ARTIST

John Mainieri

about:

John Mainieri is a retired teacher from Mesa Community College where he taught Accounting and Statistics. He has a BS in Civil Engineering from Rutgers University and an MBA from Columbia University. He has worked as a Civil Engineer, a Lieutenant in the Army Corp of Engineers, a CPA and a Teacher.

artist statement:

Most of my adult life I have been interested in photography. With a goal of improving my photography I enrolled in a drawing class at Mesa Community College to learn more about composition. In my first drawing class the teacher was drawing a still life using charcoal. It was beautiful. And then… she took a cloth and rubbed over the entire drawing. I couldn’t breathe. My heart raced. What was she doing? She then used an eraser to pull out the lighter parts of the drawing and charcoal to emphasize the darker values. A picture emerged from the paper like magic. I WAS HOOKED! I wanted to do that.

Courses in color, two dimensional design, art history, painting and life drawing just increased my desire to create my own art.  I started using Pastels in my life drawing courses and subsequently in pastel painting classes offered through the city of Tempe.

My art is primarily painting and is an eclectic mix of landscape painting, life drawing, primarily portraiture, and still life. I’ve studied art at Mesa Community College and created work using charcoal, acrylics, pastels and watercolor.

I love the brilliant colors that pastels allow. I’ve found that drawing and painting allow me a more intimate relationship with my subject whether it is a portrait, landscape or still life.

mediums:   charcoal, acrylics, pastels, watercolor
Please contact me for more information about my work!  email: jvmainieri@gmail.com