Pino was born in Bari, Italy on November 8, 1939 and suddenly passed away on March 25, 2010. In 1960 he entered Milan’s Academy of Brera where he perfected his talent and skill for painting nudes. In the two years he studied at the Academy, he came under the influence of the Pre-Raphaelites and Macchiaioli. Pino also experimented with Expressionism of the late sixties during his stay in Milan. From 1960 to 1979 his work appeared in several major exhibitions throughout Italy and Europe. At the same time, he was commissioned by Italy’s two largest publishers, Mondadori and Rizzoli, for book illustrations. However, Pino felt restricted in Milan. He wanted more artistic freedom which he believed existed in the United States.
In 1979, he immigrated to the United States under the sponsorship of the Borghi Gallery where he held several shows in New York and Massachusetts. In 1980, after knocking on many doors, Zebra Books Publishers commissioned him to do his first book cover. His interpretation was new, fresh and sensual, an illustration so successful that he gained entry into creative relationships with many leading publishers of Romance novels. Stylistically, he brought the characters into the foreground where his technique and talent for painting the anatomy was celebrated. His popularity grew within the literary community and he became the artist-in-demand for Zebra, Bantam, Simon and Schuster, Harlequin, Penguin USA and Dell. To date, Pino has illustrated 3,000 books. His style has dominated and influenced the market.
Although Pino devoted thirteen years to illustrating book covers, he never abandoned his desire to return to fine art. In 1993, he realized his goal and has finally found the freedom he had always desired; to explore the profundity of his talents without restraint. He contacted one of the major galleries in Scottsdale, Arizona – the May Gallery, and sent five of his paintings, which were well received. Since then his paintings have appeared in Morris and Whiteside Gallery in Hilton Head and Stuart Johnson’s Settlers West Gallery in Tucson. In the United States Pino became fascinated with the works of Soralla, Sargent, Benson and William Merrit Chase.
As his fame has grown, Pino has made numerous appearances on major TV networks and has been interviewed in national and international journals. His works are held in prestigious corporate and private collections throughout the world. In addition, his ability to capture the movements and expressions of his subjects has brought him private commissions to do portraits.
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