donato giancola

From the grand triptychs of Peter Paul Rubens to the sublime graphics of Mondrian, Donato Giancola’s paintings mine classical draftsmanship, narration, and aesthetics of composition to lay a foundation rich in historical associations. Through his love of story and work with the human figure, Donato makes conscious efforts to find and preserve those forms of expression that best define our humanity.

​

Since graduating summa cum laude in painting from Syracuse University, Donato’s paintings have graced the covers of over three hundred novels, appeared in scores of exhibitions and landed him numerous peer honors including three Hugo Awards, twenty-one Chesley Awards from the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists, Gold and Silver Medals from the annual Spectrum, the prestigious Hamilton King Award from the Society of Illustrators, and awards from The Art Renewal Center’s Salons. Formative years in the early nineties were spent as the studio assistant to the preeminent figure painter Vincent Desiderio, and long days of study in the museums of New York.

Donato recognizes the significant cultural role played by visual art and makes personal efforts to contribute to the expansion and appreciation of the narrative genre that extends beyond the commissions of his clients.

To those ends, the artist teaches at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, the Illustration Master Class in Amherst, Massachusetts, online through the SmArt School, and appears at various institutions, workshops, and exhibitions worldwide where he performs demonstrations and lectures on his aesthetics.