Born: June 1964
Education: - Maryland Institute College of Art 1989-93
Fred Calleri was born in Maryland and moved to Flagstaff, Arizona in 2001. Fred has been interested in art throughout his life as well as a gifted draftsman since childhood. Early influences were Renaissance painters and the Masters of the early 20th century. Calleri’s son Brodie has the middle name of Wyeth, taken from the great illustrator N.C. Wyeth.
Calleri’s experience at The Maryland Institute College of Art from 1988-1993 was a watershed event for him. There he was an Illustration and Graphic design major. The excellent training he received opened the window to all fields of art. Ironically, Fred took one painting class in college (the smell of turpentine made him ill) and only became seriously interested in professionally painting after the birth of his son in 1997.
After and extensive period in Graphic Design and Marketing, Calleri decided to move to Flagstaff and take advantage of the history, scenery, people and especially the astounding light offered in the western regions of the U.S. By studying artists such as Zorn, Sargent, Vermeer, Sorolla and many others as well as living masters today, Calleri aims to reproduce classic and romantic images using the master’s palette and mood to create an emotional reaction.
Currently Calleri uses each piece as a new lesson. The desire is to have a goal for each piece that may relate to mood, palette, light or expression. By looking at the way Sargent used his palette or Vermeer’s light and use of pattern Calleri is able to garner a small lesson from that and use it from that point onward. As he explores different paths, the figure resonates throughout each piece. While exploring the figure and representational painting in general, Calleri found by adding a slight distortion he was free to let the image take him where it wanted to go. By distorting the image the bonds of reality and style become less commanding and the piece develops a style on its own.
Fred still keeps a hand in the graphics and marketing world where he finds the computer skills are absolutely essential as it relates to his painting profession. Often his illustrations are seen in magazines and publications throughout the southwest. Today, while Calleri feels especially compelled to paint the most classical of artistic subjects, the human figure, his body of work also includes landscapes and still lifes - whatever subjects manage to capture his interest as he continually searches the world around him for reasons to record an image with the brush.
