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Steve Kauman mini Bio-
were
1972 Works for Macy’s painting dog and cat faces on pet rocks.1975 Participates in group graffiti show at Whitney Museum.
1978-81 Enrolls in the School of Visual Arts. Meets Andy Warhol and becomes his assistant at
the Factory. Designs theme parties at Studio 54, The Mud Club, Underground and
Magique. Sells his art to Calvin Klein and Steve Rubell. Meets Keith Haring at School of
Visual Arts (SVA) show. Participates in group show at Club 57 with Haring.
1982 Creates graphics for NBC’s Saturday Night Live. Graduates from School of Visual Arts
(SVA) with a BFA. Holds art shows at the Air Gallery in London, White Freud and Fiorucci
store window in NYC.
1983-1985 Arrested with AIDS demonstrators for chain-locking New York City’s mayor in his office.
Exhibits Sex, Rock & Roll at Off Centre Gallery in London.
1986-88 Forms SAK Studio. Begins campaign for AIDS awareness with art shows featuring
paintings of Trojan Condom wrappers measuring 5 feet by 5 feet. Condom art exhibit
shown at Main Fine Art, Edinburgh College of Art, Zanzibar Club and the Smith Gallery.
1989-1990 Opens Art Studio. Hires New York City homeless. Paints portraits of three homeless
people for Transportation Display, Inc. Portraits are shown in 46 cities on bus
billboards, helping raise $4.72 million to benefit the homeless. Completes unfinished
portraits for Andy Warhol clients. Trojan Condoms/Carter Wallace sponsors 5000 AIDS
awareness buttons to be given away in Greenwich Village and at an art auction for
amfAR. Paints first Racial Harmony Mural in Harlem to bring awareness to inner city
problems. Show at White Gallery, where all art was covered in black cloth in memory
of those who died of AIDS. This show developed the concept for the “Day Without Art”
tribute. Show at Loft Gallery in Tokyo, Japan.
1991-92 Completes 55 Racial Harmony Murals in the New York City area with Malcolm X images.
Appears on Fox TV, MTV and various radio stations to speak out on racial harmony.
Accepts award as Underground Artist of the Year. Paints Mickey Mantle’s portrait for
Mantle’s Restaurant. Paints Joe Frazier’s portrait to raise money for Police Athletic
League. Creates AIDS Memorial in New York City. Drapes red fabric over the letter
“D” on the Hollywood Sign in remembrance of everyone who has died of AIDS. Art
collected by Spike Lee, Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Dee Williams, Eddie Murphy and Larry
Mullen of U2.
The Life of Steve Kaufman
1993-94 Art Studio moves to Los Angeles, California. Starts a new style called “Comic Book Pop
Art.” Uses original paintings of Superheroes—Superman, Batman, Spider Man, to name
a few—as the icons. Hires more than 100 Los Angeles ex-gang kids from prison to
assist him in the studio.
1995 Published works for Martin Lawrence Limited Editions. Hand paints limited editions,
giving new meaning to hand-embellishment. Creates limited editions of Beethoven,
which sold out and Marilyn Monroe, breaking all sales records for a new artist. Creates
portraits of Muhammad Ali and John Travolta, who autographed their editions.
First artist to form a bridge between Marvel Comics (Spider Man) and DC Comics
(Superman.) Works with Stan Lee, who autographed the editions.
Starts the following programs:
• Works with Los Angeles “South Central” parole officers.
• Hires more than 200 kids from prison to work in the studio.
• Receives award from Los Angeles Mayor Riordan.
• Increases charity work to include 100 different charities.
1996 Contacts the Sinatra Family about painting Mr. Sinatra’s portrait. Campbell’s asks Steve
to paint a limited edition to mark Campbell’s Soup’s 100th Anniversary. Paints Ali’s face
on 500 boxing gloves, demonstrating that art doesn’t have to be on canvas. By now,
325 kids have worked for the Art Studio and 85% have gone on to a better way of life.
Paints two Harley-Davidson motorcycles: one a Campbell’s Soup theme and the other
a Cohiba Cigar theme. Later, the gas tank of the latter was hand-signed by Cuban leader
Fidel Castro. Creates Ali portrait for the 1996 Olympics. Ali signs the edition for the first
time with both his Muslim name, Muhammad Ali and his birth name, Cassius Clay.
1997-98 Tina Sinatra features Kaufman’s portraits of Frank Sinatra on Larry King’s CNN show.
Holds art shows in Japan and Amsterdam. Has boxing exhibition versus Don Diego,
a European boxing champion. After some minor controversy, Kaufman is awarded a
win. Paints a Harley-Davidson motorcycle for the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.
The bike is driven around Dodger Stadium before each game and televised to millions
of homes. By now, has hired 546 ex-gang kids and homeless. Supports more than 175
charities.
1999-2000 Has a cardiac episode and a motorcycle accident. Quoted afterwards:
“I’m truly blessed to be doing what I’ve always wanted — TO CREATE.
I have found a freedom that is hard to put into words. I always
wondered about my projects—which artists are working on what
and which directions should I take? I don’t even think of those
things now. I passionately go into my studio and ask myself:
What would I like to create today?”
Releases Sinatra’s Rat Pack and Mug Shot, Al Pacino as The Godfather and Scarface,
New York City’s radio shock jock icon Howard Stern, Barbie and two new Marilyn
Monroe editions. Releases Van Gogh and Picasso in a new style 100% hand-painted
edition, which gives new meaning to the hand-embellishment process.
2001 Continues to support more than 170 charities each year. Has hired 759 ex-gang kids
to date to work in the studio. Creates two new styles called “Portrait Collage” and
“Museum Art,” thus becoming his 14th and 15th distinct style, comparable in number
only to Picasso’s many different styles. “Portrait Collage” style is emphasized in his Rat
Pack, Hollywood Marilyn, Van Gogh and Jackie Kennedy by adding a collage of images
to the main portrait. “Museum Art” includes a September 11th Memorial Painting,
which was a tribute to the heroes of the World Trade Center attacks. Created a 20’ x
500’ series of paintings to commemorate the 35-year history of Caesar’s Palace. Both
hung at Caesar’s for all to enjoy. Created a 10’ Fender guitar for The Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.
2002 Donated Princess Diana portrait to Elton John AIDS Foundation. Starts new program
placing paintings of his icon images in public places around the country for all to
enjoy. Includes a Muhammad Ali in Brooklyn’s famous Gleason’s Boxing Gym, a Sinatra
portrait to Hofstra University, a Marilyn to the Foundation Fighting Blindness and
gifted a painting to David Letterman to inspire heart recovery. Exhibitions in New York,
Las Vegas and Maui.
2003 Suffers a major stroke following Art Expo, New York. Barely recovers to do exhibition
in Las Vegas hosted by Robin Leach. Honored by Mayor Oscar Goodman, officially
declaring May 21, 2003, Steve Kaufman Day in Las Vegas. Also honored by Nevada
Senator Ensign and Nevada Governor Guinn for his philanthropic donations over
the years. In December, meets President Clinton at his Office in Harlem for a holiday
party for artists whose art hangs in his private office collection. Donated art to and
participated in Love Ride with Jay Leno and Peter Fonda for the 10th straight year.
2004 Creates and releases President Clinton’s portrait. Donates many suites and all proceeds
from his sales to “Give Kids A Break.” Feeling ill again, curtails his painting and
exhibition schedule.
2005 Introduced “Uniques,” which are multiple originals of his most famous Icons: Marilyn,
The Rat Pack, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Einstein, etc. Exhibitions in New York, Las
Vegas, Philadelphia and Maui. Donates 100% of his proceeds from a $100,000 gallery
sale to “Give Kids A Break.” Pope John Paul II accepts painting of himself to hang in his
private office at The Vatican. Paints portraits of Lance Armstrong that are displayed in
galleries during Tour de France. Created painting and limited edition to raise money for
victims of Hurricane Katrina. Created paintings of Mercedes SLR McLaren to honor the
100th anniversary of Mercedes-Benz.
2006 Feeling healthier, drastically increases his exhibition schedule with New York, Las
Vegas, Washington, D.C., Vail, Beaver Creek, Aspen, Denver, Santa Fe, Rancho Mirage,
Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Key West and Maui. Introduces “Mini-Heart Paintings”
as gifts to all kids who attend his shows and free framed plates for all those who
purchase. Returns to creating one-of-a-kind originals to be sold exclusively at shows.
Goes to Ellis Island as guest of Lee Iacocca for New York Society Event. Meets Ernie
Anastos, creates his portrait and presents them on the set of Fox News, NY.
2007 Continues exhibition schedule with New York, Washington, D.C., Vail, Beaver Creek,
Aspen, Denver, Rancho Mirage, Maui, Toronto and Europe. Gives Free Peace Sign
paintings to all the kids who attend his shows and free sculptures to those who
purchase. Creates portraits for David Caruso of CSI: Miami fame, which he autographs
at the studio. Interviewed on TV in Denver, Aspen and Vail to discuss not only his art,
but more importantly, his philanthropy. Continues to sell out uniques of his most
famous icons including: The Rat Pack, Frank Sinatra, Las Vegas, Marilyn, The Beatles,
James Dean, Einstein, John Lennon and $100 Bills, to name a few. Continues to hire
more gang kids for the studio. This opportunity represents a second chance in life
for each of the kids, who now exceed 1,950 in number. Golden Boy Promotions
commissions paintings to commemorate the De La Hoya/Mayweather Championship
Fight.
2008 Eighth Annual Exhibition at Centaur Gallery in Las Vegas where art hangs next to
Neiman’s, Rockwell’s, Picasso’s, Chagall’s and Dali’s. Unveils and sells new stained glass
uniques of The Las Vegas Sign, Homage To Lichtenstein, and Homage to Picasso. Other
exhibitions include New York, Denver, Washington, D.C., Vail, Beaver Creek, La Jolla,
Laguna Beach and Newport Beach. NYC Art Expo. Las Vegas Visitor’s Bureau sets up a
display of Kaufman art seen by two million people a year. Caesars Palace asks Steve
to paint portraits of Cher, Bette Midler and Elton John. Steve unveils his stained
glass art at July 4th show in Las Vegas. Steve creates a new painting art style with
his Coca-Cola and Apple iPod campaigns. Xmas gifts to Steve Wynn, Cher, Bette
Midler, Elton John, Penn and Teller, Carrot Top, Blueman Group, Rita Rudner,
Wayne Brady, Xao Yang, Jamie Gold, Neil Diamond, Tom Jones, Mayor Oscar B.
Goodman of Las Vegas, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles, Mayor Michael
Bloomberg of New York City, Mayor Richard Daley of Chicago, thirty-seven world
leaders, Frank Langella, Sean Penn, Mickey Rourke, Kate Winslet, Meryl Streep, and
Anne Hathaway.
Jan 2009 Six-day art exhibit at Stanfield Gallery at Sundance where 100 kids help paint the
gallery floor with a pop art theme. 400 kids receive 8x8 paintings as free gifts. The
entire event is captured for an independent film for Sundance 2010.
Feb 2009 Exhibit for art gallery in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Dylan candy painting edition. For
the Academy Awards, Steve creates paintings based on the films The Curious Case
of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Milk, The Reader, and Slumdog Millionaire.
Second major stroke: I was seeing spots that day. I woke up in Las Vegas and,
being paralyzed, I couldn’t get into a wheel chair.
Mar 2009
As John Lennon said “I’m just watching the wheels turn.”
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