Max
Karp (1916 - )
American Artist Max Karp is one of the few contemporary painters
to use enamel for his artistic work. He is internationally acclaimed
as the father of modern enameling. His place in art history
is assured, both because of his enormous talent and the fact
that he has perfected unique processes, which allow the creation
of museum-quality, kiln-fired collectibles. A self-taught artist,
Karp was born in Ohio in 1916 and raised in California. He lives
in Southern California. Karp began painting by recording in his
oils various species of birds and insects for his father who
was an ornithologist/entomologist. In the mid-1960's, Karp became
interested in the enamel process. Beginning on a small scale,
he taught himself the enamel technique and later experimented
with the large paintings in enamel for which he is best known.
During the last decade, Karp's enamel paintings have received
critical recognition. In 1970 Hamilton Mint commissioned Karp
to produce four paintings of the seasons of the year, which were
then issued as a limited edition of plates on precious metal.
In 1980 Karp's 20 x 24-inch enamel portrait of Beverly Sills
was presented to the American Queen of Opera following her final
performance on full-length opera. In addition, numerous private
art collectors, including Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Happy Rockefeller
and Sarah Churchill, have acquired works by Max Karp for their
collections.
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