My work is derived from experiences making traditional landscape and plein air paintings. Conceptually similar, it is an attempt to capture time, through the changes of light and color displayed in the natural world. I find that I prefer to working in the controlled environment of a studio, where I can spend long periods of unlimited time with my subject matter, contemplating relationship of nature to the formal elements of painting. I begin my process with a photographic search for visually impactful compositions that reveal and document a specific time and place. The images I collect are transformed and simplified with considerations of shape, line, form texture, space, tone and color. One of my main concerns, is how the information translates to a new object of the painting being created and exploring the seemingly endless possibility of variation. The process becomes a dialogue between organic sensibility of the images and the slow creative process of oil painting. The subjects are portrayed representationally in a manner true to their existence, selected based on these visual considerations along with their inherent meaning and symbolism. In a sense, nature is treated as a still-life in my work. The paintings display a quiet, meditative quality. They are a contemplation of our connection to an ephemeral presence, changing notions of nature, as well as the emotional and intellectual bonds we cast upon it. My intention is to capture a moment of existence within the cyclical element of life, blending colors into one another with paint, replicating the natural process of pigment moving in plants and trees during formation through decay. I want to give permanence to these moments.
About the Artist
Frank DePietro was born and raised in Scranton, PA. He graduated from Bloomsburg University in 1997 with a Bachelor of Art Degree, focusing in Painting, Drawing, and Ceramics while minoring in Art History. In 2000, he earned a post-baccalaureate degree in Art Education from Moore College of Art and Design. Frank continued to live and work in Philadelphia for several years, continuing to paint while teaching at several museums, art centers, and schools in the region. During this time, Frank collected several accolades for his work, both in painting and teaching. In 2010, he relocated with his family and took residence at the world-renowned Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA. Frank lived on the property of the gardens until 2021. The submergence into this surrounding nature quickly became the primary source of inspiration for his painting and continues to be the subject of much of his work today. Frank currently resides in Landenberg, PA, teaching classes and workshops at Longwood Gardens, The Delaware Art Museum, and The Center for Creative Arts. He is represented by several galleries and exhibits regularly around the country. Franks paintings are collected publicly and privately throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. His works are part of the permanent collection of the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the Sage Corporation and numerous hospitals and health care facilities nationally. Frank recently participated in an exhibit with the U.S. Art in Embassy program in Belmopan, Belize.
