One of the most notable aspects of Anthony Salvo’s artwork is the spectrum of his subject matter. Whether working in oils or in his newer passion, gouache, Salvo applies the same masterful execution to a hamburger as he does to vistas of Laguna Beach or a VW bus with surfboards strapped to its roof.
62 in Teal Blue, oil on linen panel, 8 x 8"
Although Salvo loved drawing and painting as a boy, he ultimately embarked on a 25-year career in graphic design. That changed in 2012 when, on a trip to Balboa Island to meet with a client, he found the streets filled with painters.
“It looked like so much fun—I just knew I had to do it,” says the artist, who soon thereafter started taking plein air workshops. “I got hooked,” he adds. “You’re outside painting and it’s just awesome. It opened up an entirely new direction for me creatively.”
The artist has been painting en plein air ever since. A fellow artist suggested he also learn to paint in studio, but Salvo found rendering bowls of fruit and vegetables downright boring. That’s when he started painting still lifes that also provide a taste of nostalgia.
Summer Day at Main Beach, Laguna, gouache on watercolor paper, 11 x 20"
“My mother was Sicilian and a great cook,” says Salvo. “She had recently passed, and I decided to try to recreate her apple pie.” When it was done, he decided to paint a slice of it which launched a baking-painting spree.
“People are attracted to the foods they ate as a child; it resonates with them,” the artist explains, adding that the same is true of the vintage automobiles he also enjoys to paint. He says those works have a way of attracting people into his artist booth where they will see more of his traditional seascapes and florals.
Pretty in Pink, oil on canvas, 24 x 24"
This is the sixth year Salvo’s work will be showcased in the Festival of Arts of Laguna Beach Fine Art Show which runs July 5 to September 2. “Last year was phenomenal for me,” the artist recalls, noting that his juried work was a large-scale oil of dahlias. “People loved the flowers. Because of the pandemic, I think it brought them joy.”
Salvo continues to paint flowers—he’s particularly fond of the light he was able to capture in Pretty in Pink, shown here—but the works on display at this year’s Festival of Arts of Laguna Beach will showcase scenes from life on the Southern California coast. —
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