Renato Muccillo at Arcadia Contemporary

by Matthew Innis | April 26, 2021

Renato Muccillo
Thunderhead in August
Oil on Linen
20 x 24 in.

Renato Muccillo (b. 1965) is a Canadian artist who draws his inspiration from the wooded environment which sits just outside of the hustle and bustle of the city of Vancouver in British Columbia. There, in areas where civilization has not quite yet encroached, he finds subjects which he acknowledges others might find boring, but which to him offer endless potential as sources of beauty. His immersion in this landscape is something that he finds almost spiritual, and when he returns to his studio, it is his hope to capture the same emotions he felt in the field upon his canvas, no matter how much work it takes. And only the successful canvases are allowed to leave his studio.

Taught by his Italian immigrant parents to “forge his own path” (as well as to value nature and also the labor of one’s own hands), Muccillo reached his success while being completely self-taught. However, this does not mean you cannot see the influence of other artists in his paintings. From Canadian painters like the Group of Seven and Robert Bateman, to American tonalists like George Inness, and from American luminists like Albert Bierstadt and Frederic Church, to the Dutch masters and the great 19th century British landscapists, Muccillo has absorbed them all, and interpreted their lessons into a highly detailed yet atmospheric and impressionistic style that is completely his own.

Muccillo’s latest luminous landscapes are now on display at Arcadia Contemporary in his debut one-man show with the gallery titled, “Scene/Unseen.” They can viewed in person at the gallery (Tues-Fri, 10am to 6pm, and weekends, 11am to 6pm) or at the gallery’s website. The show remains on view through May 16th.

Arcadia Contemporary is located at 421 West Broadway between Prince and Spring Streets. For more information, contact info@arcadiacontemporary.com.