Louis Guarnaccia Art Work

Artist's Biography

Louis was born in Omaha, NE, in 1958. At the age of nine, he began painting in oil, and at the age of 14, he began studying painting, drawing, and art theory under Stanley Stephanowitz, and then under Frank Novak at the Norwich Art School and Slater Museum in Norwich, CT. He then studied under master artists Dean Keller, Ken Davies, and Rudolph Zallinger at the Paier College of Art in Hamden, CT.

After art school, Louis continued painting both landscapes and portraits, in addition to working as an illustrator, art director, and creative director at various advertising agencies in New England. He eventually established his own advertising agency and, in 1995, moved to Nantucket Island, MA. In 2000, he began painting full-time, focusing on both portrait commissions, New England landscapes and maritime painting.

Today, his work is exhibited at the Cavalier Galleries in both Nantucket, MA and Greenwich, CT, the Artist's Association of Nantucket, Nantucket, MA, Tilting at Windmills Gallery in Manchester Center, VT, The Sharon Arts Gallery in Peterborough, NH, The Page Waterman Gallery in Wellesley, MA, and the Salmagundi Club in New York.

Louis is also ranked as a fifth dan (degree) black belt in the martial art of Aikido, and a certified teacher. Since 1995 he has been the chief instructor and founder of the Aikido Association of Nantucket, MA, and he is also a Tai Chi Chuan and Chi Gong practitioner.

Artist Statement

Unlike most 9 year olds, I started painting in oil. It was an oil painting set given to me by my Grandmother.

As a classically trained representational artist, there is a strong attraction to nature and the effect of light that creates form, and feeling for me.

Through my studies of martial arts (Aikido and Tai Chi Chuan), I have discovered the law of opposites known as Yin and Yang that are present in every existence of life and vision. It is through these laws of nature that I try to capture a moment of beauty in a person, place or object. In my application of paint, I embrace the law of opposites, with textures, color harmonies and composition. To me, the finest artistic achievement that can be acquired is to communicate my feelings from the mind, through my heart, onto the canvas with the fewest metal filters as possible. After capturing my initial inspiration of what I am painting, I allow my painting to tell me what is it needs.

If a viewer connects with my work, as and artist, I have done my job.

•  Louis Guarnaccia Art Work