"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage"
Anais Nin
About the Artist
Mario is an International artist based in St.Louis, MO, USA. His passion for his work shines in his signature line of oil paintings “Brilliance” and reflects deeply in his more traditional style work. He regularly donates tailored artwork for charitable causes and participates as a mentor for challenged High School students. Mario welcomes both domestic and international Commissions.
“I love what I do. I paint every type of subject-matter imaginable but have a deep passion for Portrait paintings. People are fascinating in every respect but the experience of understanding and portraying the hidden individual is a journey that never fails to entice me. Art should be about emotion and bigger than life. There is no greater personal gratification for me than to witness a client’s reaction to commissioned work and knowing that I have captured this person, the real person, their heart and soul. Portrait Paintings are Immortality in a sense so I try to approach every painting from a time capsule perspective. I imagine that long after we are gone, someone will be viewing these paintings and I want them to know this was a person of passion, or mystery, or dignity. They will be able to view it and sense that the person was a powerful man of honor with a firm handshake but a soft heart or a woman of breath-taking beauty that never understood it, etc. I want them to stare endlessly in their longing to further understand the person in the portrait. The conviction I have in capturing these elements is driven from the understanding that we are all parents, children, brothers, sisters. We are seldom known for our hearts and passions, as individuals. Capturing this is my obligation, obsession, and a great privilege.”
