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A Day In The Life
I read the news today oh boy
About a lucky man who made the grade
And though the news was rather sad
Well I just had to laugh
I saw the photograph.
He blew his mind out in a car
He didn't notice that the lights had changed
A crowd of people stood and stared
They'd seen his face before
Nobody was really sure
If he was from the House of Lords.
I saw a film today oh boy
The English Army had just won the war
A crowd of people turned away
but I just had to look
Having read the book.
I'd love to turn you on
Woke up, fell out of bed,
Dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup,
And looking up I noticed I was late.
Found my coat and grabbed my hat
Made the bus in seconds flat
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke,
Somebody spoke and I went into a dream
I read the news today oh boy
Four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire
And though the holes were rather small
They had to count them all
Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall.
I'd love to turn you on......
Tempesta D'Amore
Encounters
Tempesta D'Amore and Encounters were two pieces from my private collection which is, on an ongoing basis, featured on Saatchi Online Art, under Pietro Adamo, artist. The pieces in this collection have adorned the walls of our homes, and some still do. Our lifelong friend, Dawna would stare at two particular works which "spoke" to her, both on a professional and personal level. As a long time top realtor, it is easy to understand her interest in the moody,atmospheric "Encounters" which hints at possible chance meetings and relationships in the big modern metropolis of today. The colour, division of space and hint of what I like to refer as "Classic Italian Old Film Elongated Proportion" render this piece in a somewhat romantic light. That it should wind up in a dear friend's personal collection is deeply rewarding, especially since she virtually examined it whenever she visited our home- and she is a person who definitely knows what she wants. Again, I want to emphasize that I believe this choice was rooted in her intellectual (very) and professional side.
My instinct tells me that Tempesta D'Amore tugged at her heart strings. Her personal story contains more triumph over adversity that I am at liberty to discuss. I have no doubt that the sense of optimism that happens as a sudden storm passes, which is suggested in the piece, was a factor in her attraction to Tempesta. I know that the viewer may interpret the ascending forms as anything from horses to dragons but I assure you, there was no intent. My mood that day in the studio was relaxed, and yes, triumphant. I had finished an especially tedious commission successfully and felt I needed to move on. The evening prior I had watched documentaries on Goya, Velasquez, El Greco and the Golden Age of Spanish painting and I recalled my visits to the Prado and to Toledo.
There is no doubt I had a Goya moment in the emotionally charged Tempesta. Any person familiar with the wildly beautiful brush strokes of Goya can easily spot the influence, even if this work is pure abstraction. I needed a title- as I stared at the azure, cream, emerald and crimson- but nothing seemed to resonate. The phone rang. It was my elderly but still very relevant mother who informed me she had just watched a moving episode of her favourite current soap opera which was titled Tempesta D'Amore.
Encounters and Tempesta D'Amore are now in the private collection of D. Borg. I can sleep, knowing that two of my personal favourites are much loved.
Some Licks
Click image to enlarge
In the 46x56 mixed media piece "Some Licks", it is not hard to tell who the apples of his eyes are. They do comprise him, after all. In the crazy vibe of the sixties and seventies, all that seemed to matter outside of protest marches was the pursuit of love or perhaps to put it more succinctly- satisfaction. Yeah, we did it all, and it's all been done- but not like this.
Seems to me he got some.
"Some LIcks" by Adamo,
Available through Hazelton Galleries, Toronto, Miami.
Enjoy your summer!
Unbreakable
"Cie. Unbreakable" 2016, 56"x46" mixed media on wood panel. Collection of C. Sanita
I am happy to say that I have survived a rather tumultuous period in my life in matters of health-truly the one real matter of critical importance in life. We all pass through challenging phases and hopefully come out better, wiser, stronger. Sometimes our lives are in sync with those of our heroes, those whose lives seem to soar above the mere human condition, and those from whom we derive inspiration ( Courage...it couldn't come at a worse time).
We are reminded of their humanity. We are taught that it is how you deal with it that counts. You actually have no choice, do you? You are in the here and now, and you must deal with it.
During the past few months, a pressing commission for a dear friend, mentor and source of inspiration kept me distracted enough, engaged enough so as to make my health issues seem almost secondary. My trials appeared to become irrelevant when I thought of what she had been through in her life. An auto accident had claimed the life of a soul mate, and had left her for dead.
She survived-only to be told that she would never walk again. She was, literally and figuratively, in pieces.
Years passed, and she miraculously endured, and after walking again, and rebuilding her life as a successful designer, builder and business woman, a terrible illness took the life of a second soul mate.
She credits her family and friends for their support in keeping her focused and able to move forward again-but those who know her-they understand that her courage comes from deep within.
I grappled with the notion of an unconventional portrait. I toyed with the idea of a classical one. I felt I needed to tell her story in an instant, at a glance, in a flash. The type of life-changing instant that one cannot erase or alter. The haunting image of a flash whose blinding glare stays with you throughout time. I needed to seize the terrifying beauty of such a moment. The terrible truth, in all it's glory.
Her telling trademarks had to be present- the freedom wings, the hauntingly beautiful gaze, poise and defiance.
The name of her enterprise is Cie. Design and build is what Cie is concerned with. Cie is her vision. Defiant. Poised. Elegant. Unrelenting......... Unbreakable.
Home is where the heART is
Here are a few videos of Pietro Adamo describing his work during the Habitat for humanity Halton-Mississauga, fund raising event at Crescenthill Gallery this past Saturday.
-PietroAdamoGallery
Trionfo
What's in a name? What's in a title? If I wanted to write novels to accompany my paintings, then perhaps I should have chosen to write or to paint with words, as it were.
But there is something inherently dangerous about painting, especially abstract painting which distinguishes it from the process of creative writing. The very nature of painting without a preordained direction or intent leaves the artist and his audience vulnerable. It is a record of action. Sometimes it reveals subliminal thought through this record of action.
In the painting above, a 54x54 canvas (scale is important here) called "Trionfo", there was but one intention at the outset: to make a painting. That's it. Nothing more. That it tears a piece of my innermost conviction and hangs it out to dry is a by-product of the process of painting.
It's a chance one takes. And then you give it a title, if a title becomes apparent.
See what you will see. I can deny it all I want (after all, I am called Pietro), but there is no denying the art. It's all in there.
Enough said.
See what you will see.
Art Miami Wynwood show
Here's a couple of shots from a very successful show in Miami. Many thanks to Hazelton Galleries.
image courtesy of Hazelton Galleries
image courtesy of Hazelton Galleries
New works at Crescenthill Gallery
We're proud to present two new works by Pietro Adamo.
title: La Gran Vista
size: 36" x 60"
medium: acrylic and mixed media
title: Cinema Paradiso
size: 36" x 72"
medium: acrylic and mixed media
These pieces can be found at Crescenthill Gallery.
A very particular commission for a very particular lady. The most interesting commissions involve personal storylines, whether from the past, or the present. The models for these pieces represent a decade perhaps unique in outlook, as the economy seemed to know no limits, and events such as 9/11 were out in the distant future. The 80's were akin to the roaring 20's, seemingly indestructible, and carefree, if not outright careless. The soft tones, dominated by pinks, coral, grey and sea foam seemed to be everywhere. Ah, if only we could go back-just for a moment, to relive it! Don't be sad it's over- be glad it happened.
Tra Le Foglie
Title: Tra Le Fogliesize: 60" x 60" medium: acrylic and mixed media
A walk through the woods at this time of the year in Kleinburg can be inspiring as well as invigorating. Even on a gray day there is an astounding array of colour on the ground, among the leaves. This is the basis for the piece above. Enjoy the wonderful autumn as winter approaches.