Nicola DeBenedictis

Village in the Distance

House in the Valley

D e B e n e d i c t i s

Nicola De Benedictis was born in Bari, Italy in 1950. His artistic career began in 1968 when he started to explore the multiple realms of the art world. After a few years of self-teaching, he became a student of the painter Catani, and in 1970 his dream of becoming a professional painter took shape.

Following his studies with Catani, he enrolled in the Superior Course of Drawing at Fondazione Ratti and received his diploma in 1989.

De Benedictis dedicated several years to painting and showing his works in numerous competitions and fairs in which he caught the attention of art critics, and more importantly the public. This popularity allowed him to begin his collaboration with art galleries, holding solo and collective exhibitions in Italy and abroad.

Today he lives with his wife and grown daughter who speaks English and works as an exporter of Italian food to the United States. His studio is situated in the lowest level of his home in northern Italy.

De Benedictis favorite subjects are the romantic countrysides of Italy and France where he often depicts a distant village in the background. His rolling hills are covered with wheat fields, vineyards, sunflowers or poppies and surrounded by olive, apricot, Cyprus trees, or an occasional lake. This is the picturesque countryside that captures the inner desires of De Benedictis and drives him to paint. From time to time he will paint a series of stillifes.

In his paintings he uses a mixed medium of acrylic paint, oil sticks, pastel and oil paint to give his paintings a modern touch to while preserving his traditional motifs. Regardless of his subject, his palette is filled with warmth and inner excitement.

"Nicola De Benedictis is a painter of nature who presents us with works that are elaborated with poetry and softness, all while emanating a quiet force.

He is a respectful, authentic artist who portrays his ideas through the contrasts of the ever-changing light of day.

His canvases are like ballads – the impressions of delicate atmospheres call on viewers to research their own emotions.

De Benedictis continues to express himself by creating a contrast between the real and the imaginary, offering us a passage into the middle ground: "A picture in the picture".

His artistic speech gives a new look at the vision of landscapes. Viewing his paintings we feel the fleeting magic of the wind – the delicate direction of the colored atmospheres radiated by the light.

In a natural and luminous mood, De Benedictis proposes we stroll through his paintings – behind the world of pictures."

~ Annie Droit-Girard

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

1981 Galleria San Rocco – Seregno

1982 Galleria Sagittario – Sarzana

Galleria San Rocco – Seregno

1983 Galleria Rogal – Fino Mornasco

Galleria Ciovasso – Milan

1984 Galleria Ilaria 2 – Varese

1986 Galleria San Rocco – Seregno

1988 Biblioteca Civica – Tradate

1989 Galleria II Carpaccio – Giussano

1990 Biblioteca Civica – Tradate

Galleria Bovaria – Lecco

1991 Galleria San Paolo – Bologna

1993 Sala Civica – Spilamberto

1994 Sala Comunale Villa Durini – Olgiate Olona

1995 Centro d’Arte e Cultura – Lecce

Sala d’Arte Santa Maria Maggiore – Busto Arisizio

Galleria Ada – Bergamo

1996 Galleria Isola – Mapello

Galleria Viscontea – Rho

Galleria Palazzieta – Busto Ariszio

1997 Fondazione Roncalli – Vigevano

1997 Sala d’Arte del Comune di Macherio – Macherio

Galleria Proposte – Salice Terme

1998 Circolo Culturale Leonardo da Vinci – Cremona

Galleria Proposte – Salice Terme

1999 Arte Europea – Reggio Emilia

2000 EtruriArte – Venturina

Arte Europea – Reggio Emilia

2001 Artisti a Torino – Lingotto Fiere – Torino

2002 L’Espace Galerie – Dijon, France

Galerie d’Art Sylvie Platini, Portland, USA

2004 Galleria Officina dell’Arte – Rho

Galleria Falco – Martinsicuro

Galerie Saint Martin – Brive, France

Immagina, Quartiere Fieristico – Reggio Emilia

2005 Expo’ Centro Commerciale – Cesano Maderno

Itars Atelier – Nice, France

Medi Arte, Fiera – Palermo

From 2000 to 2004, De Benedictis exhibited annually at Galleria Arpège (Sarreguemines), I’ltars Atelier di Nizza (Nice, France), and Museo Toni Merz (Sasbach, Germany).

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

1999 Centro Congressi – Berchtesgaden, Germany

Centro Congressi – Badkohlgrub, Germany

VIII Rassegna a’Arte, Palazzo Comunale, Sala

Leoni – Vigevano

Lions Club di Villafranca, Palazzo Bottagisio-Morelli-

Bugna – Villafranca

2000 Galleria Arpège – Sarregumines, France

2005 Rotary Club – Colli Briantei

Rassegna Nazionale di Pittura Vialla Mariani –

Galgiana di Casatenovo

Galleria Proposte – Salice Terme

1998 Circolo Culturale Leonardo da Vinci – Cremona

Galleria Proposte – Salice Terme

1999 Arte Europea – Reggio Emilia

2000 EtruriArte – Venturina

Arte Europea – Reggio Emilia

2001 Artisti a Torino – Lingotto Fiere – Torino

2002 L’Espace Galerie – Dijon, France

Galerie d’Art Sylvie Platini, Portland, USA

2004 Galleria Officina dell’Arte – Rho

Galleria Falco – Martinsicuro

Galerie Saint Martin – Brive, France

Immagina, Quartiere Fieristico – Reggio Emilia

2005 Expo’ Centro Commerciale – Cesano Maderno

Itars Atelier – Nice, France

Medi Arte, Fiera – Palermo

1980 Palazzo Comunale - Uboldo

Sala d’Arte San Francesco – Saronno

1981 Sala Arci-Uisp, 10 Pittori Varesini – Saronno

Biblioteca Civica – Cogliate

1983 Sala Consiliare – Seregno

1985 Circolo Culturale La Filanda – Verano Brianza

Galleria Isola, Rassegna d’Arte sulla Pace – Milan

1989 Sala Comunale – Lodi

1991 Galleria La Massa – Lecco

1993 Galleria Civica – Spilamberto

1994 Galleria Permanente – Mirandola

Centro Elmepe Expo Art – Erba

Galleria Viscontea – Rho

1995 Oasi Maria SS., Arte e Solidarietà – Troina

33 Artisti, Mostra d’Arte Itinerante "La Resistenza

per non Dimenticare" – Macherio

1996 Gruppo Nazionale Artisti En Plein Air, Contea Di

Bormio – Erba

Circolo Sportivo BiFit – Legnano

Sala d’Arte Santa Maria Maggiore – Busto Arsizio

1997 7 Artisti Saronnesi, Galleria Centro – Saronno

Concerto di Luci e Colori – Universiadi di Sicilia,

Torina

1998 Museo Toni Merz – Sasbach, Germany

Centro Congressi – Rottach, Germany

Centro Congressi – Egern, Germany