Louis Guarnaccia
Contemporary American Impressionist Painter
"As a classically trained representational artist, there is a strong attraction to nature and the effect of light that creates form, and feeling for me."
Unlike most 9 year olds, I started painting in oil. It was an oil painting set given to me by my Grandmother.
As a classically trained representational artist, there is a strong attraction to nature and the effect of light that creates form, and feeling for me.
Through my studies of martial arts (Aikido and Tai Chi Chuan), I have discovered the law of opposites known as Yin and Yang that are present in every existence of life and vision. It is through these laws of nature that I try to capture a moment of beauty in a person, place or object. In my application of paint, I embrace the law of opposites, with textures, color harmonies and composition. To me, the finest artistic achievement that can be acquired is to communicate my feelings from the mind, through my heart, onto the canvas with the fewest metal filters as possible. After capturing my initial inspiration of what I am painting, I allow my painting to tell me what is it needs.
If a viewer connects with my work, as and artist, I have done my job.
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Louis was born in Omaha, NE, in 1958. At the age of nine, he began painting in oil and by the time he was 14 his studies in the art of painting, drawing, and art theory accelerated in high school under Stanley Stephanowitz. His arts education continued under Frank Novak in the Visual and Fine Art school at the Norwich Free Academy and Slater Museum in Norwich, CT., then under master artists Deane G. Keller, Ken Davies, and Rudolph Zallinger at the Paier College of Art in Hamden, CT.
Following art school, Louis continued painting both landscapes and portraits, in addition to working as an illustrator, art director, and creative director at various advertising agencies in New England. In 1995 he established his own advertising agency and moved to Nantucket, MA. In 2000, he began painting full-time, focusing on both portrait commissions, New England landscapes and maritime painting.
After painting for more than 47 years, Guarnaccia’s maritime and landscape paintings continue to be placed in prestigious corporate and private collections spanning the United States and Europe. Today, his work is exhibited and available at Helmholz Fine Art in Manchester Center, VT. He also exhibits in several other regional galleries and select arts associations.
Louis is also ranked as a Roku Dan (6th degree Black Belt) in the martial art of Aikido, and a certified teacher. Since 1995, Louis has been the chief instructor and founder of the Aikido Association of Nantucket, MA and since 2014 Louis Guarnaccia Sensei continues to grow his student following, creating special Aikido classes designed specifically for teaching children and women. He is also a Tai Chi Chuan, Tai Chi Sword and Chi Gong practitioner.
Louis is also a musician and in November 2014 he was one of three Nantucket artist/musicians chosen by the Artists’ Association of Nantucket to perform a concert, made possible with a grant from the Nantucket Atheneum, entitled “Chasing Light”. The concert was aimed at illustrating the artist’s connection between visual and audible art. Louis played original acoustic guitar music against a background featuring his paintings and then answered questions from the audience about his art, music and creative process.
Louis Guarnaccia is a member of the American Society of Marine Artists, Portrait Society of America, Salmagundi Club, NYC, and the Artist Association of Nantucket, MA.
CV
2018
Kaleidoscope, Group Exhibition, Helmholz Fine Art, Manchester, Vermont
2017
Vermont Fall, Group Exhibition, Helmholz Fine Art, Manchester, Vermont
2015
Continues teaching comprehensive maritime painting workshop for the Artists’ Association on Nantucket.
2014
Maritime paintings included in 3rd annual “Important Maritime Paintings” exhibition at Cavalier Galleries.
Teaches the first comprehensive maritime painting workshop, created at the request of the association for some of Nantucket’s more advanced artists, for the Artists’ Association on Nantucket.
2013
Maritime paintings included in 2nd annual “Important Maritime Paintings” exhibition at Cavalier Galleries.
Paintings featured in Cape Cod Art, A Guide to Art of Cape Cod & the Islands.
Taught painting workshops for Nantucket Island School of Design and the Arts (NIDSA).
Painting trips undertaken in New York, Maine & Vermont.
Commissioned to paint a yacht portrait of “Freesia”, the largest Hinckley sailboat in the world on which the King and Queen of Denmark have spent much time.
Maritime paintings featured in an article in Fine Art Connoisseur along with other prestigious maritime paintings by masters such as Montague Dawson, James Edward Buttersworth and John Stobart.
2012
Gains representation at The Harrison Gallery in Williamstown, MA and at the Beacon Fine Arts Gallery in Red Bank, NJ.
Exhibits nine paintings in a group show entitled “The American Landscape” at the Harrison gallery.
Undertakes a landscape-painting excursion along the coast of Maine and into the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.
Included in a maritime exhibit at Cavalier Gallery on Nantucket where his work is being exhibited with maritime masters such as Buttersworth, Moran and Dawson.
2011
Continues landscape, seascape, Yacht and Super Yacht portraiture.
Group show at Tilting at Windmills Gallery celebrating their 40th anniversary where nine artists are gathered to share their painting experience and ideas.
Chosen for an international painting exhibition in Amsterdam to represent prominent American Landscape Painting today.
Interviewed on Plum TV’s “The Masters”. The interview is picked up nationally and viewed in The Hamptons, Telluride, Vail, Miami Beach, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.
Interviewed live on Plum TV for Nantucket’s famous Race Week.
Four paintings exhibited for an auction to benefit Nantucket Community Sailing.
2010
Two-man show with Jerald Lubeck at Tilting at Windmills Gallery in Manchester, VT.
Starts work on paintings for the interior of Super Yacht, Big Zip. The Salon painting measured 3′ x 9′ in length.
Solo-show, The Essence of Essex, at the Left Bank Gallery in Essex.
Undertakes a 3-week painting/sailing trip from Lake Champlain down the historic Hudson River.
Travels to see Big Zip which is featured at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. There, Louis meets with yacht and interior designers.
Paintings featured in the movie “We the Peeples”
2009
Undertakes painting trips to Connecticut, Vermont, White Mountains and Maine.
2008
Two-man show with_Jerold Lubeck at Tilting at Windmills Gallery in Manchester, VT.
Cavalier gallery hosts VIP party for Nantucket Community Sailing at the start of Race Week on Nantucket. Event coincides with a solo-show of Louis’ paintings of the Famous Opera House Cup Race.
Undertakes two painting trips to middle Vermont and the White Mountains and schedules more trips to the same areas for winter work.
2007
Wins Richard Ochs SCNY Award for outstanding work in the Fall Salmagundi Club Art Exhibition for his painting of “Last Light, Cape Cod”.
Chosen by the Salmagundi Club President to represent American landscape painting at the Saatchi Gallery website in London.
Selected as one of 20 artists for a special exhibition celebrating Cavalier Galleries 20th anniversary.
Selected by Cavalier Gallery for a special maritime exhibit entitled “Of the Sea” at Cavalier Galleries in Greenwich, CT.
Solo show at Cavalier Galleries in Nantucket.
Four Group shows: July – New Hampshire Colonies; August – Monhegan Island; August – New Hampshire Sea Coast; and November – the White Mountains.
Solo show featuring New England Landscapes at Tilting at Windmills Gallery in Manchester, VT in February.
Artworks currently being exhibited in New Hampshire state capitol in Concord.
2006
Maritime painting featured in June issue of American Art Collector magazine.
Maritime paintings selected for publication in a full color, hardcover book by Blue Tree Publishing, Portsmouth, NH, to be released in 2008.
Interviewed on Plum TV and Nantucket TV to talk about his approach to painting and his up-coming show on Nantucket.
One of 20 American Landscape painters selected to be exhibited and published in a book and exhibition of the same name: Visions in Granite, an exhibit of historic landscape paintings covering 200 years of painting in the White Mountains.
Artworks chosen for the Isle of Shoals show in Portsmouth, NH and included in a second hardcover book.
Traveled to Monhegan Island to paint for upcoming show and a 3rd book of Monhegan and its artists.
Winter painting trip in the White Mountains.
Gains representation at The Banks Gallery in both Portsmouth and New London New Hampshire.
2005
Receives the Thomas Moran SCNY Award for outstanding work at the Salmagundi Club, NYC.
Juried into the National small works group show sponsored by Cavalier Galleries in NYC.
Solo Exhibition of new maritime works entitled “Dancing on the Water” at Cavalier Galleries on Nantucket.
Painting of prestigious Opera House Cup Race at Nantucket is reproduced as a poster to promote the Opera House Cup Regatta.
Honored with a special exhibit of his Opera House Cup paintings for O.H.C. V.I.P’s and sponsor private party on Nantucket.
2004
Teaches life drawing, painting critique, and a 3-day figure-painting workshop for Sharon Arts in Sharon, NH.
Chosen by Cape Cod Life to represent Nantucket in their Annual Art Guide to Cape Cod and the Islands.
Featured portrait painter in Nantucket’s Inquirer and Mirror.
Solo exhibition entitled “The Spirit of Sailing” at the Cavalier Gallery on Nantucket, MA, featuring recent maritime works.
Four-person group show at the Page Waterman gallery in Wellesley, MA.
Promoted to the rank of 5th Dan (degree) Black Belt in the martial art of Aikido.
Receives the Henry O’Conner SCNY Award for outstanding work from the Salmagundi Club, New York, NY.
Gains publicity and positive art reviews in publications such as N Magazine, Nantucket Magazine, Yesterday’s Island, Plum TV, Nantucket TV and Inquirer Mirror.
2003
Gains representation at Tilting at Windmills Gallery in Manchester Center, VT.
Teaches life drawing and classic portrait painting for the Artists’ Association of Nantucket.
Commissioned works continue of landscapes, yachts and portraiture.
Receives high honors at the annual Salmagundi “Thumb Box” exhibition in NYC.
Solo exhibition at Cavalier Galleries on Nantucket.
2002
Teaches life drawing at The Space, Nantucket, MA, and teaches the first classical portrait painting class in the history of the Artists’ Association of Nantucket, MA.
Solo exhibition at Sharon Arts at Peterborough, NH.
Solo exhibition at Cavalier Galleries on Nantucket.
2001
Voted to Board of Directors of the Artists’ Assoc. of Nantucket, MA.
Gains representation at Sharon Arts Gallery in Peterborough, NH, Cavalier Galleries on Nantucket, MA and Greenwich, CT.
Voted into membership at the Salmagundi Club, NYC.
Takes fourth place in the Landscape Painting category (30,000 entries) in Artists’ Magazine national competition.
Solo exhibition at Cavalier Galleries on Nantucket.
2000
Solo exhibition featuring 20 Nantucket landscapes & maritime at Sailor’s Valentine Gallery, Nantucket, MA.
1999
Finalist in the portrait category (26,000 entries) in Artists’ Magazine national competition.
1996
Returns to representational painting (landscape & portraiture).
1995
International Group exhibition of abstract series at Art 54 in SoHo, NY.
1992
Solo exhibition of abstract series at John F. Kennedy Airport, NY, Japan Airlines VIP Lounge.
1991
Solo exhibition of abstract series at South Wharf Gallery, Nantucket, MA.
1990
Solo exhibition featuring 36 abstract works at the Webb Gallery, Hamden, CT.
1989
Solo exhibition of 46 works of Greece, Spain, and Russia series at the Arts Place Gallery, Naugatuck, CT.
1989
Three works juried in an exhibit at the Museum of Arts Science & Industry, Bridgeport, CT.
1988
Executes portrait of Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev, which is unveiled at the Olympic Hotel, Moscow, USSR, and presents portrait to Soviet officials appointed by Premier Gorbachev at the Kremlin.
Associations
American Society of Marine Artists
Portrait Society of America
Salmagundi Club, NYC
Artist Association of Nantucket, MA
Imprints
Visions in Granite, 200 Years in Painting the White Mountains
Island Light the Isle of Shoals
Island Light, Paintings of Monhegan Island
New Hampshire Summer Colonies
Visions in Granite #2
Magazine/Newspaper/Publications/TV Interviews
American Art Collector
The Artists” Magazine
Off Shore Magazine
Portland Magazine
Stratton Magazine
Life Styles Magazine
Cape Cod Life Magazine
N Magazine
Nantucket Magazine
The Portsmith Herald
The (Portsmith) Wire
Rennaisance Magazine
Mysteries Magazine
Iquierre and Mirror
Yesterday’s Island
Inflight Magazine
Cape Cod Art, a Guide to on Cape Cod and the Islands
Television
Plum TV
Nantucket TV
Date Line NBC