©2022 Francesco Agresti. All rights reserved.
2017-present Gallery Vibe, Naples, Florida
2014-2017 Gallery Du Soleil, Naples, Florida
2011-2014 Gallery Z, Providence, Rhode Island
2007-2010 Frary Gallery, Sarasota, Florida
2006 Aaron Gallery, Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.
2006 Marziart, Hamburg, Germany
2006 Tamarack Galleries, Naples, Florida
2005-2006 Collectors Wall, Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch, Florida
2006 Abbacino Galleria, Venice, Florida
2005 Art Institute and Gallery of Salisbury Maryland
14th Annual National Juried Show, Juror – Stephen Haller of Stephen Haller Gallery
2005 Art Center Sarasota, Annual Exhibition, Sarasota, Florida
2005 Galerie frei Raum, Werke auf Papier “Zwischen Zwei Welten”
August 10, 2005 – September 17, 2005, Lohfelden, Kassel, Germany,
2005 Rathausfoyer Lohfelden, Werke auf Papier, “Roma – New York Connection”
One person show, March 23, 2005 – May 4, 2005, Kassel, Germany
2003 Southeastern Center For Contemporary Art, Drawings and Sketches
Community Exhibit Gallery, Winston-Salem, NC
2003 Sawtooth Center Associated Artists Gallery, Exhibiting Member Show, Winston-Salem NC
2002 Diggs Gallery, Winston-Salem State University, Fine Arts Faculty, Belinda Tate, Curator
2001-2002 Waterworks Visual Arts Center, 11th Annual Regional Exhibition
The Work of NC Artists, Salisbury, NC
2001 University of Northern Iowa Gallery of Art, “A Question of Faith”
The College of Education of the University of Northern Iowa
Juror – Eleanor Heartney
2001 AAWS Gallery, “Sense of Place”, Sawtooth Visual Arts Center, Winston-Salem, NC
2001 AAWS & Milton Rhodes Galleries, “Expressions of Light”, Winston-Salem, NC
2001 Morris Brown College, Atlanta, Georgia
1999-2001 North Carolina A&T State University, Faculty
2001 Arts Council of Winston-Salem, Mayor’s Office, City Hall
2000 R. J. Reynolds Gallery, “Transcending Space & Time”, Associated Artists of Winston-Salem
2000 Rhodes Gallery, “Personalities”, Associated Artists of NC
2000 Edward Waters College, Jacksonville, FL
2000 “Dimensions 2000”, “The Art of the New Millennium”, Juror – Nancy Dahlstrom
35th Annual National Juried Art Competition, Winston-Salem, NC
1999-2000 YWCA “Grids, Gates, Venus”, 20 Years Retrospective, Winston-Salem, NC
1999 XI Edizione Del Porticato Gaetano, Gaeta, Italy
1999 Piedmont Club, Winston-Salem, NC
1999 Atrium II Gallery, Portsmouth, VA
1999 H.C. Taylor Gallery, Faculty Show
1998 Rhodes Gallery, Sawtooth Visual Arts Center Faculty Show, Winston-Salem, NC
1998 J. Paul Sticht Center, Bowman Gray School, One Person Show, Winston-Salem, NC
1998 Arts Council Boardroom Group Show, Winston-Salem, NC
1997-1998 Babcock International Center, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC
1997 United Way Arts Show, Winston-Salem, NC
1997 RJR Gallery, Sawtooth Visual Arts Center, Winston-Salem, NC
1997 Yonkers Educational Center, (One Person), Yonkers, NY, Frank Dituri, Curator
1993 Decimo Porticato Gaetano, Castello Angioino, Gaeta, Italy
1993 Assessorato Alla Cultura Comune Di Lenola, Lenola, Italy
1991 Gallery Sterling Europea, Fondi, Italy
1991 Chiostro di San Francesco, including work by Salvador Dali, Fondi, Italy
1991 West Room Gallery, “Maltempo”, (One Person), Yonkers, NY, Frank Dituri, Curator
1991 Galleria Punto Arte, (Group), Fondi, Italy
1991 Assessorato Alla Cultura, Comune di Pescara, Italy
1990-1991 Sterling Europea, Fondi, Italy
1991-1993 Galleria Punto Arte, Fondi, Italy
1988-1993 Markel/Sears Fine Arts, Inc., Soho, New York, NY
1986-1987 The Kathryn Markel Gallery, 57th & Madison Ave., New York, NY
1981 Bronx Museum of the Arts, “Emerging Artists”, Bronx, NY
1979 MoMA PS1, Queens, New York City, NY
1979 Lehman Gallery, “14 Painters”, City University of New York, NY
1978 H. H. Lehman Gallery, Agresti- Bellinger, City University Of New York, NY
2005 – Present Full time painter and Teaching at Venice Art Center
2002- 2004 Guilford Technical Community College, Jamestown NC Faculty Full Time Associate Professor of Art Art History I and II, Art Appreciation, Design I and II, Drawing I and II
2001 – 2002 Winston Salem State University , W-S, NC Instructor Winston Salem Adjunct Faculty Art History , Drawing I
1998 ~ 2001 N C A & T State University, Greensboro, NC Adjunct Assistant Professor of Art Design I & II, Color Theory, Painting Materials and Techniques, Basic Drawing and Composition
1994 ~ 1998 Guilford Technical Community College, Jamestown, NC Instructor Design I & II, Color Theory, Painting I & II, Drawing I, Advanced Drawing, Art History I, Life Drawing Fashion1989 ~ 1992 University of La Verne, Naples, Italy Instructor Oil Painting, Drawing, Technique & Materials, Watercolor, Fundamentals of Design, Independent Studies at 200+ Levels, Drawing & Painting Interdependency
1997 ~ 1998 Sawtooth Visual Arts Center (Evening Sessions) Alternative Teaching: Acrylic & Oil Painting
1997~1998 Forsyth County Schools (Summer Art Honors Program) Alternative Teaching: Abstract / Conceptual Drawing & Painting
Fall 1997 Forsyth Technical Community College Alternative Teaching: Art Appreciation
Membership:
Exhibiting member, “Associated Artists of Winston-Salem” Co-chair Exhibiting Member Jury Committee 1997-1999 Exhibiting Jury Committee 1999-2001
Sarasota Associated Artists,Sarasota FL
Venice Cultural Arts Center ,Venice FL
Workshops & Seminars:
CAROLINA ARTISTS GUILD WESTERN GUILD SEMINAR Technique of Classical Painting: weekend painting workshop
“ AN ARTIST APPROACH TO THE CREATIVE SEASON OF EASTER” A series of four presentations at Saint Timothy’s Church in Winston-Salem,NC. Taught in conjunction with Dr. Beatrice Bruteau. PH.D.“ART HISTORY FROM THE BYZANTINE TO THE CONTEMPORARY” Fellowship of the Trinity, Winston-Salem, NC
Education:
City University of New York, New York, NY
H.H. Lehman College Master of Fine Art ~ 1977 Bachelor of Fine Arts ~ 1972
Professional Representation:1990 ~ 1991 Sterling Europea, Fondi Italy
1991 ~ 1993 Galleria Punto Arte , Fondi, Italy
1988 ~ 1993 Markel/Sears Fine Arts, Inc., Soho New York, NY
1986 ~ 1987 The Kathryn Markel Gallery , 57th& Madison Ave. New York, NY
2005 Rathausfoyer Lohfelden-Kassel-Germany
Werke auf Papier ,”Roma-New York-Connection”,
One person show
2003 Community Exhibit Gallery, Southeastern Center For Contemporary Art Drawings and Sketches, Exhibiting Members Associated Artists, W-S N C
Associated Artists Gallery Exhibiting Member Show, Sawtooth Building, W-S NC2002 Diggs Gallery Winston Salem State University Fine Arts Faculty Showcase Curator Belinda Tate
2001 -02
11TH Annual Regional Exhibition The Work of NC Artists Waterworks Visual Arts Center, Salisbury NC
2001 UNI Gallery of Art,The College of Education of the University of
Northern Iowa “ A Question of Faith” ( Juror ) Eleanor Heartney
Associated Artists Gallery Sense of Place , W-S, N.C.
AAWS& Milton Rhodes Galleries, W-S, NC Expressions of Light
Morris Brown College , Atlanta ,Georgia
A&T University Student & faculty
Arts Council of
Winston ,Salem Mayor’s Office-City Hall
2000 RJR Gallery “Transcending Space & Time”
Associated Artists of Winston-Salem
Rhodes Gallery “ Personalities” Associated Artists of NC
Edward Waters College Jacksonville, FL NC A&T University, Student/Faculty Show
Dimensions 2000, “The Art of the New Millennium” 35th Annual National Jurored Art Competition ,
( Juror ) Nancy Dahlstrom
1999 ~ 2000
YWCA “Grids, Gates, Venus”-
20 Years Retrospective Works Winston-Salem, NC
1999 XI Edizione Del Porticato Gaetano, Gaeta, Italy
Piedmont Club, Winston-Salem, NC
Atrium II Gallery, Portsmouth, VA NC A&T University, Student/Faculty
H.C. Taylor Gallery, Faculty Show NC A&T State University, Greensboro, NC1998 Rhodes Gallery, Faculty Show Sawtooth Art Center, Winston-Salem, NC
J. Paul Sticht Center, One Person Show Bowman Gray…Winston- Salem
Arts Council Boardroom, Group Show Winston-Salem, NC
1997-98
Babcock International Management Center Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC
1997 United Way Arts Show Winston-Salem, NC
RJR Gallery ~ Sawtooth Visual Arts Center Winston-Salem, NC
Yonkers Eductional Center, Yonkers, NY (One Person) (Curator ) Frank Dituri
1993 Decimo Porticato Gaetano, Castello Angioino, Gaeta, Italy
Assessorato Alla Cultura Comune Di Lenola, Lenola, ItalyDecimo Porticato Gaetano, Castello Angioino, Gaeta, Italy
1991 Gallery Sterling Europea, Fondi, Italy
Chiostro San Francesco, Fondi, Italy
West Room Gallery , Yonkers, N.Y. “Maltempo” (One Person) (Curator ) Frank Dituri
Galleria Punto Arte, Fondi,(Group) Italy
Assessorato Alla Cultura, Comune di Pescara, Italy
Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx, NY Emerging Artists
1979 PS 1, Long Island City, NY (Group)
H.H. Lehman Gallery, “14 Painters”, Included works byDavid Reed & Sean Scully City University of New York
1978 H. H. Lehman Gallery, Agresti- Bellinger City University Of New York
Artist Statement
I see the familiar and the known as leading us into the mysterious and the unknown, which is transformative. For instance, a picket fence is homey, but it expresses both barrier and entrance through its gate. If there is drapery, we are drawn to pass into its opening, into the dark empty space.
Literal physical objects are important to me. Even the physicality of the paint is important. The physicality of the paint mimics the physicality of the earth. Then the literal becomes symbolic and the symbolic becomes emotional. It has to reach the level of feeling.
In much of my work there is pathos and grief. They require the literalness of the image to make the feeling felt. Once the literalness of the image has been established, I can distance myself from it to some extent to learn what it means. Any painting is necessarily a self-portrait, expressing what the artist is going through at the time. The greater part is the viewer’s response, an interpretation which is already informed with a personal history.
“My work begins with the body, the tangible, and the sensual. “
The body, however suggested, becomes the metaphor for transformative reality. The body becomes a landscape and the landscape becomes a ritualized space where emotions move. The outside becomes the inside; the framed, the boundless. Anchored to earth we are endless in our loitering explorations.
The seductive quality of the painting is reminiscent of dream space, a kind of spiritual déjà vu in its familiarity. It lures you into the depths of its successive spaces and then it devours you. It’s like Krishna’s mouth into which all beings are drawn. As in a sacrament, the humble and the mundane are transformed into the radiance of divinity.
Francesco Agresti
