Information
Melissa Fiorentino
About
Melissa Fiorentino
Born: New York 1983
BIOGRAPHY OF MELISSA FIORENTINO
Melissa paints and learns by studying her influences that range from Michelangelo to Piet Mondrian. A variety of color schemes, intense and sometimes risky subject matter help Fiorentino’s work to be so shocking and different that they stand out. She tends to have a unique style bringing a representational piece, abstract and a portrait all into one. It is a way to allow a way for there to be a reality and dream or nightmare enclosed onto one image.
Melissa Fiorentino is a artist who “creates paintings that show a different side of life, the side where we are learning, discovering and living through the feeling that moves through our veins during the process“(Fiorentino), that rush that we feel. Her paintings suggest a reality stringing a type of personality extention of the subject in the painting by bringing together a surreal and abstract idea of what a person feels while they are experiencing life.
Challenge and problem solving skills are involved in Fiorentino’s work and she uses these things to track her growth as an artist and as a person. She had her work in the Appleton Museum of Art when she was only 16 years old and from that moment on started working and getting herself into any art shows that she could get into that was at her disposal. Fine Arts for Ocala started to bring her many awards each year, than getting awards such as the Award of Merit in 2002 and the Award of Distinction in 2003 has fueled her aspirations. Youngest artist to have her own booth and display her own work at the age of 19 in 2003 for Fine Arts For Ocala, now she is working on getting herself into any art festivals and galleries possible. Fiorentino plans to start a new idea of painting and work towards opening her own gallery and studio all in one, so that people may see her work as she progresses towards her changing styles. Actively working in her studio in Ocala, FL, she is working towards earning a name for herself and painting up a huge portfolio worth of paintings that express her ideas and discoveries as an artist and person.
Background and Training
Self taught drawing from 1999 to present.
Self taught painting from 2003 to present.
Central Florida Community College, 2001-2002, 2007-2008
Studied with Jack Thursby and various other local painters in Ocala, FL.
Exhibitions and Festivals
1999. Fine Arts For Ocala. Ocala, FL
2000. Paddock Mall Student Art Show. Ocala, FL
2000. Appleton Museum of Art. Ocala, FL
2000. Fine Arts for Ocala. Ocala, FL
2001. Paddock Mall Student Art Show. Ocala, FL
2002. The CFCC Webber Center Student Art Exhibition. Ocala, FL
2002. Fine Arts for Ocala. Ocala, FL
2003. The CFCC Webber Center Student Art Exhibition. Ocala, FL
2004. Silver Spring Shores 30th Anniversary Festival. Ocala, FL
2005. All That Art. Ocala, FL
2006. All That Art. Ocala, FL
2006. The Primary Oven. Ocala, FL
2006. Fine Arts for Ocala. Ocala, FL
2007. The Primary Oven. Ocala, FL
2007. Valley Trash Art Fest. Palm Valley, FL
2008. Canvas Art Show. Tampa, FL
2008. ( Jan-Feb) The Primary Oven Ocala, FL
2008. Orlando Art & Living Expo. Orlando, FL
2008. International New York Art Festival. New York, NY
2008. Cellar Roots Art Gallery. Eastern Michigan University, MI
2008. “It’s a Surreal World” Progress Energy Art Gallery. New Port Richey, FL
2008. Art Walk . May 2. St. Augustine, FL
2008. Art Walk. June 6. St. Augustine, FL.
2008. 17th Street Art Fair 2008. Atlantic Station. Atlanta, GA.
2008. Fine Arts For Ocala, Ocala, FL.
Awards, Honors and Commissions
1999. Fine Arts for Ocala, Ocala, FL
~First Place-wheel thrown pottery
~Second Place-wheel thrown pottery
~Second Place-scratchboard drawing
2000. Paddock Mall Student Art Show, Ocala, FL
~First Place- sculpture
~Third Place-clay/wheel throwing
2000. Fine Arts for Ocala , Ocala, FL
~First Place-pencil drawing
2001. Paddock Mall Student Art Show , Ocala, FL
~First Place-charcoal drawing
~Second Place-Clay Sculpture
2003. The CFCC Webber Center Student Art Exhibition , Ocala, FL
~Award Of Merit- Acrylic Painting (Made it in Starbanner Newspaper)
2003. Won Second Place in all Florida Colleges for pencil drawing “Inside of Me”, self portrait with poetry threaded through my hair. Which later was published in “Imprints” a college publication for CFCC.
2003. Fine Arts for Ocala , Ocala, FL
~Winner of Fine Arts for Ocala Scholarship
2004. The CFCC Webber Center Student Art Exhibition ,Ocala, FL
~Award of Distinction- Acrylic Painting (Made it in Starbanner Newspaper)
The CompelloArt and Saatchi Online Winner ( Featuring “Cambodian Girl” out of over 1000 artists online) London, UK
#1 Ranked Image "Lavender" Artistic Pursuit Top Ranked Image "Lavender" First Place
http://www.artisticpursuit.org/Top-Ranked-Submissions/
http://www.artisticpursuit.org/gallery/topimage/
Artistic Pursuit Artist of the Month of April
http://www.artisticpursuit.org
Artistic Pursuit Top Ranked Image "Mercedes" Second Place
http://www.artisticpursuit.org/Top-Ranked-Submissions.html/
Top Ten All Media International Art Competition Winner "Humans in the Moment" May 2008
http://www.artromgallery.com/Humans/melissa_fiorentino.html
Commissions include:
2003. Central Florida Community College, Ocala, FL, USA (Mural)
2003. TJ, Ocala, FL. USA (Portrait, pencil)
2004. Jim Wright, Ocala, FL, USA (Portrait, painting)
2005. Morgante, Ocala, FL, USA (Portrait)
2005. Casey Kurchoft, Ocala, FL, USA (Portrait, pencil)
2006. Andrew Rizzo, Ocala, FL, USA (Original tattoo design)
2007. Michael Burton, Ocala, FL, USA (Portrait, painting)
2007. Arvilla and Jeff Hocker, Ocala, FL, USA (Mural)
2007. Lola Bain, Ocala, FL, USA (Portrait, painting)
Related Activity
2005-Present. Professional Fine Art Painter and Pencil Artist, Ocala, FL.
2002-2004. Started the first Art Club in Central Florida Community College. Vice President and founder.
Participates in Local and Art Exhibits and Festivals all over Florida and the US. Also affilated with
art organizations in Rome, Italy and England.
Teaching other artists how to become successful and knowledgeable about their craft through organizing portfolios and personal painting lessons.
Donating and creating artwork for charity organizations.
Publications, Television and Reviews
2003. Star Banner Newspaper.” Art from show available for sale.” Sunday, March 2. Picture of “Subjective Moment” included in article.
2003. CFCC Literary Magazine. “Imprints”. Volume 11. Picture of “Inside of Me” included.
2004. Star Banner Newspaper. “Eclectic mix: Talent shines through at CFCC’s ‘Student Art Showcase’ exhibit”. Sunday April 11.
2006. Voice of South Marion. “Young Artist on the Rise.” October 5. Pg. 13. Picture of artist and portfolio included in article.
2006. The Connect Zone . Local Television program. "Melissa Fiorentino, Ocala artist."
2008. Cellar Roots Upcoming Publication (Featuring “Leap of Discovery”) Eastern Michigan University, MI
2008. Fringe Magazine April Issue. (Featuring “My Deterioration, Metamorphosis, Leap of Discovery, The Awakening” and “Object of Seduction” and biography). Boston, MA.
2008. Creations Magazine Upcoming Issue (Featuring “Transcendent” on Magazine Cover and biography). Northport, NY
2008. Livid Magazine Upcoming Issue (Featuring “The Awakening” and biography) Baltimore, MD
2008. CompelloArt Gallery of Galleries. News -> The CompelloArt and Saatchi Online Winners in Art Category. London, UK.
2008. Maximum Technology International. 02/11/08. The CompelloArt and Saatchi Online Winners in Art Category. Lebanon, NH
2008. #1 Ranked Image "Lavender" Artistic Pursuit Top Ranked Image "Lavender" First Place
http://www.artisticpursuit.org/Top-Ranked-Submissions/
http://www.artisticpursuit.org/gallery/topimage/
2008. New York International Art Festival Publication. New York International Film
Festival Publication. 2/28/08. Manhattan, NY
Artistic Pursuit Artist of the Month of April
http://www.artisticpursuit.org
Artistic Pursuit Top Ranked Image "Mercedes" Second Place
http://www.artisticpursuit.org/Top-Ranked-Submissions.html/
Top Ten All Media International Art Competition Winner "Humans in the Moment" May 2008
http://www.artromgallery.com/Humans/melissa_fiorentino.html
Review:
Melissa Fiorentino / USA
Gallery Comment ::
Dramatically staged subjects in unnusual situations painted with great clarity distinguish Fiorentino's work. This is an artist to keep an eye on as she continues to mature, refine and progress in the development of her own unique style.
Links where you will find Melissa Fiorentino:
http://www.melissafiorentino.com
http://www.melissafiorentinoart.com
http://www.absolutearts.com/portfolios/a/artbymf
http://www.myspace.com/melissafiorentinoart
http://fiorentino.myexpose.com
http://www.mtiincorporated.com/news021108.php
http://eroticartgallery.blogspot.com/2007/10/artist-melissa-fiorentino.html
http://www.artisticpursuit.org/artbymf
http://www.artbymf.gather.com
http://www.compelloart.com/artist/183
http://www.distantartpost.com/Features/MelissaFiorentino.htm
http://www.myspace.com/archgirlus
http://www.anioman.com
http://www.perfectmuse.com/new_work.htm
http://www.cfcc.cc.fl.us/current/imprints/vol11/losswords.htm
http://www.fineartsemporium.com/links/artistssites2.htm
http://www.perfectmuse.com/melissa_fiorentino.htm
http://afonline.artistsspace.org/view_artist.php?aid=6685
http://www.fine-art.com/artbymf
http://artarmy.org/enlisted.html
http://artbymf.artfaceoff.com/
http://trig.com/melissafiorentinoart/tags/melissa
http://w3csites.com/profile.asp?u=artbymf
http://www.zoominfo.com/search/PersonDetail.aspx?PersonID=-156500&QueryID=f4450bee-9d77-4c7f-abba-6a2e83ae4ced
