Frank DePietro

My work, in many regards, is conceptually similar to traditional landscape and plein air paintings. It’s a portrayal of life through the natural world, an attempt to capture time through the changes of light and color at a specific moment. I work from photographs that I take in nature, but prefer working in the controlled environment of a studio, where I can spend longer periods of time with my subject and contemplate its relationship to formal elements of painting. Initially, I am looking for impactful compositions and the unique individuality of the plant life that creates the sense of wholeness in an image. The image is transformed and simplified with considerations for shape, line, form, texture, space, tone, and color during the painting process. There is an emphasis placed on how the photographic information translates to a newly created object and the exploration of the seemingly endless possibilities of variation from piece to piece within a series. The process becomes a dialogue between the organic sensibility of the subject and the slow creative process of oil painting. I portray it representationally in a manner true to its existence, mindful of inherent meaning and symbolism, while isolating it in a visual space. The approach results in these moments in nature being treated as still-life. They are intended to display a quiet, meditative quality. A contemplation of our connection to an ephemeral presence as it relates to the emotional and intellectual bonds we share with it. My overall intention is to capture a moment of existence within the cyclical aspects of life. Colors blend into one another with paint replicating natural processes of formation and decay, creating permanence as a tangible object.

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Frank DePietro was born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and his interest in art piqued during childhood. Frank earned a BFA from Bloomsburg University in 1997 with a focus 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 while painting and teaching at several museums, art centers, and schools in the region. During this time, Frank earned accolades for his work in painting and teaching. In 2010, he relocated with his family and took residence at the world-renowned Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA, where he 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 to 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 work is part of the permanent collection of the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the Sage Corporation, several national hospitals and health care facilities. Frank currently has paintings on loan to the U.S. Embassy in Belize.