At 75, Sal vigorously continues to paint. He has worked as a fine and commercial artist since his graduation from Pratt Institute in 1955. After his retirement from commercial art in 1991 his time has been solely devoted to fine arts painting in oils.
Sal does much of his work in pleine air. The locations he is most drawn to are rural New Jersey and Pennsylvania, New Orleans, Italy, Sicily and Maine.
For pleine air painting – Deer Isle, Maine on the Penobscot Bay, has all that one could wish for – rocky shores, high cliffs, acres of evergreen woods, and grass up to the water’s edge. From wherever you stand there is a 360 degree vista of sea, islands or sunsets to capture. While on Deer Isle, Sal is inspired to keep a 7-day work week regimen – using the sunrise as his wake-up call. Deer Isle is truly one of nature’s greatest gifts.
When not painting on location, Sal continues to produce his figurative art and portraiture in his studio in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
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Message from Sal
The question I'm most asked is 'When did you first begin to draw and paint?". My answer always takes me back to kindergarten in 1938 just as lovely Miss Olson came over to my desk to check out my artwork, and remarked that it was "very good". Even then, already the cynic, I said to myself - sure, that's what she tells all the kids. But she surprised me by asking me to go over and help a fellow student Raymond. This was something I couldn't get around, I guess she really did see something there and I decided I had better listen to her.
As far back as I can remember I have always thought in pictures. So from the first time I picked up a 'drawing stick', I began to observe and tell it all, from beauty to horror, tenderness to disdain, life in all its' glory, and ultimately to death in its' finality. From a trip to the store for a loaf of bread, to a journey on a spit of land on the coast of Maine, with its rocky shores and determined denizens. To Florence, Italy the birthplace of modern commerce and home of Da Vinci and the Renaissance. Then to Sicily and its unexpectedly enlightened paisons and the islands soft tropical November winds as they come off Africa gently rustling the large banana leaves on the heavy shutters of my stone villa, lulling me to sleep. To California and its rugged high shoreline and avant garde estates and to sadly impacted N'Orleans and its deep culture of cuisine and wholly American music. Then finally to my studio where I stand before my bare canvass and observe all of this through my art.
So as I wander out to capture some as-yet-undiscovered scene I muse as to what undiscovered trivia I will create by setting out my easel today? Trivia yes, in its true latin definition, where "three paths" will come together where life and art will join, and this joining will be the fuel for the flame of my art.
Thanks for listening, Sal
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Paintings & Commission – Major Works
Royale Gallery, New Orleans – a series of paintings of street hustlers, musicians and a French Quarter background, 1990 – 1991
“Further Mo’” – Broadway Show, numerous pieces of jazz performers and musicians, 1990/91, 2003, by permission of author, Vernel Bagneris
The Dream – Winston Churchill in his painting studio, circa 1947, painted for the Churchville Society, London, England, 1986. On permanent display at Blenheim Castle, Oxford, England, home of the Duke of Marlboro
“The Wiz” – Broadway show, numerous fantasy pieces of performers, by permission of Ken Harper, producer, 1978
Space Paintings, Geostar Corporation, Washington, DC, two murals for entrance lobby in acrylic on canvas, 1987
40 Years of the U.S. Air Force, presented to the Secretary of the U.S. Air Force, and placed in permanent collection at the Pentagon, 1988
The Berlin Air Lift, presented to the City of Berlin, Germany, Mayor’s
Chambers, 1989 – also used for cover of book, The Berlin Candy Bomber by Col. Gail S. Halvorsen, Ret.
Georges Head Island – Henry Cabot Lodge, II, 2003
Brendan Byrne, Former Governor, State of New Jersey, portrait for his collection, 1985
Maine Seascape – Julia Child, 2001
Portrait in Red, oil on canvas, Mrs. Gloria Horner, Littleton, CO, 2004
Cindy the Dog, Brady & Sinclair, Bensalem, PA, 1995
Three Jazz Paintings, R. Flagler, Esq., Trevose, PA, 1994
First Moon Landing, Houston Space Center, Houston, TX
Others on Request
Media
Ten line illustrations, for traveling show, Becton Dickenson Pharmaceuticals, East Rutherford, NJ
The Silver Bullet of Dr. Ehrlich, History of Medicine Series,
American Hoechst, Pharmaceutical, Bridgewater, NJ
Oil on canvas ala prima, oil glazing and acrylic on board, watercolor and pastels
Courtroom artist, CBS TV Network
Cricket Magazine, Caris Publications, Chicago, IL, numerous story illustrations for several issues over a 15-year period
Juried Shows & Exhibits
Art Times Magazine, NYC, Annual Show
Clinton Mill Annual Show – judged and juried by George Seigal
Deer Isle Gallery, Maine, Summer Show, since 1991
"Ebony & Ivory", Hopewell, NJ, One Man Show, 1992
Heritage Gallery, Philadelphia, PA, 1994
Jane Anthony Gallery, State Street, Newtown, PA
Mercer County Community Annual Faculty Show
Phillips Mill Annual Juried Show, 1995-1997
Princeton Art Association Annual Show
Royale Gallery, New Orleans, LA
Woodmere Museum – Annual Member Show
Chestnut Hill Business ASC, Annual Show, 1996, 1998
Michelyn Galleries, Doylestown and New Hope, PA
Imaculata Annual Show, 2002, 2003
Nova Annual Show, Doylestown, 2004, 2005
Philadelphia Sketch Club, 2003
Education
Pratt Institute, NYC, Bachelor of Fine Arts – Major, Painting Illustration
Teaching
Assistant Professor, Mercer County Community College, 11 years,
Art Department
Guest Lecturer, History of Art, Mercer County Community College,
Art Instructor, Several Private Groups in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maine
Awards
1995 – Doylestown Art League – First Place Oils – First Place Mixed Media
1995 – Burlington City Historical Society Show – Best of Show
1995 – Burlington City Historical Society Show – First Place
1996, 1997, 1998 – Gallery in the Park – Annual Show – Best in Show 1996, 1st Place 1997, and 2nd Place 1998
1998 – Gronendahl Annual Show – 1st Place Oils
1999 – Juried Members Show Doylestown Art League – 1st Place Oils
1997, 1998, 1999 – Juried Exhibitor in Annual Yellow Springs Show –
Chester Springs, PA
2005 – Nova Annual Show (Network of Victim Assistance) – 2nd Place
Personal Data
Painting like mad, married, alive and well, four grown children and four beautiful grandchildren
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