...and contacting info

 ARTIST'S BACKGROUND...

    Rudy Amatangelo is a full-time artist/designer operating from his home studio in Canton, Ohio. He became interested in fine arts and watercolor painting while studying with the late Ellsworth P. Smith of Canton, and Mr. Smith's son, Lowell Ellsworth Smith, AWS, of Hudson, Ohio. The years of study with the Smith's began in 1967 and continued for many years. At that time , Rudy was employed as an Advertising Art Director. In 1973, Rudy decided to leave his employment and began freelancing - this opened more time for painting and teaching. He continues today wearing the two hats of both visual and fine artist.

    With encouragement from Ellsworth Smith, Amatangelo began teaching watercolor painting in 1970 and is currently active - since 1976 - instructing his seasonally scheduled, 3-day Visions Watercolor Workshops at Atwood Lake Resort in Ohio. He also teaches year 'round classes at various locations in the Canton area and instructs many workshops for art groups in Ohio and neighboring states. He is also active as a Lecturer, Show Director, Juror and Judge to many art associations.

    Rudy likes landscape painting and especially likes to study and paint outdoors on location. He looks for and is challenged by the many nuances of nature's changing seasons and atmospheric conditions and attempts to incorporate them into his compositions. He has had many one-man shows and his watercolors have been reproduced in various publications and are represented in many public, private and corporate collections.

ON PAINTING...

    "The subject matter in almost all my paintings are ideas derived from nature and painted in a realistic manner. I rarely copy nature exactly as I see it - in fact, I make many changes for the sake of composition and to enhance my ideas. However, while making changes, I remain committed to, and focus on the essence or truth of the subject or scene - which should never be 'lost' while making changes.

    Nature provides the landscape artist with a wide range of interesting motifs and an endless variety of shapes, textures and colors. Through the many years that I have been involved with painting - and still today - I spend a great deal of time painting direct from nature in all seasons, and in all weather conditions.

    Most of my paintings are a result of sketches, painted studies, notes and photographs that I gather while on location.  I have been taught and convinced that for landscape painters, nature is the best teacher; that is why I often take my students outdoors to paint and study directly from nature - which is the ultimate source of inspiration."