Ladies Painted, the New York Exhibition of fashion icon Michael Vollbracht at Wally Findlay Gallery

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) August 26, 2008 -- Wally Findlay Galleries is pleased to present Ladies Painted, the Premiere Exhibition of artist Michael Vollbracht at its New York Gallery, located at 124 E. 57th Street on September 17, 2008.

An accomplished artist, with paintings in many notable public and private collections, a distinguished fashion designer (Geoffrey Beene, Donald Brooks, Henri Bendel, Bill Blass), published author and an international illustrator, Vollbracht is a modern day Renaissance man. The exhibition, “Ladies Painted” illustrates Michael’s ability to convey the exotic and mysterious with charm and wit. Michael’s paintings draw upon his diverse background in fashion design and illustration, revealing a masterful use of the palette knife to explore the human figure with eloquence and an eye for the irreverent.

Michael Vollbracht began his career in 1965 at the Parsons School of Design in New York City. In 1969, Geoffrey Beene selected Michael to become a member of his design team and in 1971; Donald Brooks hired him to work under his label as the designer for Boutique Donald Brooks. Afterwards, Michael joined Henri Bendel in 1973 as their in-house illustrator. In 1975, Vollbracht began illustrating Bloomingdale's store advertisements and their now iconic shopping bag. It bore his sketch and name- but not the stores name- it made him a sensation. In 1979, Vollbracht launched the Michael Vollbracht Collection, which was known for its bold shapes and graphic prints, which sold at boutiques and major department stores including Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, and Neiman Marcus. In 1980, after just one year of business, Vollbracht received the prestigious Coty American Fashion Critics Award: Designer of the Year.

In 1985, Vollbracht wrote, illustrated, and published, Nothing Sacred (now a collector’s item and in its second printing) a visual diary of his 25 years in New York City and the glamorous personalities he interacted with from the worlds of fashion, stage, and screen. In that same year, he closed the doors of his business to concentrate on his art. Vollbracht was selected in 1989 by The New Yorker as one of its top illustrators, producing collages and drawings for the magazine for over half a decade. In Women’s Wear Daily’s “Millennium Issue,” Vollbracht was called one of the top illustrators in the last half-century.

Michael Vollbracht’s work has been displayed in museums across the country including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and The Smithsonian Institution. His illustrations are internationally known and his artwork is included in many private collections, among them former President Gerald Ford, Diane von Furstenberg, Elizabeth Taylor, and Paloma Picasso.

The Wally Findlay Galleries exhibition, Ladies Painted will run through the month of October, 2008, with a private reception opening, Wednesday, September 17 th 2008.

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