iCraft Current Blog by Lyra Pappin

Barack Obama describes himself as a "down-to-earth guy", but how many down-to-earth guys can say that they've inspired a fashion collection?

Donatella Versace has made her vote, on the runway, at least. Calling Barack Obama the “man of the moment”, her latest 2009 collection in Milan is inspired by the charismatic politician. Her collection style she said was designed for "a... Read more

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This is the thesis behind Peter Goddard’s criticism of the new exhibit on at Canada’s National Gallery in Ottawa called "The 1930s: The Making of The New Man" regarding the 1930s and Nazism.

"Unfortunately, the exhibition's desire at the very start to encompass the scientific/biological underpinnings of Nazism, Italian Fascism and Stalinism in the Soviet Union turns its opening... Read more

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Alex Mota, Brazilian born, and American wife, Michelle Mortland, made their dreams come true with the recent opening of their new store in Carver, MA, called "Designing Treasures" - an artisans’ co-op showcasing some of their favorite crafters from across the state.

With plans to continue supporting the local craft scene, the designing duo happily mix business with pleasure.

Read full... Read more

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After the passing of French fashion designer Yves St. Laurent, many items will be auctioned off at Christie’s, including designer's clothing and jewelry representing nearly every decade of his career.

I saw some of the items, and you know what? Something tells me there’s potential for this kid! :)

Read full story: Yves Saint Laurent fashion to be auctioned off
Photo credit:... Read more

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Robbers armed with more than artistic appreciation stole two Pablo Picasso prints "The Painter and the Model" (1963) and "Minotaur, Drinker and Women" (1933) and other Brazilian art from Sao Paolo’s Pinacoteca Museum recently.

The art is worth a combined 1 million Brazilian reals ($612,000).

The security guard and diehard fan of Picasso would have seen them, but he recently had... Read more

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The author of a new book, "Dali and I: The Surreal Story", claims that many of Dali’s current work on display are actually fakes . According to Stan Lauryssens, in his later years, the painter authorized assistants to produce thousands of forgeries in his name, in order to fund his lavish lifestyle.

Apparantly, Lauryssens himself has courted controversy in the past: he claims to have penned... Read more

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Art stolen from British Columbia’s UBC Museum of Anthropology has been recovered, but the culprits may still be at large. Although three people were arrested, they were also released.

In total, 12 Bill Reid pieces were stolen during the overnight break-in, as well as three Mexican pieces of art. Most pieces were made of gold. Police say the Mexican art pieces were disassembled sometime during or after... Read more

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Facebook hasn’t just inspired millions of pre-teens and procrastinators, it’s even managed to stir up artistic drive!

A New York based artist Paul Campbell looks at why and how profile pictures are chosen and displays his work in Yorkville, Toronto.

"They're essentially self-portraits that I project, and the projection itself distorts them, but it turns them into this painted object... Read more

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Handmade carpets are an enduring craft in the middle east. In Turkmenistan, carpet weaving is a matter of national pride, and has been accorded the rank of high art.

So it's no surprise to anyone that a large exhibition has been kicked off in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan to coincide with Turkmen Carpet Day . No dirty jokes, please! :)

Read full story: Carpet exhibition opens in Ashgabat
Photo... Read more

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Fed up with high gas prices and looking to send a message, local artist Jennifer Marsh decided to make a statement that encouraged other artists to follow suit.

She has wrapped an empty gas station at the corner of Nottingham Rd. and East Colvin St. in Syracuse, New York. Interestingly, she has received fabric pieces from all over the world for the wrapping. Many people were using recycled materials.... Read more

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