We Are All Surfers...I Catalog...

Michael Torquato DeNicola

ROLLING WAVES TO ROLLING TRAINS
December 4-16, 2016

B&B&CO Gallery
516 E. 4th St
Los Angeles, CA 90013

We Are All Surfers...I Catalog

by Sandra Vista

"We are all surfers.  We are all riding waves in our lifetime...". DeNicola's current solo exhibition at B&B&CO Gallery in downtown Los Angeles, consists of his emotionally and physically charged paintings and mixed-media pieces.  As a "down to the soul" surfer, his art work captures his perpetual mission of being in flow with nature.  DeNicola's creative enthusiasm unfurls in the entry of the gallery with his "I am Torquato" character icon. He created this character about twelve years ago and is designed to encourage the artist and his viewers with life's challenges.  The "superhero" serves as an inner voice of love and support.

DeNicola describes his paintings as "cataloging highlights" of his personal experiences.  The acts of painting and surfing are metaphors for each other.  It can be considered an exaltation to live embraced by the elements and principles of design.  Line, pattern, repetition, movement, are terms DeNicola uses to interpret both vocations of art and surfing.  His recent relocation from the beach-Pacific Palisades to downtown Los Angeles has given his paintings an ephemeral quality.  As in some of their predecessors, the current paintings are not contained in resin. Flashes of fluorescent brushstrokes sensation DeNicola's immediacy in a new environment.  

Torquato, Amore

A Season At The Sea, Perspective (40"x30" , mm, paper, resin on canvas)

Shark Fin Grin