KEITH KIRTS
KEITH KIRTS - BIOGRAPHY OF THE ARTIST
Keith Kirts is a Los Angeles artist. After attending art school at Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio, he took a two year detour in Viet Nam. Then drove his VW Bug with his knock-out blonde girlfriend, Veda, who was the model for most of the works during that period, to Venice, California, just in time for the hippie decade – a really fine time to be a young artist in Los Angeles. Kirts met Steve Lapin during that period in Venice, and they have been close friends ever since.
Kirts apprenticed to the legendary hand lithographer, Joe Funk, (the first Master Printer at Tamarind Litho Workshop) at Joe’s workshop, Joseph Graphics in Venice, which was a Mecca for local and international artists. He also apprenticed in etching printing to the equally legendary Irving “Doc” Groupp. Several years later, when Sam Francis, the internationally known abstract expressionist painter, opened his private litho shop in Santa Monica, he invited Kirts to be his first Master Printer.
Having unlimited access to the finest litho stones and presses, Kirts made many small editions of his own iconic images – being especially attracted to graphic portrayals of the mysteries of male/female love. His lithographic washes and brush work on these stone prints are unparalleled in their delicacy. The images, although a bit risqué, are strong and bright with very little darkness to disturb the mood of a room.
His graphics and watercolors were shown at the Felix Landau Gallery, Los Angeles, throughout the 1970s under the tutelage of Maria Reinshagen. The paintings and graphics were shown at the Greenson Gallery, Los Angeles into the 1980s. The Esther Bear Gallery in Santa Barbara carried his graphics and watercolors during the 1970s. His works are in many private collections as well as in the permanent collection at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.
Now in his early seventies, Kirts is currently writing novels, one after another, and seems unable to return to the plastic arts. As a result, his studio full of oil paintings and these very limited edition lithographs and etchings are a rare kind of collectors’ item.
Keith Kirts is a Los Angeles artist. After attending art school at Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio, he took a two year detour in Viet Nam. Then drove his VW Bug with his knock-out blonde girlfriend, Veda, who was the model for most of the works during that period, to Venice, California, just in time for the hippie decade – a really fine time to be a young artist in Los Angeles. Kirts met Steve Lapin during that period in Venice, and they have been close friends ever since.
Kirts apprenticed to the legendary hand lithographer, Joe Funk, (the first Master Printer at Tamarind Litho Workshop) at Joe’s workshop, Joseph Graphics in Venice, which was a Mecca for local and international artists. He also apprenticed in etching printing to the equally legendary Irving “Doc” Groupp. Several years later, when Sam Francis, the internationally known abstract expressionist painter, opened his private litho shop in Santa Monica, he invited Kirts to be his first Master Printer.
Having unlimited access to the finest litho stones and presses, Kirts made many small editions of his own iconic images – being especially attracted to graphic portrayals of the mysteries of male/female love. His lithographic washes and brush work on these stone prints are unparalleled in their delicacy. The images, although a bit risqué, are strong and bright with very little darkness to disturb the mood of a room.
His graphics and watercolors were shown at the Felix Landau Gallery, Los Angeles, throughout the 1970s under the tutelage of Maria Reinshagen. The paintings and graphics were shown at the Greenson Gallery, Los Angeles into the 1980s. The Esther Bear Gallery in Santa Barbara carried his graphics and watercolors during the 1970s. His works are in many private collections as well as in the permanent collection at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.
Now in his early seventies, Kirts is currently writing novels, one after another, and seems unable to return to the plastic arts. As a result, his studio full of oil paintings and these very limited edition lithographs and etchings are a rare kind of collectors’ item.
STORM CLOUDS 20” x 21” Signed Kirts 6/6 October 1971. 3 color stone lithograph on Rives BFK paper Brush in liquid touché. Chopped with Empty Circle (Sam Francis Litho Workshop)
$
1,000.00
CONTEMPLATING THE DANCER
9” x 8” Signed Kirts 1969 Artist Proof No edition. 5 pulled. Plate exists. Etching on Rives BFK paper. Aquatint and etching needle
Four Directions Series.
$
1,000.00
LOVERS WITH FLOWERS AND CATS
20” x 15” Signed Kirts Sept 67 7/20. Black & white stone lithograph on Arches Buff paper. Brush in touché with scrape out. Chopped JF. Veda Series.
$
1,500.00
CONTEMPLATING THE TUNNEL
15” x 22” Signed Kirts 74 4/20 Black & white stone lithograph on Rives BFK paper. Brushed diluted liquid touché and grease crayon
Chopped JF
$
1,500.00
LOVERS UNDER THE QUILT
22” x 30” Signed Kirts Aug 67 7/10. Black & White stone lithograph on Rives BFK paper. Brush in touché and crayon. Chopped JF
$
2,000.00
LOVERS WITH CAT ON THE BEACH
15 1/2” x 22 1/2” Signed Kirts 74 7/25. Black & white lithograph on Rives BFK paper. Brush in diluted touché and grease crayon.
Chopped JF
$
1,500.00
COMMUNICATION
15” x 11” Signed Kirts Sept 1967 #7/60 but only 10 pulled. Plate no longer exists. Etching on Arches Buff paper. Aquatint and etching needle. Veda Series
$
1,200.00
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LOVERS ON HORSEBACK WITH TEAPOT 24” x 30” Oil paint on stretched canvas. Lucius Hudson stretcher bar. Not framed. Signed on back – Kirts Dec 68 SM Veda Series
$
7,000.00
LOVERS WITH GERANIUMS
30” x 22” Signed Kirts May
68 5/7. 3 color stone lithograph on Rives BFK paper. Brush in liquid touché and grease crayon. Chopped JF.
$
2,500.00
LOVERS ON HORSEBACK
24” x 24” Oil paint on stretched canvas. Lucius Hudson stretcher bar. Slat framed.
Signed on back Kirts '
69 Veda Series
$
7,000.00
LOVERS WITH CAT #4
11” x 15” Signed Kirts 1974 Artist proof (Edition of 10)
Single color stone lithograph (brick red). Brush in diluted liquid touché and grease crayon. Chopped JF and Topanga Creek Graphics
$
1,000.00
PORTRAIT OF JOE FUNK
22” x 30” Signed Kirts 13/30 Christmas 68 Black & white stone lithograph . Bamboo pen in liquid touché on stone
Chopped JF (Joseph Graphics – Joe Funk)
$
1,500.00
TWO CATS
13” x 18” Signed Kirts Dec 66 4/6 Black & white stone lithograph on Rives Lightweight paper. Grease crayon. Chopped JF
$
1,500.00
LOVERS WITH IRIS
15” x 11” Signed Kirts Aug 67 20/20 3 available. Black and White Lithograph on Arches Buff paper. Drypoint needle scratched into litho stone. Chopped JF. Veda Series
$
1,500.00
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