Before you scroll down to view my bio, please take the time to read this important information about copyright laws, art-related ethics, and why collectors should seek out artists with proven longevity.

(by Kira Ayn Varszegi)

I've decided to address the dire importance of supporting established artists during a time when art is no longer an affordable luxury. I'm not just referring to myself, but ALL artists with original ideas, styles, interpretations, and executions. The super-saturated art categories are filled with Chinese assembly line paintings and widespread plagiarism. Even more absurd is the sheer volume of ignorant copycats who see nothing wrong with taking credit for words and ideas that aren't theirs. It's obscene how many times I've dealt with this personally.

It's a common misconception that I claim to be the first breast artist in the world, which is absolutely ridiculous...especially since I probably know more about the history of breast painting (and turtle painting) than anyone alive. I've been the victim of intellectual property theft 70+ times in the past 8 years. A simple internet search shows (unsimilar) full-body art existed in the 60's, while bees, snowmen & traffic light breast transfers (among other round things) were a fantastic fundraising strategy in the mid 90's. A self-proclaimed "BBW" had moderate success in recent years after she "happened to see a lady (me) selling similar breast paintings on Ebay." How nice of her to admit she stole my idea for profit.

"New Hope" is the first documented fine art breast painting series online. This means I can provide proof of creation date, produce a dated photo of any piece, or contact the original buyer. Right from conception in 2001 all of my original styles and words have been repeatedly stolen by "new artists" with little to no prior art experience. Time and time again they take credit for my experience, reputation & skills. Meanwhile, I'm still struggling to make ends meet and make a name for myself as an honest, sensitive, passionate artist with documented experience, a solid reputation, a non-imaginary portfolio, common sense, morals, a lifetime of artistic aspirations, and the belief that one day I'll get some sort of recognition for my art despite numerous setbacks.

It's painfully obvious when others steal & take credit for my carefully thought-out descriptions. Their work isn't "intimate" or "unorthodox" at all - it's all just standard copycat fare which I've seen on a regular basis since 2001. For the record, I'm not and have never felt threatened in any way by these parasites - if anything, they make my paintings look far better in comparison. They drive traffic to my listings with their unprofessional, uneducated, defensive attacks towards me, citing "it's a free country" and "I'm free to paint however I want." All true...but it's still unethical to me and all other creative professionals.

If an art career is your goal, then you're pretty much solidifying failure by choosing the copycat route. Intellectual property theft is a crime, and I won't hesitate to personally expose anyone who blatently steals my material. Having unique ideas or technical skill defines a true artist. These self-proclaimed "new artists" have "experience" that includes: copying text from my listings; copying my ideas. They've opted to start an "art career" in a dishonest way and I've got a major problem with that. Art isn't something you develop a passion for out of the blue. True artists create out of necessity, for non-verbal expression, as an instinct...not the need for money.

I feel that educating art browsers/potential buyers/collectors is one of the few ways I can help the art community. I ask you to be a well-informed art buyer/collector and take the time to find and support artists with original styles, concepts, stories, and interpretations. Having your intellectual property stolen repeatedly feels like the ultimate betrayal. Sensitive, passionate, intelligent, grateful and respectful real artists need and deserve your support, now more than ever. There are a lot of us out here!

WHEN SEARCHING FOR ARTWORK....

Search the artist's full name in Google to verify any claimed artistic experience

Check the seller's feedback to see how much art they've actually sold

Request a portfolio viewing

Ask for references from past clients

Currently, there's a "new breast artist" who doesn't know the difference between 'support' and 'medium.' She pretentiously refers to herself in the 3rd person, and she takes tremendous pride in her 100% feedback score (after managing somehow to not screw up a whopping 4 transactions.) Her auctions publicly disrespect and publicize the artist she openly attempts to imitate (me) and she further cheapens her reputation by selling worn, unwashed pantyhose under the same user ID. Apparently, I'm too dumb to notice my styles imitated poorly when I see them, I can't recognize the words I've written in MY listings, I don't know the difference between technique and style, and I've personally claimed the entire concept of breast painting as my own.

SURE....

Fortunately, I back up statements with facts. This is a small sampling of blog posts that cover some of the copyright violations I've dealt with in the past year or so. My (big) collection of emails and screen captures contain way more of the same crap. I hate wasting time on these losers, but I refuse to let them steal from me or anyone else with good intentions. Plagiarists deserve negative exposure, and art buyers deserve honesty.

http://turtlekiss.wordpress.com/2009/08/05/rant-with-a-bonus/

http://turtlekiss.wordpress.com/2009/06/30/another-copycat/

http://turtlekiss.wordpress.com/2009/06/19/the-tonight-show-link-kymber-saga-update-plagiarism/

http://turtlekiss.wordpress.com/2009/06/19/another-copycat-please-check-this-one-out/

http://turtlekiss.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/mish-mash-of-ramblings-contest/

http://turtlekiss.wordpress.com/2008/08/25/my-favorite-piece-so-far-and-anger/

For 8 years, I've shown that there are many ways to breast paint. My style constantly evolves, and future styles will continue to evolve and be subsequently stolen.. None of these delusional copycats understand the moral ramifications of deceiving clients by faking knowledge. It further cheapens the art market at an already-critical time.

 Nolo.com defines plagiarism as:  "Passing off someone else’s work as your own, whether word for word or merely the creative ideas. This can amount to copyright infringement if permission has not been obtained from the copyright owner for use of the expressive elements of the work. Even if permission is granted, putting your name on someone else’s work is still plagiarism and is unethical within artistic, scientific, academic and political communities.”

Please support original artists with original words & ideas. Thank you, on behalf of ALL creative, free-thinking artists!

One last note...I'd like to point out that "non-toxic" paint is not necessarily non-toxic. A lot of you are putting carcinogens on your breasts because you believe what's printed on the tube/bottle.

About Me...finally

Kira Ayn Varszegi

I'm a self-taught abstract artist residing in Connecticut. I have no formal art education, nor do I want any.* I'd rather be free to express myself in a way that feels natural, in my own distinctive style. Learning what works in terms of color, contrast, composition, shading, lighting, etc. is all the result of trial & error. I don't feel that I'm influenced/affected by other art or artists. I respect artists with unique perspectives, interpretations, styles, and methods, as well as those with exceptional control and technical skill. I also have an appreciation for well-executed realism. Favorite artists include Dali, Miro, Chihuly, Escher, and Picasso.

* Except glass-blowing, which I would be totally eager to learn.

Why Should you Purchase my Artwork?

Because you want it.

Because your wall is boring.

Because it has investment potential.

Because you deserve it.

Because it's the perfect gift for someone who has everything.

Good karma.

If you do business with me, you will be dealing with me directly...not an art dealer or an artist that thinks that their art will fetch higher prices if they conjure up an inflated "gallery retail price." I will never tell you that any gallery has appraised or considered showing my work in order to make a sale. I want to impress you - but only in an honest, professional, straightforward manner. I don't refer to myself in the third person, and I don't expect you to either!

My eBay Experience

I began selling on eBay back in the late 1990's...I was working a full time job, but listing my artwork every chance I got. I found my audience, which was a lot easier back then - when the art category wasn't inundated with Chinese replica paintings and "artists" copying each other. By 2000 I had been diagnosed with panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and (misdiagnosed) with depression. I lost my job partially due to random crying episodes at work and escalating irrational fears. Finally having the luxury of time (and ideas,) I began painting on a regular basis in a myriad of new & different ways. My abstract pieces were well-received from the beginning. A new series of breast paintings titled "Hope" was born in January 2001. A short time later Koopa came into my life.

Koopa is a box turtle with whom I formed a special bond immediately. He came from an environment of neglect and abandon, so I nurtured him and gained his trust. Koopa follows me around, does tricks, is housebroken, comes when called (when he wants) and behaves like a kitten or puppy. I always let him lead a tank-free life, which I know he needed and appreciated. Three years later, Koopa walked onto my unattended paint palette, which changed my life forever.

I reconfirmed that the ingredients of the paints I'd been using for the "Hope" series were safe, non-toxic, and washable (via MSDS) and consulted Koopa's vet for approval. I tested the individual colors on his skin in tiny amounts, then began to teach him to paint over the course of 4-5 months. I made sure that every single aspect of it was safe. He didn't seem to mind the painting experience at all. Each piece only took a couple of minutes and was followed by a warm shower and bath. Eventually I began selling his artwork on eBay, and it was an instant success. My career as a solo artist was put on hold. Koopa's career flourished for 5 years and together we were able to donate over $13,000 to various non-profit causes such as turtle rescue, breast cancer research, and the rebuilding of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

In March 2008 Koopa stopped eating, and I became concerned about his health. He was treated for a respiratory infection (that he didn't actually have,) had x-rays taken, and was fed through a tube. He also had blood tests done which revealed elevated liver values. I immediately retired Koopa from his career as an artist. He had created 827 original beautiful paintings over the course of 5 years. They hang in all 50 U.S. states and 9 different countries. As of August, 2009 Koopa's health is completely normal, with no liver issues. I continue to spoil him rotten and give him the best care.

I always considerered my work with Koopa to be collaborative because it fueled and satisfied my desire to create. It had been such a long time since I offered only my own artwork. It feels weird, and eBay has changed so much that I can't help but feel scared. It's too easy to get lost in a sea of listings.

My Styles and Methods

You'll probably find one or more of the following themes in my listings:

Breast paintings - These are created by using my breasts instead of brushes. In January 2001, after extensive research, I became the first online professional to treat the technique as a fine art - properly documented, archived, and created with high-quality non-toxic materials. I've developed several distinctive (yet repeatedly copied) styles over the first 8 years. The title of my main series switched from "Hope" to "New Hope" immediately after Koopa retired. Each painting is a museum-quality original on premium stretched canvas or heavy watercolor paper. My goal is always the same: a perfect balance of color, contrast & composition. These are the same paints that Koopa painted with, and I use my knowledge of the way they blend to ensure striking results. I will never offer photos or video of the paintings being created. I have no desire to sexualize the process in any way (although I'd make a killing.)

B & W - Sometimes I don't want to use color but would rather focus on clean lines and contrast. A perfect example would be my "Pandamonium" series."

Stripes/straight lines - When I just feel the need to make things parallel or symmetrical.

Turtles/animals - I love turtles and always have, but animals in general are a constant theme for me. I tend to make them more colorful and cartoony than they would appear in nature, and I like to give them human accessories like hats or masks. :-)

Palette knife - The blending is harder to control, but the texture makes up for it.

Unusual mediums and "brushes" - I've painted using melted chocolate (milk, dark and white), coffee, cocoa, and berries. I've started a series where the paint is applied entirely via remote-controlled truck or wind-up toys, and I've made several mosaics out of old credit cards. Occasionally my paintings will end up with crayon all over them. If I get an idea and it seems feasible I'll find a way to turn it into something tangible.

Portraits - I'm doing more of these lately. They don't even begin to border on realism. It's just an area I feel like exploring more deeply.

Etc.

I'm half Hungarian, half French. I was named after the main character in Ayn Rand's novel, "We the Living." I also share the same birthday as Ayn Rand. I gravitate towards more traditionally "masculine" stuff like fishing, video games, electronics, science, baseball, and blues music. I enjoy puzzles, riddles, crosswords, cryptograms and learning how the mind works (and malfunctions, in my case.) I believe in karma, freedom, honesty, equality, and peace. I'm introverted, quiet, emotionally sensitive, private, and have a terrible memory unless you want me to recall something traumatic. I attribute a lot of this to the 5 different anti-depressants that I was prescribed when I was really just frustrated due to misdiagnosed ADD. Currently, I'm dealing with Attention Deficit Disorder and severe panic disorder, which has caused (seemingly random) episodes of hyperventilation, heart palpitations, crying, sweating, inexplicable fear, the sensation of dying, sharp chest pains, facial numbness, globus (inability to swallow,) night terrors, and temporary paralysis of my upper body after a quick, uneventful routine post office visit...

...I got in my truck, closed the door, and within seconds my arms became heavy and went completely numb. I couldn't lift them, bend them, move my fingers...nothing. After about 15 minutes of crying/preparing myself to die I was able to lay on my side (credit to ugly but functional bench seating) and use my nose to speed-dial my mom. She arrived 20 minutes later and took me to the ER, where they ignored me. I regained use of my arms in the waiting room over an HOUR later. This one event - and the fear that it might happen again - has created major limitations for me. All faith was converted into hope.

Although this life often feels like a cursed, wasted existence, I do have much to be thankful for. Physically, I'm healthy. Mentally, I'm messed up but I've got common sense, a gentle spirit, a genius IQ, morals, etiquette, and pretty fantastic spelling. I'm married to the most wonderful (patient) man in the world. Complete strangers continue to invest in me and my art, even though I'm clearly an underdog (especially in the self-promotion department.) THANK YOU - I am truly grateful for your support.

I'd be honored to create a custom painting for you! Send me an e-mail.

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