Antonino Sannino

Antonio Sannino was born in Naples on the 22nd of December 1959, in the city center to a modest family, hi father being an ebony worker and his mother a dress-maker. His exceptional drawing skills were evident from an early age. His favorite presents being colored crayons, pastels and colors.

He discovered his passion for painting when, at the age of ten, he would spend hours and hours admiring an elderly artist who used to go and paint in his father's townhouse, a historical building dating from the fifteen hundreds. This elderly painter frequently painted the portal, the internal facade and the courtyard surrounded by beautiful and picturesque arches.

The young Sannino was forever asking his advice on how to start painting a picture, the impasto and the use of colors. The answers, patiently given, were prices and complete, but when young Antonio tried to put them into practice he did not meet with much success, having no technique and being so young and unskilled. In any case he never gave up, every time he made a mistake he would try and try again tirelessly, almost beyond endurance. He did not realize that he had within himself a whole world just waiting to be discovered and explored.

At the age of fourteen he met an artist who allowed him to use his studio and he started to paint on canvas, with oil colors. This experience continued for quite some time but his unquenchable thirst for knowledge forced his continual and always deeper research. He visited museums, art exhibitors and bought books on art.

Consumed by enthusiasm he started to study and copy the great masters of the 18th and 19th century to try to thoroughly understand their painting techniques. He sold his first pictures to important art dealers. In 1986 he married Carmela, precious and tireless partner who shared his ideas and choices. He moved to England where he lived for 10 years. He soon became recognized as a talented landscape artist. His palette is much appreciated for his special and prevailing use of blue, purple and the endless range of greens. Thus he started his artistic career working also for Italian art dealers.

In the United Kingdom he participated in important one-man exhibitions with the support of well-knows London, Welsh and Scottish galleries. In 1998 and finally back in Italy, the president of the "Atelier Internazionale d' Arte" contacted him and gave him the opportunity of showing his works in the U.S.A., Japan, France, German and Russian.

Sannino's paintings can be found in important collection in Italy and abroad. The way to become and artist is hard, but Sannino has no fear of sacrifice for art's sake and perseveres along the road of knowledge of this mysterious and fascinating "business of painting".

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Exhibits

1978 - Personale, Napoli
1979 - English Art Prize, Londra
1982 - Med. d'oro al Premio Valle Giulia, Roma
1985 - La Lanterna (II class.), Genova
1987 - Art. Classica Collettiva, Napoli