Milestone Reached – Turtle’s Paintings Hang in All 50 States
Hartford, CT, August 12, 2007 --(PR.com)-- Internationally recognized painter Koopa now has paintings in all 50 states. That’s a big accomplishment for an artist – especially if that artist is a turtle.
It took four and a half years for someone in North Dakota to buy one of the box turtle's vivid abstract paintings. Now Koopa can claim paintings in every state and also seven countries. Since the beginning of his art career in 2003, Koopa has created over 700 original pieces.
Koopa’s road to fame happened quite by chance when his owner, artist Kira Varszegi, was creating one of her own paintings. For this particular project Varszegi was uncharacteristically sitting on the floor in her studio while working on an abstract portrait. After taking a short break, she returned to find Koopa proudly stationed in the middle of her palette.
Varszegi quickly cleaned up Koopa and put him back on the floor in her home. She returned to her painting, and was just amazed at how well blended the paints on her palette were. She knew then that she had to find a safe way for Koopa to paint and share his special talent with the world.
After some searching, she found some non-toxic, washable paints that Koopa could safely traverse, creating his own mixture of colors and patterns. “Untitled #1,” Koopa’s first official painting, was just the beginning of his art career.
“I wanted desperately for Koopa's work to be seen,” Varszegi said, “so I listed the painting on eBay to see if other people would be interested in vibrant, turtle-created art.” Along with the listing she promised to donate $15 to a turtle rescue group, and that figure has grown to over $12,000 for organizations such as World Chelonian Trust, Turtle Homes, Public Television Station WYES in New Orleans, and Massachusetts Turtle Rescue.
Previous owners neglected Koopa, so helping other turtles has always been a priority for Varszegi. Koopa has free reign of the apartment, which includes 2 heated faux-fur-covered “houses,” a large soaking dish, and UV lighting. “He naps under my desk with his head on the floor and his arms and legs completely stretched out,” Varszegi said.
“Box turtles can be shy animals and often go completely into their shell and close up. But Koopa never retracts into his shell. Furry pet owners can probably relate to that level of trust – but with most reptiles it’s very uncommon.
“I believe this kind of relationship is possible because of the total freedom I’ve allowed Koopa to have, my respect of his personal space, and the eye contact I’ve given him for as long as I’ve had him,” Varszegi said.
Koopa’s work schedule is quite easy, Varszegi said. “He usually paints once or twice a week, doing no more than three paintings per session.”
Jeffrey Lincks, New Orleans, is the owner of five pieces of Koopa’s art. Three of those hang in his living room. Two others hang in a guest bedroom, along with paintings from world-famous Louisiana artist George Rodrique, known for the famous “Blue Dog.”
Lincks’ daughter, Megan, was studying art at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, and did a paper on “what is considered art.” Her instructor asked her for her views on Koopa’s art. “The excitement from my daughter, plus the vivid color of his work, caught my eye,” he said.
April Burkett of Georgia first found Koopa’s work while searching for colorful, abstract art on eBay. “I love the detail of the claw marks in the paint, and that he is a turtle and not consciously designing the finished look of each piece,” she said. Her Koopa paintings all hang in the living room. “When guests inquire about them, they are always stunned they were created by a turtle.”
Not just art aficionados noticed the work by the turtle. Koopa was also included in the 2006 edition of “Ripley’s Believe it or Not!” and was featured in USA Today as the world-renowned painting turtle. Over 100,000 people have viewed Koopa’s antics on the video-sharing site YouTube, where he can be seen standing on his hind legs, opening doors, lip-synching, and wearing fashionable hats from his extensive collection.
When Koopa finally sold a painting to someone in North Dakota, he celebrated with a big plate of strawberries and seedless grapes, and Kira treated herself to a crème brulee at a nearby restaurant. Art accomplishments deserve such rewards.
To learn more about Koopa and Kira’s abstract art, go to www.turtlekiss.com.
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It took four and a half years for someone in North Dakota to buy one of the box turtle's vivid abstract paintings. Now Koopa can claim paintings in every state and also seven countries. Since the beginning of his art career in 2003, Koopa has created over 700 original pieces.
Koopa’s road to fame happened quite by chance when his owner, artist Kira Varszegi, was creating one of her own paintings. For this particular project Varszegi was uncharacteristically sitting on the floor in her studio while working on an abstract portrait. After taking a short break, she returned to find Koopa proudly stationed in the middle of her palette.
Varszegi quickly cleaned up Koopa and put him back on the floor in her home. She returned to her painting, and was just amazed at how well blended the paints on her palette were. She knew then that she had to find a safe way for Koopa to paint and share his special talent with the world.
After some searching, she found some non-toxic, washable paints that Koopa could safely traverse, creating his own mixture of colors and patterns. “Untitled #1,” Koopa’s first official painting, was just the beginning of his art career.
“I wanted desperately for Koopa's work to be seen,” Varszegi said, “so I listed the painting on eBay to see if other people would be interested in vibrant, turtle-created art.” Along with the listing she promised to donate $15 to a turtle rescue group, and that figure has grown to over $12,000 for organizations such as World Chelonian Trust, Turtle Homes, Public Television Station WYES in New Orleans, and Massachusetts Turtle Rescue.
Previous owners neglected Koopa, so helping other turtles has always been a priority for Varszegi. Koopa has free reign of the apartment, which includes 2 heated faux-fur-covered “houses,” a large soaking dish, and UV lighting. “He naps under my desk with his head on the floor and his arms and legs completely stretched out,” Varszegi said.
“Box turtles can be shy animals and often go completely into their shell and close up. But Koopa never retracts into his shell. Furry pet owners can probably relate to that level of trust – but with most reptiles it’s very uncommon.
“I believe this kind of relationship is possible because of the total freedom I’ve allowed Koopa to have, my respect of his personal space, and the eye contact I’ve given him for as long as I’ve had him,” Varszegi said.
Koopa’s work schedule is quite easy, Varszegi said. “He usually paints once or twice a week, doing no more than three paintings per session.”
Jeffrey Lincks, New Orleans, is the owner of five pieces of Koopa’s art. Three of those hang in his living room. Two others hang in a guest bedroom, along with paintings from world-famous Louisiana artist George Rodrique, known for the famous “Blue Dog.”
Lincks’ daughter, Megan, was studying art at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, and did a paper on “what is considered art.” Her instructor asked her for her views on Koopa’s art. “The excitement from my daughter, plus the vivid color of his work, caught my eye,” he said.
April Burkett of Georgia first found Koopa’s work while searching for colorful, abstract art on eBay. “I love the detail of the claw marks in the paint, and that he is a turtle and not consciously designing the finished look of each piece,” she said. Her Koopa paintings all hang in the living room. “When guests inquire about them, they are always stunned they were created by a turtle.”
Not just art aficionados noticed the work by the turtle. Koopa was also included in the 2006 edition of “Ripley’s Believe it or Not!” and was featured in USA Today as the world-renowned painting turtle. Over 100,000 people have viewed Koopa’s antics on the video-sharing site YouTube, where he can be seen standing on his hind legs, opening doors, lip-synching, and wearing fashionable hats from his extensive collection.
When Koopa finally sold a painting to someone in North Dakota, he celebrated with a big plate of strawberries and seedless grapes, and Kira treated herself to a crème brulee at a nearby restaurant. Art accomplishments deserve such rewards.
To learn more about Koopa and Kira’s abstract art, go to www.turtlekiss.com.
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Contact
TurtleKiss.com
Kira Varszegi
860-953-0552
www.turtlekiss.com
Kira Varszegi
860-953-0552
www.turtlekiss.com
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