FRED CALLERIBorn: June 1964Primary Medium: OilEducation: - Maryland Institute College of Art 1989-93 Calleri was born in Maryland and moved to Arizona in 2001. After and extensive period in graphic design and marketing he decided to move to Flagstaff where he could take advantage of the history, scenery, people and especially the astounding light offered in the southwest. Calleri’s studies of masters such as Zorn, Sargent, Vermeer, Sorolla as well as living masters has inspired him to create classic and romantic images using the master’s palette and mood for an emotional reaction. 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. Most of his paintings have a romantic, humorous or mysterious quality with characters exuding an irresistible nostalgic charm. His newest work is evolving to a smoother blending of the representational and quirky distortion, as well as an effort to create a deeper narrative with his paintings. The historical or 'period' nature of the work lends itself to a style and palette that he enjoys and reaches back to a seemingly simpler time.