Canadian Tree Art Prints: Pine Tree On A Rock

The following post Canadian Tree Art Prints: Pine Tree On A Rock is available on Francesco Galle Fine Art

Most landscape painters do their paintings based off of a photo. Or in person, after a long trek up a mountain or along a river.

I’m no different, usually. But this piece today is unique in my collection, because it’s the only one of all my Canadian landscape art prints that I painted entirely from memory.

I’ve always loved the landscape up north. Most plants thrive the best when they have soft dirt with lots of sunshine, and yet somehow the Canadian shield, covered in thick, dense rock, manages to provide a home for millions of enormous trees. They manage to find a crack in a giant rock and make it their home, sprouting up until it grows to become an old tree.

The rock itself, other trees, and even the wildlife can affect how it’s shaped, but what strikes me most is the wind. The tree grows as though caressed by the wind for many years, guided into shape like a bonsai tree is guided by the wires its caretaker wraps around it.

Painting in this style is kind of the same. Laying the canvas on the floor, I quickly painted the general shape I’m looking for using water only. From there, I poured ink and coffee on the area with the water, and then, like the wind and rain pushing a river, I let the ink and coffee mix together and flow across the page. The result is what you see below.

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If you like what you see here, feel free to browse the other work on my website. You can purchase this print itself, as well as many other Canadian art prints I have available.

You can also feel free to contact me directly for commissioned work or if you have any questions.

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The Story Behind The Print: The Church Of Serra San Bruno

The following blog post The Story Behind The Print: The Church Of Serra San Bruno is courtesy of http://francescogalle.com/

I took a trip to the Art Gallery of Ontario with my mom recently. Being a deeply religious person (as many Italians of her generation are), many of the older works affected her profoundly.

In particular, it reminded her of our hometown, Serra San Bruno, and of one of the pieces I had created (you can find this piece for sale as part of my website featuring art for sale in Toronto).

The artwork transported her to another time and place, when she was younger and more carefree. The stress and pressures of life hadn’t yet weighed on her – I was glad she had an opportunity to experience this.

Comparing this with much of the art of our times, I couldn’t help but feel like something was lacking. What we see today is often about creating an installation in a gallery, accompanied by a full explanation of what we’re supposed to feel and think about the piece. This is art a la carte, spoon fed to us. Instead of using it as a way to explore our own feelings, we’re told what to think and feel.

Now think of some of the beautiful art passed down to us from the old masters. We’re left to contemplate what this art can mean and how it can affect our lives, which creates a more personal experience. And it has nothing to do with how accurately art recreates reality – some of my favourite artists, like Willem de Kooning, do their best work in abstract. You’ll find several abstract pieces in my own body of work.

When creating my own work, I look to the feeling created by these old masters. Hopefully you get a taste of the feeling my mom did at the AGO when you look at this piece. It’s an illustration of the church in our hometown, Serra San Bruno.

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To find out more about the prints I have available, browse this website. You’ll find a variety of prints inspired by Italy, Canada, love, and much more.

You can also contact me using the information on this page to find out more about my process, as well as to talk about a specific commissioned project you may have.

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Story Behind The Print: The Polar Bear Canadian Flag

Story Behind The Print: The Polar Bear Canadian Flag was originally published to http://francescogalle.com/

I’ve spent my life surrounded by Italian culture. Having been born in Calabria, I moved at six years old to Toronto’s Little Italy, where I still live today. As Toronto has one of the biggest populations of Italians outside of Italy, you could say I never really left.

But that doesn’t mean the culture didn’t change. Life in Canada helped shape the artist I am today. Especially the landscape – you’ll find one of the most consistent themes in my art is the Canadian art prints. As a Toronto artist, I love the city, but it’s the natural landscape of Canada that has really touched me.

In particular, the polar bear has always struck me with its beauty. You can find polar bears in Greenland, Russia, Alaska, etc. but to me there’s something so distinctly Canadian about them. It was this that inspired me to make this piece.

Taking the colours of the Canadian flag, I sort of inverted it to create a theme that’s both expressive of the beauty of the polar bear combined with a dash of national identity.

You can find this print for sale on my website, as well as many other Canadiana art prints.

Contact Francesco

If you’re interested in commissioning me for your own project, or to find out more about what I do, feel free to contact me using the contact form on this site.

You can also feel free to browse my site for an overview of the prints and originals I have available.

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Italian Art Prints: Commissioned Work For Tutto Pronto

The post Italian Art Prints: Commissioned Work For Tutto Pronto is republished from Francesco Galle Fine Artist

Aside from the Italian art prints and other prints you may know me for, I also do commissioned work.

A few months ago, I was commissioned by Tutto Pronto, a lovely Italian restaurant in North York, to do a piece of unique artwork.

The owner, Anna Maria, had a special connection with and love for doors, so I thought for a while about how to incorporate doors into her piece.

She especially liked old doors, and I can understand why. They do give off a beautiful vibe. But how could I pick up on that in her piece?

After mulling over it for a while, it came to me. Why bother trying to capture the beauty of an old door in your artwork when you can use an old door as the canvas in the first place?

Sometimes the simplest answer is the best.

Anyway, I went down to the local Habitat For Humanity store, and picked up three old doors to use.

For this piece, I wanted to work like the painters of old did, so I set the doors against my garage wall and painted by firelight. You can get a glimpse into my process here:

The space in which I worked. Inspiring in its medieval feel.

The family beginning to take shape

Coming together...

The finished product on the wall at Tutto Pronto!

Other than doors, this piece is inspired by old posters from the 50s in Italy. These posters were used to advertise the food and liquor you see in a lot of restaurants today. I wanted to recreate that style without being too obvious, so instead of food I illustrated one of my favourite Italian moments – “Family on a Vespa”.

Starting with pencil on the doors, I then outlined it with pen and then slowly layered on the acrylic paint using a pastel version of the colours of the Italian flag.

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If you like this piece, you can get a print of it on this website on almost any canvas you can think of (except doors). You’ll also find many of my other prints available, inspired by Italian culture, Canadian landscapes, love, and much more.

If you’re interested in commissioning me for work, feel free to contact me using the information on this site.

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The Story Behind The Portrait Of My Parents

The post The Story Behind The Portrait Of My Parents is republished from Francesco Galle Fine Art

Have you ever seen a moment in time that makes you feel both happy and sad?

A memory dear to your heart that makes you glad you experienced it, yet at the same time remorseful that that experience can never happen again?

This photograph of my parents does that for me.

My dear friend Edward Gajdel came to join my family and I for dinner one evening a number of years ago. While he was there he took this photo of my parents, and it perfectly captured how they were at the time.

My dad, jolly and full of joy, laughs along with my mom. You can see the love these two shared.

Today, my mom still has that same spark in her eye, but I wish I could say the same for my dad. Dementia, along with failing health, has robbed him of that joy.

His laughter, these days, is hard to come by.

Painting this piece was very cathartic for me. Not only was I able to capture this moment I cherished so dearly, I also used the espresso they drank as part of the painting itself. This gives it an even more personal touch, like having a physical object imbued into it.

Take a look at the finished result below.

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Along with the Toronto canvas prints available on this site, I’m also available for custom work.

If you’re interested in getting a portrait of your parents or loved one done, or any other custom art done, feel free to contact me.

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