“It’s a New Day”

Show dates: September 17 – October 13

Artist Reception: Saturday, September 21, 4-8 p.m.

From September 17 through October 13, Chroma Fine Art Gallery will devote the whole space to a solo show of new work by painter Vincent Baldassano. The opening reception will be held on September 21 from 4 – 8 p.m., and is scheduled to coincide with the Katonah Art Walk.

“His work is absolutely stunning,” says curator Rita Baunok who has included Baldassano’s paintings in several exhibitions at Chroma. “One notable difference from last time we showed him, is that these new pieces feature the most incredible shades of blue.” That is an understatement; it is hard to verbally describe Baldassano’s blue tones that range from crisp azure to magical sapphire, from dazzling cerulean to delicate cornflower. Using forms and textures that evoke mosaics, stained glass windows, and ancient temples, there is a mystical quality to the subject matter on display. Baldassano also references terrestrial, organic forms like leaves, rosettes, stones, trees, and grottos to create a satisfying tension between the physical and metaphysical realms. He relies on a range of materials – encaustic, oil, acrylic, and collage – to create the unique surface qualities of his compositions.

Vincent Baldassano has been painting, teaching, and contributing to regional arts organizations for over four decades. He is a recipient of numerous painting grants, residencies, and fellowships, including NYSCA, CAPS Grants, and SUNY Painting Fellowships. He has been a Visiting Artist at the American Academy in Rome, the Vermont Studio Center and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. As a testament to his longtime contributions to the art world, Baldassano was included in a recent show at NYC’s Eric Firestone Gallery that celebrated seminal artists working in downtown Manhattan during the “pluralist” period of the 1960-80s. Come to Chroma to see the latest pieces by this artistic legend.