Michael Amendolara grew up in a home with a passion for the arts. His father was an avid collector of paintings and the decorative arts who instilled in Michael a love of proportion, whether it be in a Tiffany vase or a Donatello. When Michael was

fifteen, he and his father travelled to Italy where Michael was treated to a week-long tour of the treasures of Florence. His guide was actually named Dante! Michael could not believe his eyes. He was hooked. He knew that he wanted to be an artist. Cezanne became a towering influence over Michael when he was 21 and“working from life” held sway over his development for decades. However, he began to feel tethered by that process and had to let it go. Michael now composes visually. Starting with  colors and lines, he arranges and rearranges these elements until

something “works” and a composition begins to take shape. There may be many twists and turns from this point, however he will keep working until his feeling for the subject has been expressed.