Dominique Amendola, plein air portraits

I was born in France in Paris. When I turned 16, I had had enough of learning science, math, chemistry and physics, subjects imposed by my school and contrary to my nature. As a result I enrolled in a preparatory school ( Atelier Beaudry) for Ecole Nationale Superieure Des Arts Decoratifs de Paris and studied there two years. Then after passing the examination successfully I entered Ecole Des Arts Decoratifs School. I studied for four years there and afterwards went to Italy for a year of specialized studies at the Vatican and Villa Borgese. All together I studied art for almost eight years.

It was not long before I was sent to paint for a book publisher in Los Angeles. I painted there for the BBT for ten years, along with seven other artists. While working for the BBT and later Mandala Media, I also went to India and spent four months at an art school in Madras where I learned transcendental proportions, amongst other things I learned that the bodily proportions for Vishnu differ from those of Shiva, other demigods, men, goddesses etc. Those studies helped me understand a bit more about traditional Vedic art.

Before that, my work was always rooted in European art education. I spent many hours in Paris studying masters at the Louvre and going to many art exhibits. There is nothing better for an artist than seeing art physically, rather than in books or online.

My work has been exhibited a bit all over the world: USA, France, India. I am currently showing at the Time and Space gallery and the Streisand art foundation in Bangalore, India.

I am what you call an oil painter. I almost exclusively paint in oils. I actually learned the art of grinding my own pigments and I am also making my own medium according to the Maroger formula. Most of my production is figurative, and I draw my inspiration from both Europe and india. I also painted quite a few portraits, as well as some commissioned art.

After many years of artistic accomplishments, I find that I still prefer to paint the mystical aspect of the world; even so I am also capable to paint a plein air piece or a portrait quite successfully.
Dominique Amendola
Sep 23, 2011