Robert Padovano
Statement
I have always loved Impressionism.
Even as a child, I could recall stumbling onto a painting by Monet or Sisley in a book and noticing something about it that was very different than anything I’d seen before. The colors and images were very bold and beautiful, but somehow the fascination went beyond that. It would remind me of a moment or a time that I could recall feeling myself. This was magical to me. It would become a defining moment in my life, affecting the way I looked at art from then on. I knew I wanted to do this myself.
When I paint, my goal is to capture the atmosphere around a subject, not just the subject itself. Whether it is the color of the morning air, the look of the city after a heavy rain, or how the late afternoon sun can completely change the mood of a day, it is this that is most meaningful to me. I find it thrilling to be able to recreate that feeling in my own paintings. If I can make the viewer feel the same thing, then I feel I’ve accomplished what I set out to do. This is what
I want others to see in my work.
About Me
Having grown up in Brooklyn, the New York urban landscape provides constant inspiration for me. Much of my childhood was filled with memories of rooftop views of the city from the elevated trains, and sparkling panoramas of bridges lit up at night. I find these subjects lend themselves beautifully to Impressionistic interpretation and they frequently make their way into my paintings. The effect of changing light upon city streets and buildings is very compelling. This is especially true in “bad” weather, when the snow and rain transform them into something beautiful and mysterious. The light shimmering off a wet pavement or a snowstorm blanketing the city in pristine silence never fails to capture my imagination. These are favorite subjects to paint.
Bio
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, self-taught artist Robert Padovano is best known for his vibrant Impressionistic cityscapes of New York and its’ surrounding environment. His painting method incorporates both Impressionist and Pointillist techniques, often juxtaposing dabs of pure thick color side by side. When viewed at a distance, the eye mixes these colors to give a luminescent quality to light and shadows.
Robert’s paintings are part of many private and international collections. He has exhibited at The Staten Island Museum, The John A. Noble Maritime Museum, The Newhouse Gallery of Contemporary Art, The E. Mayan Studio in New York City, Union Gallery in Lambertville, New Jersey, National Lighthouse Museum, and many others. His work has been included in juried shows at The Salmagundi Club in New York and the American Artists Professional League, and also featured on cable television artists spotlights. He has also done public murals for PS 41 in New Dorp, and for the SI Arts Culture Lounge at the SI Ferry Terminal, and has been part of the “Sing for Hope” Pop-up Piano project for the last 9 years. Robert attended Brooklyn College and studied design at The School of Visual Arts in New York City.
He is also an award-winning graphic artist, and has received numerous national and international design awards from Print Magazine, Graphis, Creativity Annual, and American Corporate Identity, among many others.
Selected Shows and Exhibitions
NATIONAL JURIED SHOWS
Salmagundi Club
2024 Annual Juried Painting and Sculpture Exhibition
New York, NY
2022 Annual Juried Painting and Sculpture Exhibition
New York, NY
2010 Annual Juried Painting and Sculpture Exhibition
New York, NY
American Artists Professional League
90th Grand National Exhibition
2018 New York, NY
84nd Grand National Exhibition
2012 New York, NY
83nd Grand National Exhibition
2011 New York, NY
82nd Grand National Exhibition
2010 New York, NY
SOLO SHOWS
The Sea, the City, and the Golden Hour
Impressionist Maritime and Urban Landscapes by Robert Padovano, 2024
The Noble Maritime Collection
Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island, NY
Hometown Impressions, June 2022
Maizel Restaurant, Staten Islamd, NY
City Impressions, One Man Show, 2020
JCC of Staten Island, Staten Island, NY
One Man Show, Gallery Space at Rahway,
New Jersey 2019
Artists Guild Gallery of Vero Beach, Florida
One Man Show, Guest Artist, 2017
Close to Home, 2013
One Man Show, Pepperjack Grill Gallery
March, 2013, Staten Island, NY
Lattanzi Ristorante, Fall 2009
One Man Show, New York City
The New York Urban Landscape, Fall 2007
E. Mayan Studio, New York, NY
The Subway Art of Robert Padovano, Fall 2004
Bendix Diner, New York, NY
The Subway Art of Robert Padovano, Fall 2003
FoodWorks Cafe, New York, NY
NEW YORK CITY AREA AND OUT OF STATE SHOWS
One Night of Art II, 2019
St. George Theater, Staten Island, NY
Water and Light, 2016
National Lighthouse Museum Staten Island, NY
Robbins Reef Lighthouse: A Home in the Harbor
2015 - Ongoing
Part of Permanent Collection
John Noble Maritime Collection
Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island, NY
One Night of Art, 2016
St. George Theater, Staten Island, NY
Fluid, 2014
Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art
Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island, NY
Pages
SICC Juried Show, 139 Bay Street Gallery St. George, Staten Island, NY
Sing for Hope Pop-up Piano Project, 2011-19
Sing for Hope New York, NY
Union Gallery, 2013
Lambertville, New Jersey
John Noble Maritime Collection Annual Auction
Nov., 2012, 2014, Staten Island, NY
John Noble Maritime Collection Annual Auction
Nov., 2011 - Highest bid painting Staten Island, NY
Curate NYC, Dec. 2011
Art@Bay
Staten Island, New York
Nostalgia, Fall 2010
Gallery 364 Brooklyn, New York
Art at Bay, Summer 2010
Staten Island Creative Community St. George,
Staten Island, NY
Metamorphosis, June 2010
National Lighthouse Museum
Staten Island Creative Community
St. George, Staten Island, NY
Art by the Ferry, June 2010 - 19
Staten Island Creative Community St. George,
Staten Island, NY
Spring Awakenings, Spring 2010
West Brighton Red Carpet Gallery Staten Island, NY
The Gallery, Jan., 2010
CTV, Staten Island Community Television
Staten Island, NY
Art at Bay, December, 2009
Staten Island Creative Community St. George,
Staten Island, NY
Red Carpet Gallery Juried Works Holiday Show
Fall 2009
Staten Island, NY
HUGEunHUGE Juried Small-Works Exhibition,
Fall 2009
Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art
Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island, NY
Selected Works, Fall 2008
SHOW Gallery Staten Island, NY
Staten Island Museum Fence Show, Fall 2006-2024
Staten Island Museum, Snug Harbor Cultural Center
Staten Island, NY
Bay Ridge Festival of the Arts,
Fall 1999 Brooklyn, NY
Art From the Heart, Fall 1998
Ward Nasse Gallery, New York, NY
Hammerquist Gallery Group Show, Fall 1997
New York, NY
BCAT Television Appearance, Fall 1996
Brooklyn, NY
Narrows Botanical Garden Art Show, Fall 1996
Brooklyn, NY
