Art Etc by Chas Palminteri

About the Artist

Charles Palminteri is a versatile, award-winning, multimedia artist whose disciplines include painting in styles ranging from bold abstracts to figurative and photo-realism, and sculpture, from wood and steel to artful furniture. Additionally, many of his designs are used in textile prints for dresses, scarves, blouses, wraps and other apparel, as well as decorative home accessories.

Painting

In his painting, Palminteri is a disciple of the “action” school, characterized by the dramatic Abstract Expressionism made famous by such artists as Franz Kline and Willem De Kooning. Palminteri uses a variety of styles and approaches in an abstract framework. Some are large, bold compositions and shapes developed from Japanese Kanji and Hiragama calligraphy. The stark contrast of these shapes and their background sets up a tension between negative and positive areas that demand contemplation. In other works, Palminteri’s lines are soft and flowing. With a series of undercoatings, he achieves a luminosity of color and light. His compositions lead the viewer into a maze of dreams and fantasy. But no matter how soft the lines and shapes, the overall message makes a dramatic statement and serves as a focal point in any space.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, he has a portfolio of photo-realistic and figurative works ranging from contemporary sports figures to re-creations inspired by Old Masters as varied as Caravaggio, Vermeer and Cezanne. He was the inspiration for and organizer of Fabulous Fakes, an exhibition of works by local artists at the ACL Gallery in Livingston, N.J. The theme was works mimicking or inspired by famous works by renowned artists through history.

Sculpture

With his sculpture, he expresses a unique mix of art, function and sustainability: deconstructing obsolete electronics and computers and re-purposing components into striking sculptures, tables and furniture. His welded iron works create bold outdoor centerpieces in landscapes and gardens, while his woodworking runs from whimsical decorative pieces to room-dividers and screens.

Showings, Galleries, and Awards

Many of his works are purchased by architects and interior designers for office buildings and executive homes in New Jersey, Manhattan, Westchester, Southampton, Connecticut, and Florida. Palminteri has exhibited at Foot, Cone & Belding in Manhattan; Roche-Bobois in Estero, F.L.; The Sweet Gallery in Naples, F.L.; The Speak Easy Gallery in Boonton, N.J.; and the George Seal Gallery at Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J.

After winning for Best Painting in an exhibition at the Gaelen Gallery in Whippany, N.J., the JCC of West Orange, N.J., offered Palminteri a "one man show" in its JCC MetroWest gallery, in March 2018.

At the Essex County Art Competition, he earned first-place honors in two categories — Abstract Painting and Pastels —and the winning works were sent to the State competition. Palminteri has won more than 15 blue ribbons, plaques and awards from various juried competitions, including first prize in the ITVA "International Television Awards Association."

Additional Galleries, Shows and Honors:

• JCC MetroWest, West Orange, N.J. (One-Man Show/retrospective, March 2018)
• Abstract Expressions, Mount Holly, N.J.
• ACL Gallery, Livingston, N.J.
• Galen Gallery, Whippany, N.J. (Best Painting in Show)
• Greenwood Sculpture Gardens, Short Hills, N.J.
• Mountain Art Show, Bernardsville, N.J.
• Barsky Gallery, Hoboken, N.J.
• Block Gallery, Montclair, N.J.
• MHSAC Show at the Bouras (Best in Show)
• Essex County Juried Art Show (First Prize)
• The Wilson School, Mountain, Lakes, N.J. (Multiyear participant, annual juried fundraiser)
• Apparel and Accessories, via Vida Designs, San Francisco (https://shopvida.com/collections/chas-palminteri)

More about the Artist

• A graduate of the School of Visual Arts, Palminteri attended the Arts Students League and the Chinese School of Brushwork in New York. He is also well known as a commercial artist, art director and graphic designer whose clients include many Fortune 500 companies.
• Palminteri, a veteran of the advertising business from the “Mad Men” era, served as a senior art director for more than a decade at the J. Walter Thompson ad agency in Manhattan, with accounts including Pan-American Airlines; Shell Oil Co.; WOR-TV; Rheingold Beer; Ford Motor Co.; Chesebrough-Pond's cosmetics; Lark Cigarettes, L&M/Liggett & Meyers. While there, Palminteri created the beloved Major League Baseball mascot, Mr. Met.
• For 20 years, he was creative director for Economics Press, a marketing and business strategy/motivation firm in Fairfield, N.J.
• He has designed logos/brand imaging and interiors for commercial and residential projects, mid-size and local businesses, including retail, professional offices and restaurants throughout the New York Metropolitan area and Florida.
• Palminteri is a Korean War combat veteran and member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #5481, Montville, N.J., and was recognized in the 2017 New Jersey Honor Flight in Washington, D.C.