Filippo Quaretti

1.29.10 Artwork

Filippo Quaretti is an Italian artist who has been painting for over three decades The first of many life movements brought him to the United States. In New York City he attended Trinity School and then went on to Lake Forest College in Chicago Illinois. Graduate studies at New York University completed his formal education.

Filippo’s early paintings combined childhood memories of his Italian neighborhood and his love of De Chirico’s works. This period explored the particular importance of the intensity of light and the power of shadows.

With a move to the west coast, the rustic colors of the Malibu canyons and the moody blues of the Pacific Ocean became his dominant
inspiration. His beach scenes with the Southern California lifeguard towers became well known in the area. His work was shown in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Young Artists Program and is still prized in such prestigious personal collections as those of Ms. Annie Getty, Ms. Jean Huntington and Mr. Elliot Gould.

Filippo’s artistic explorations and personal study, eventually developed into an architectural style as he explored the use of “chiaroscuro”. During this time his subject matter was chosen and intentionally manipulated to explore that unique relationship. This style has been described as ‘shadowminimalism’.

With a move to the South of France came a lust for color, freedom of artistic expression and new visions. The colors of the wine, flowers, fruits and the red earth of Provence hat gave inspiration to the Fauvists were still alive and working their magic for Filippo. Exploring the village antique markets and ‘vide- greniers’ brought many surprise finds, hief among them Japanese prints and art pieces that touched Filippo’s inner need for organization and order.

Filippo’s work today blends these sentiments into a new vision, through a meticulous mosaic technique by extensive use of layered under-paintings juxtaposed against the intense color tones in the foreground. Color fragments in an abstract tapestry, which are as important as the subject.

“Cabanon” • 34X28 Framed Giclee on Canvas