Robert Venosa

Robert Venosa (January 21, 1936 - August 9, 2011) was an American artist who resided in Boulder, Colorado, USA. He studied with what are termed the New Masters. His artworks reside in collections around the world.He first studied under Mati Klarwein in New York. Venosa then went on to study with Ernst Fuchs in Vienna. In the early 1970s he moved to Cadaques, Spain. Here he met and befriended Salvador Dalí. He later introduced H. R. Giger to Dalí.Venosa traveled the globe with his partner Martina Hoffmann, teaching their painting technique. The technique is a derivative of what Venosa learned from his teachers. His technique differs in the material used for the underpainting (caesin versus egg tempera) but largely follows the same processes.

His death on August 9, 2011 was the end of an eight-year battle with cancer.Wikipedia

"New York City born, Venosa was transported into the world of fine art in the late 60's after having experimented with psychedelics and having seen the work of the Fantastic Realists - Ernst Fuchs and Mati Klarwein in particular - both of whom he eventually met and studied under. Of his apprenticeship with Klarwein, Venosa says, "What a time (Autumn, 1970) that turned out to be! Not only did I get started in proper technique, but at various times I had Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, Jackie Kennedy and the good doctor Tim Leary himself peering over my shoulder to see what I was up to.

That loft was the energy center in New York, and I reveled in it. And somehow,miraculously, in the midst of all the nonstop pandemonium taking place everyday I learned to lay the paint down properly. Even though it was ever putto the test , discipline was one of the more important necessities thatMati emphasized and - through his own adherence - strongly impressed onme: I could only join in the festivities after my work was done and allbrushes were washed. Mati taught well the techniques of painting and, evenmore relevant, of quality living. I'm honored to have been one of the fortunatefew to have studied with him."

Venosa moved to Europe in the early 70's settling in the celebrated Mediterraneanvillage of Cadaques in Spain, where he enjoyed the honorable and mightypleasure of getting to know and hang with neighbor Salvador Dali, as wellas the numerous notables in the world of art and literature who gravitatedto that magic locale. Much of Venosa's work and attendant exploits havebeen published in his book, Noospheres (Pomegranate Artbooks). In it Venosatalks of the attitudinal complications of his returning to the U.S. afteryears of living in Europe: "In 1982 - due to a number of commissions,commercial allurements and a burgeoning recognition of my work affordedthrough extensive exposure in OMNI magazine and on record album covers -I started traveling to the U.S., dividing my time there between New Yorkand Boulder, Colorado.Enjoying the clear, clean mountainair and relatively sane consciousness of its populace,

The admiration and aristocratic respect given the artist in Europe is strippedclean upon arrival in the U.S. as these architects of culture are transmogrifiedinto novelty items and entertaining curiosities. The centuries-old traditionof dedication and perfection while working in the solitude of a tranquilstudio at the limited speed allowed by brush and paint is left at the gatesof the rapid-fire, nonstop, instant-sensual-gratification American sitcomculture. Trying to compete in the fast lane of the high-velocity illusionsand banal delusions of movies and TV poses a problem for the painter andhis two-dimensional immobile images. Nevertheless, the challenge, then asnow, of affecting the consciousness with more eternal value cannot be denied,and so, combining the historical deep roots of European culture with thedynamic of America's youthful energy, an attempt is constantly made"...(www.venosa.com/bio.html )