John Mansueto: Artist Statment

Artist Statement

I have always had a desire to creatively record my perceptions of the world around me, to capture a moment in time as seen through my eyes.

My formal training in painting and illustration began at Parsons School of Design. My experiences there helped me to develop a strong foundation on which I began my career. However, it was the encouragement of some very fine teachers, especially George Wybenga, an ever-growing circle of great artistic friends and 14 years of work experience with the Fire Island Tide Newspaper that has enabled me to turn my dreams into reality.

I find myself intrigued by the use of light and shadow. My paintings bring out a great depth of field no matter the scope or the intimacy. I do not paint detail; I paint the impression of detail; there is a difference. This technique allows me to create a sense of realism in my paintings, something I believe to be a special and unique quality in my work.

In the future I would like to focus on the exploration of various scenic landscape possibilities that highlight close up fragments of detail; this may lend itself to the creation of unique and exciting compositional designs. I would also like to explore and create new kinds of paintings using the often over-looked and unseen details that surround our lives, to exploit these areas in full grandeur using light, shadow, form and composition.

Creating additional dimensions to my artwork, utilizing all that I have learned over the years, this is my passion. In essence, I find art embedded in everything around me; it is in all that I see and all that I feel. It is what inspires me each and every day. Art shall never end for me.

-John Mansueto

Biography

John Mansueto is a fine art landscape painter and freelance illustrator who resides in historic Islip Hamlet on the south shore of Long Island.

His formal education includes four years of training in painting and illustration at Parsons School of Design in New York City where he graduated in 1983 with a Bachelor of Fine Art.

John went on to work for Evelyne Johnson Associates, a representative for illustrators of children's books; they are located in New York City. From there, John moved back to Long Island and started working at JMR Graphics, a leader in screen-printing for fleet marketing. But it was his interest in landscape painting, particularly those areas around Fire Island that would lead him to become the staff artist at the Fire Island Tide Newspaper from 1990 to 2003.

John now explores all of Long Island, from the south shore to the north shore including the far reaches of eastern Long Island, isolated coves, estuaries, secluded meadows, ocean beaches, rivers, boatyards, and the Pine Barrens. His goal is to seek out diverse locations of interest and to capture them on canvas. Captivating landscapes are what inspire his fine art paintings.