Virtual Art Tour

Chuck Sabatino, American, born 1935

An Oasis in the Badlands

"You could say that popular regional artist Chuck Sabatino has more than a mild interest in Southwestern Pueblo pottery," wrote Aspen's Wind River Gallery about Sabatino. "Not only does he collect pots from various tribes such as the Zuni Shoshone and Anasazi, but he also loves to paint them as well."

Sabatino paints with oil glazes in a technique known as chiaroscuro (kee-AR-o-SKOOR-o), which is the modeling of form using light and dark; an artistic treatment that emphasizes the contrast between light areas and shadows. Sabatino has said, "I like light and shadow to be the force in my work. With glazing, light and shadow, I feel I get a wonderful three-dimensional quality to my paintings. I like to paint more than anything else. When I start to paint, everything else disappears and it's almost like I've become part of the painting. I like to paint in oils with glazes (that's a thin transparent layer of paint layered over a dry layer). A luminous effect can be achieved by this method."

The artist is noted for his meticulous attention to detail. His style is familiar to most people, whether or not they have studied art. One feels especially comfortable with his work, since his paintings of pottery can be compared with their real-life counterparts. This luminous, yet soft, approach is a fitting tribute to the vanishing west that he captures so well.