US Art Auction

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Versace fashion is regarded as a pioneer in international fashion.

Born in 1946 at Reggio, Calabria in Southern Italy, Gianni Versace got his love for fashion from his mother. Initially a trained architect, he followed his mother’s footsteps towards the fashion industry and worked for several of Italy’s fashion houses. In 1978, Versace launched his own label with the support of his brother, Santo.

Versace combined high style and pop culture. He is known to be a charismatic and established designer for clothes and theatre costumes. His creations were influenced by Andy Warhol with a hint of historic designs and modern abstract art.

Gianni Versace’s designs are a fusion of class, beauty and sexuality. He was described as a notorious designer. He startles people’s senses with his creations. For Versace, nothing is too extravagant, too provocative or too crazy. His garments are designed to flatter the body.

The name Versace is the personal choice of personalities like Elton John, Madonna and the late Princess Diana. Elites are drawn to his collection which further established his reputation. However, not all of his clothes are for the wealthy. Even average people can have a taste of Versace’s fashion.

It was in 1985 that Istante label was created. His sister, Donatella, became his co-designer. They launched Versus, a Versace diffusion range in 1989. These clothes are for the young market and are within easy price range for the average consumers.

Versace was awarded as “the most innovative and creative designer in the world” by Cutty Sark Award in 1988 and received an American Fashion Oscar in 1993 by the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

July 15, 1997 marked the tragic death of Gianni Versace. He was shot dead by crazed gunman Andrew Cunanan outside his South Beach home in Miami.

To date, Donatella, Santo and Donatella’s daughter Allegra run the business. Donatella had taken the brand to a different place from where it started addressing the other aspects of a woman’s life. Versace fashion is described as all-grown up and recognizes that not all women look like models.



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Mark Traston asked:


Every art aficionado dreams of touring different museums and art galleries around the world.  The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri is one art museum you should add to your list.

This huge spot for splendid artworks is considered one of the world’s most attractive museums. In fact, in 2007, Time Magazine ranked the new expansion building of the museum called the Bloch Building, in the top ten Best New Architectural Marvels in the world. Spectacular indeed!

Aside from this pride, the museum is also home to more than thirty thousand ancient and contemporary art from various parts of the globe. There are art masterpieces from Asia, Europe, America, and Africa to behold.

Some of these remarkable art works are of famous artists such as Caravaggio the artist behind the “John the Baptist” painting. Moreover, there are also other masterworks that are truly incomparable. Such works include the decorative art collection of American and European inspiration such as glasses, tables, metal works, ceramics, textiles, chairs, tables, and other furniture.

In addition, there is a photography section that presents photographs captured since the nineteenth century. Famous photographers whose works are being displayed in this section include Mathew Brady, George N. Barnard, Carleton Watkins, Edward Muybridge, Alfred Stieglitz, Harry Callahan, Robert Frank Edward Steichen, Edward Weston, André Kertész, Diane Arbus and many more. And it is in this section that the Hallmark Photographic collection can also be seen.

Another section of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is the print division. It is in this section that more than five thousand ancient and modern graphics of famous individuals such as William Blake, Albrecht Dürer, Francisco Goya, Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein can be explored.

Another spot to visit is the Kansas City Sculpture Park. It is surrounded by huge statues, abstract monuments and amazing statuettes, such as the “The Return of the Prodigal Son” by Jacques Lipchitz, “Reclining Hand Figure” and “The Large Interior Form” both by Henry Spencer Moore, “Shuttlecocks” by Claes Oldenburg, “The Thirty Standing Figures” by Magdalena Abakanowicz, “Rush Hour” by George Segal, “Rumi” by Mark Di Suvero, and “The Three Bowls” by Ursula von Rydingsvard. Certainly, it is a perfect place for relaxation and family recreation.  

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art also offers interesting activities for people of all ages. These include classes and workshops for the youth and the whole family, audio-guided tours, educational programs, studio workshops, in-gallery programs for adults, as well as films and performance. The museum also offers community programs such as scholarship programs and a Speaker’s Bureau, where trained speakers are invited and they share interesting facts about the Nelson-Akins Museum of Art to a company, school or club.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is located in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Walk-in tours are free of charge, and visitors can take pictures of different works of art inside the art galleries and in the surrounding areas outside the buildings.



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John Smith asked:


From actors to athletes and pop-stars to painters; sometimes it can feel as though the world is one big awards ceremony; and it comes as no surprise that so many people aspire to be famous when all we see are the accolades these stars receive. But it is always the people closest to us that influence us the most, and so it makes sense that we reward those priceless moments with some personalised gifts.

Making Headlines

Perhaps you know someone with a special birthday coming up, or even the anniversary of a very special date? Well, you could mark the occasion with a copy of an original newspaper from the day they were born, or perhaps even celebrate the date with one of the personalised calendars that can begin in any month. The personalised calendars highlight their name in twelve spectacular images so they can count down the days to the next anniversary. For anyone who has achieved something worthy of a newspaper headline then why not invest in a ‘Personalised Mirror Spoof Newspaper’? Just like the personalised calendars, these gifts display the name of that special someone who has a special announcement to make.

Going for Gold

After this years Olympics, the country seems to have gone sporting mad and if you know someone who just can’t seem to get enough of their favourite past time them why not indulge them with one of the sporting personalised calendars? From golf to football or rugby, there are plenty to choose from and they will have their own name highlighted in a series of sporting images. For the golf fanatic then they could have their name emblazoned across the Golfing Magazine. Who needs a silver trophy when you could present them with an engraved golf club or some trendy sporting cufflinks?

Songs of Praise

If you know someone who likes to practise the phrase “Tonight Matthew, I’m going to be…”, then surely it’s about time you indulged them with some musical acclaims of their own. The Music Legends Personalised calendars are a great opportunity for someone to see their name appearing on a CD or on their own dressing room backstage. For the real music fans, or even for someone that you share a special song with, then why not present them with a personalised framed disc? Just like the personalised calendars, these personalised gifts can become the main attractions in their very own music hall of fame.

Strike A Pose

Personalised calendars are a great way to celebrate someone’s name in a variety of stunning images but if you know someone who truly belongs in front of the camera then why not treat them this year with a Makeover and photo-shoot with the professionals? These gifts are great for men and women, people of all ages, as they get to live the lifestyle of a true celebrity for the day. Just as the personalised calendars will celebrate your loved one in style, how about presenting them with their very own Andy Warhol Style Pop Art Print? They will be immortalised in the style of Marilyn Monroe for the whole world to see just how gorgeous they really are in any colour!

Heading for Hollywood

The film star personalised calendars are a great way to show a loved one’s name up in lights just as though they were a major celebrity. Whether it is having their name on a billboard or a highlighting the Hollywood Hills, the personalised calendars really can make dreams come true. For anyone who has always dreamed about being a star, or for that special someone who just loves all things ‘film’, then why not make them the star attraction at home with their own personalised director’s chair or even an official Hollywood Walk of Fame Star? These personalised gifts are a fun way of celebrating any occasion from birthdays to anniversaries, even passing exams.

The Rising Star

The rise to fame can be slow and tough, but giving special someone that helping hand up can be easier than you think with a very special Hot Air Balloon adventure or even a Gliding experience. All of the biggest stars have their own private aeroplanes or helicopters and this could be your chance to indulge the star in your eyes with a treat they will never forget. The Essential personalised calendars can celebrate their name in fireworks, and the classic personalised calendars will have their name spelt out in the stars to show everyone just how special they really are.



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John Ugoshowa asked:


Also known as Cubist Realism, and related to the Art Deco movement, Precisionism was developed in the United States after World War I. The term for this movement was coined in the 1920s, and influenced by the Cubist and Futurist movements; the main themes for these paintings were mainly regarding industrialization and modernization of the American landscape. These elements were depicted with the use of precise and sharply defined geometrical shapes, a reverence for the industrial age, but with social commentary not a directly fundamental part.

The degrees of abstraction ran the spectrum as some works had photo realistic qualities, and though the movement had no presence outside of the United States, the artists that made up this particular grouping were a closely knit collective remaining active through to the 1930s. Georgia O’Keefe remained as one of the leading proponents of this style, and stayed so for many years afterwards until the 1960s, her husband was a highly regarded mentor for the group. In a post post-Expressionist phase of life in the art world, Precisionism has affected and influenced the movements of magic realism which utilizes aspects such as juxtaposing of forward movement with a sense of distance, and pop art in which themes from mass culture were used to define art much there forward.

Just after the 1950s began, the movement of pop art was clear in places such as Britain and the United States, and employed elements of advertising and comic books to create a foundation that might have been taken as a reaction to the then popular movement of abstract expressionism. Though the term wasn’t coined until 1958, it was later linked with Dadaism from the beginning of the century, and at one point was called Neo-Dada because of the strong influence from artist Marcel Duchamp. Later affecting artists like Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns, bringing the definition to come to mean one of low-cost mass-produced and gimmicky artwork, and stressing everyday values with common sources like product packaging and celebrity photographs.

By exploring that fraction of everyday imagery, the artists found themselves working with contemporary consumer culture, and this became apparent in parts of Britain, Spain, and Japan around the same point in time. In Britain in particular, where pop art seemed to stem from at that point in 1947, and many works began blurring the boundaries between art and advertising. Whereas in Spain, the movement became interrelated with the “new figurative”, the work arose from the roots of informalism which began to be a critical aspect in this part of the world.

In Japan, pop art has been seen and utilized throughout much of the country’s native artwork through such means as Anime and the “superflat” styles of art, and became the means through which the artists could further critique their own culture through a more satirical lens. When choosing a stimulating piece by these artists, it may be a more invigorating exercise to find some of those other artists to whom these later artists owe much of their inspiration towards their own work, and Precisionism is just as appropriate a place to start for you as anywhere else in the artistic spectrum.

Today, Precisionism can be seen as fundamental influence in commercial and popular art, but cannot be too overlooked as being one of a few different movements to affect our present day stance on art’s utility and functions. With the postmodern present coming to light, maybe we shall once again be drawn back to the past that we have come to take for granted too often, and reveal a new age to define a new century of experience.



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Claudia Escobar asked:


Cat art makes a lovely cat lover gift. Indeed, a gift of cat art makes the perfect choice for cat lovers who are also art enthusiasts.

There is no question about it. Cats’ feline majesty and beauty have inspired artists throughout history. Paintings and sculptures of cats have been found in Ancient Egyptian sites as well as in Incan palaces. More recently, pictures of cats have graced posters and day-to-day items, such as calendars and clothing.

And it’s not only their physical beauty that has captured the imagination of painters, sculptors, designers, writers, and musicians. Cats’ unique nature, mysterious personality, and sometimes quirky traits have inspired novels, poems, songs, movies, and one of the longest running shows on Broadway, among many other works. So it is safe to say that a gift of cat art will delight any cat lover, especially those who also love art.

However, just picking any gift of cat art will not do. Some factors to keep in mind during the selection process include: The form of art you want to give (i.e. painting, sculpture or photography), the technique you want to focus on (for example, watercolors vs. pastels, if you’re giving a cat painting), your friend’s personal taste, and of course, a budget.

These factors will help you narrow your search and will help you select the right gift for your cat-loving friend. If you need some ideas to inspire you in your search, take heart. Below you will find six cat art gift ideas, arranged from most expensive to most affordable.

1. Cat paintings. Many well-known artists have painted cats down through the centuries: From Leonardo Da Vinci and Titian to Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol. I guess they couldn’t resist cats’ beautiful shape and had to immortalize it on canvass. Indeed, a feline-inspired painting makes an exquisite cat gift. Of course, some of these works of art come with a hefty price tag. But you can still find gorgeous paintings at affordable prices.

2. Cat portraits. If you want a truly one-of-a-kind painting, one that immortalizes your own cat (or your friend’s cat), then commission a cat portrait. Pet portraits have grown in popularity in recent years so you can find several artists who specialize in pet portraiture. Prices may vary depending on the work you want and the artist.

3. Sculptures of cats. Somebody once said that if you have a cat you don’t need artwork. And that’s true, I think. Still, cat-inspired sculptures can add another level of feline beauty to any spot. Cats are amongst nature’s most beautiful animals. And that beauty lends itself to be reproduced in sculptures. You can find statues for every place in your home: Sophisticated sculptures for the living room, whimsical statuettes for the bedroom, and lovely pieces for the garden.

4. Cat-inspired photographs. I think all cats are photogenic. Most often than not, cats take great pictures. You can find posters based on cat photographs of many different styles: Black and white photographs, breeds, funny and whimsical, inspirational, and more. If you prefer, you can take a picture of your cat-loving friend, place it in a nice frame and give as a gift.

5. Make it yourself. Are you creative and adventurous? If that is the case, make the gift yourself! Draw or paint cats. Or take a photograph. Or make a calendar. Thanks to user-friendly software and digital cameras, you can make your own art and personalize your gifts.

6. Inexpensive cat art. Give decorative coffee mugs or magnets showcasing cat-themed artwork. These gifts are not only beautiful but also practical. And best of all, you can find them at affordable prices.



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