Victor Mirabelli, Black & White and In Between #16, Oil on Canvas

This article was first published May 5, 2023 in an interview by Barbara Soroa, courtesy of Deco for Curious, www.decoforcurious.com  Instagram: deco_for_curious 

When you see his work, you will discover that Victor Mirabelli’s painting is absolutely hypnotic. His structures, full of strength, seem to float in a sea of neutral colors, dreamy pigments and a subtle play of shadows.

Beauty and elegance are present in each of his works.

The artist Victor Mirabelli was born in Wenatchee, Washington, in a farming community along the Columbia River. He began painting at a very early age, fascinated with color and captivated by the surrounding apple orchards, the farm structures, the rustic terrain, the mountains and the worn signposts along the roads.

After winning many Art Achievement Awards in high school, he attended art school in Seattle, Washington, studying commercial and fine art at the Burnley School of Professional Art and shortly thereafter, moved to New York City.

Victor Mirabelli is currently living and painting in the Hudson Valley in New York.

Mr. Mirabelli has exhibited extensively in both solo and group juried shows and has also served as a guest lecturer and juror for many art organizations and competitions.

He is currently a member of the Salmagundi Club, New York, NY; the Edward Hopper House, Nyack, NY; and the Garrison Art Center, Garrison, NY.

In addition, he has also been an associate member of the Northeast Watercolor Society, the Catskill Art Society, the Kent Art Association and a sustaining associate member of the American Watercolor Society.

His work has been acquired by private collectors throughout the United States.

Victor Mirabelli, Uncharted Terrain Collection #18, Oil on Paper

Could you tell us briefly about your career?

Upon my arrival in New York, I started working as a visual display artist for Bergdorf Goodman and B. Altman and Company. I had the opportunity to design the Charles Jourdan Fifth Avenue store windows using my paintings as backdrops for their merchandise. The theme”Playland” integrated POP figurative imagery using bright sign and oil paints.

My commercial art education gave me the opportunity to pursue graphic design projects as well. I moved on to a career as a designer and art director for several design studios and advertising agencies. I particularly enjoyed working with design studios specializing in print publication launches and redesigns for such publications as Forbes, Food & Wine, The New York Times Magazine and the Chicago Daily News.

As a fine artist, I worked in many mediums—oil, pastel, sign paint and watercolors on a multitude of surfaces: canvas, paper and wood. I also created a collection of 3D shadow boxes and small metal/assemblage sculptures.

As my style developed, I moved from abstract/figurative to landscapes.  I believe my diverse art background with influences from early drawing and exposure to visual display and graphic design, helped me to visualize the placement and design of objects in my landscapes and the use of positive and negative space.

How would you describe your artistic style?

I combine abstract and impressionism in my landscapes. I paint what I grew up feeling, using oil on canvas and paper, done quickly out of memory and then finished. Regardless of where or what I am painting today, I continue to revert to my early memories.

Victor Mirabelli, Uncharted Terrain Collection #16,  Uncharted Terrain Collection #14, Oil on Paper

What themes do you usually deal with in your work? What do you connect with?

The surrounding countryside, old structures (barns and farmhouses), the land, fields, trees and pastures, the light reflections and shadows on the land and the four seasons of the year.

What artistic influences have influenced your work?

I have been influenced by Picasso, Willem de Kooning, Francis Bacon, Richard Diebenkorn and Franz Kline for their use of color and shapes and texture as well as by the landscapes of Andrew Wyeth, Edward Hopper and Monet.

What colors can you say will determine your work?

According to the seasons – Winter: wintry whites and earth tones; Spring: yellows and greens; Summer: wheat and blue-greens; Autumn: amber, oches and orange. And of course black and white.

Any current or upcoming exhibitions we should visit?

Just completed “Black & White and In Between,” at the Argazzi Art Gallery in Lakeville, CT.

Final plans for 2023 exhibitions are in progress.

Could you tell us about a particular project you have done that has been particularly significant for you?

The last one, “Black & White and In Between” a solo exhibition I did in August 2022, at Argazzi Art Gallery in Lakeville, Connecticut. The show featured a body of work that predominately projected landscapes with structures, oil on canvas, using minimal color, mainly black, white and earth tones. This simplicity was carried throughout the process showcasing linear and 1-dimensional structures– simplified abstract shapes.

Any pending project that you would like to carry out?

I’ve been working on a handmade artist book- original paintings, oil on paper, bound with text. I also have an interest in continuing to create a collection of 3D shadow boxes and small metal/assemblage sculptures.

Victor Mirabelli, Café Au Lait, Oil on Canvas