John Asaro

John Asaro is a prominent American painter concerned primarily with capturing the natural lyricism of human figures. The subjects of his paintings range from his children, ballerinas, to nudes in repose, to graceful swimmers. He relishes color, pushing hues to their extreme and allowing shadow and form to come alive in his unique, sometimes daring blends of oil paint.

I met John Asaro years ago. On a trip to California, I tracked down his number and when I called and told him I had a gallery in Minnesota, he invited me to his home. He had a fantastic painting of his ten or eleven year old daughter, standing in front of a huge bouquet of flowers, in his entry. He showed us his studio and when I pulled out a roll of cash and offered to buy a painting, he politely refused. He directed us to his dealer in San Diego. I was impressed with his integrity. Most artists would have taken the cash and kept the dealers commission.

We went to his dealer and purchased “Pacific Beach Bath”. Mr. Asaro handmade the frame to fit the painting.