The kid was instantly hooked.

When Pop Art Met Personal Computing

Word spread through the party, and some of the adult guests drifted into the room, including Warhol and Haring. Warhol was instantly captivated: "What is this? Look at this, Keith. This is incredible!" he exclaimed, eyes wide with wonder.

When Warhol asked to take a turn, Jobs explained how the mouse worked, but the artist instead lifted it off the floor and swished it through the air. Finally, Jobs put his hand over Warhol's and steered it along until he'd gotten the hang of it.

After a few minutes in concentrated silence, Warhol glanced up: "Look! Keith! I drew a circle!" The moment was pure magic. A simple circle, but one that filled Warhol with childlike delight.

The Accidental Convergence

Kenny Scharf, the third artist in the room, was Haring's roommate from the School of Visual Arts and a key figure in the 1980s East Village art movement. Both Scharf and Haring were already inspired by the emerging graffiti scene, befriending street artists like DAZE and HAZE.

That night, Warhol told Jobs that some man had been calling him repeatedly, trying to give him a Macintosh, but he'd never followed up. Jobs replied, "Yeah, that was me." In his diary, Warhol later wrote: "I felt so old and out of it with this young whiz guy right there who'd helped invent it."

But Warhol caught on quickly, becoming one of the very first fine artists to work on a computer and heralding a new generation of artists that would be raised on MacPaint and Microsoft Paint. What started as a birthday party gift became the moment digital art was born.

FAQ

When did Steve Jobs meet Andy Warhol?
October 9, 1984, at Sean Lennon's 9th birthday party in New York.

What computer did Steve Jobs demonstrate?
The Macintosh, which had been released earlier that year in January 1984.

Who else was at the party?
Walter Cronkite, Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, Louise Nevelson, John Cage, and Harry Nilsson.

What did Warhol create on the computer?
A simple circle using MacPaint, which he excitedly showed to Keith Haring.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Steve Jobs demonstrate the Macintosh to Andy Warhol?

Yes, Steve Jobs demonstrated the Macintosh to Andy Warhol on October 9, 1984, at Sean Lennon's 9th birthday party. Warhol was captivated by the computer and famously drew a simple circle in MacPaint, exclaiming with childlike delight at his creation.

Who attended Sean Lennon's 9th birthday party in 1984?

Sean Lennon's 9th birthday party on October 9, 1984, included notable cultural figures such as Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, Walter Cronkite, Louise Nevelson, John Cage, Harry Nilsson, and Yoko Ono. Steve Jobs also attended and brought the newly released Macintosh as Sean's birthday gift.

What did Andy Warhol do with the Macintosh mouse?

When Jobs tried to explain how the mouse worked, Warhol lifted it off the floor and swished it through the air instead of using it on the desktop. Jobs had to place his hand over Warhol's to guide him on how to properly use the mouse.

What year was the Macintosh released?

The Macintosh was released in 1984, the same year Steve Jobs demonstrated it to Andy Warhol and Keith Haring at Sean Lennon's birthday party on October 9, 1984.

Who were the street artists at Sean Lennon's birthday party?

Keith Haring and Kenny Scharf, both pioneers of the 1980s East Village art movement, were present at the party. Scharf was Haring's roommate from the School of Visual Arts and a key figure in the street art scene of that era.

Topics: digital art, MacPaint, Steve Jobs, Kenny Scharf, focus-98-50, Apple, microsoft, Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, 1984, Sean Lennon, ferrari, Macintosh