Suzanne Agostino

Artist Bio

My love for color and painting all started back in the early 1970’s while growing up in the picturesque Mid-Hudson Valley in upstate New York.  There I spent most of my childhood outdoors both observing and interacting with nature, an explorer in my own backyard. 

I received my B.F.A. in painting from the State University of New York at Albany in 1997.  My mentors were Mark Greenwald (photorealist, friend and frequent subject of many Chuck Close paintings), JoAnne Carson (surrealist painter and Mark Rothko’s step-daughter) and David Carbone figurative painter.  Their wealth of knowledge and work ethic helped shape the artist I became.

Through the years I’ve worked in many creative settings as a Theatrical Scenic Artist, Gallerist and Museum Manager; all while continuing to paint in my studio and take commissions.  Today, my artwork is my exclusive focus, and I am an exhibiting member of Rocky Neck Arts Colony, Gloucester, MA and Newburyport Arts Association, Newburyport, MA.  My work is exclusively shown at Gallery 302, Bridgton, MA and can be found in both commercial and private collections.

I capture my experiences while traveling by taking a lot of reference photographs and often do several “plein air” color and tonal studies.  I then bring those studies indoors to create my composition with oil paint.  I start my process with reviewing my reference photographs, then I do compositional sketches with graphite or paint.  Next, I apply a tonal wash then use oil paints and many layers of glazing to give the work breathe. What emerges is my recreation of my travel experience.

Today I spend my time painting in between my studio spaces at Moose Pond, Bridgton, MA and Beverly, MA, a coastal town just north of Boston.