Charles Fazzino returned from an international tour a couple of years ago with an idea to create a version of his 3D limited edition artwork printed on aluminum. After almost a year of development, the first “experimental” Moonstruck Over Manhattan was released. It was so well-received that ever since, Fazzino has struggled to keep up with the demand for his images on aluminum. Reflective Shades of Manhattan Island is his latest endeavor and a follow-up to the almost-sold-out Midnight in Manhattan.

Manhattan in Full Color & Monochrome

In the same vein as Midnight in Manhattan, Reflective Shades of Manhattan Island is available as a full color or blue monochromatic print. “I always love coming up with new ideas. I don’t like standing still artistically,” said Charles Fazzino. “This time, I played around with shadow and reverse imagery to come up with a monochromatic print that is quite a bit more dramatic than the full color image. It’s almost like two different editions. I love the color image but I think the blue is particularly striking. I hope my collectors respond well to both.”

Aluminum Trending

When he first started working with the aluminum, Charles Fazzino really had no idea how it would look. In the end, the aluminum background results in even more eye-popping colors and dramatic effect. The 3D effect is handled differently than it is on paper, allowing for the aluminum to shine through where it makes sense. “We spent a lot of time experimenting with the prints on aluminum,” said Fazzino. “I wasn’t sure that we’d be able to preserve the look of the metal while still achieving the vibrancy and level of detail for which I’ve come to be known. In the end, I’m both surprised and proud with how well the artwork has translated to this new medium. It’s opened a whole new door of creativity for me and I’m excited to continue developing it.

Moonstruck over Manhattan was the first Fazzino release on aluminum in 2012

Contact your favorite authorized Fazzino Gallery for purchasing information for Reflective Shades of Manhattan Island, or visit our current editions page for all of the currently available Fazzino artwork.

Talk about “transformative art!” We recently discovered the very clever and thought-provoking artwork of Victor Nunes, retired art director turned innovative pop artist. Nunes is from Brazil and has become somewhat of a Facebook, sensation as that’s really the only place you can see his ongoing work.

Nunes combines his drawings with a myriad of everyday objects to transform them into something else. You may even think your mind is playing tricks on you when you look at his final compositions. As an artist, he creates a different reality and makes us reformulate how we categorize and use the commonplace things we see and use without even thinking about them. What do YOU see in the drawings below?

We are proud to announce that Heather Fazzino has launched a new website to accompany her latest collection of artwork. “I wanted to launch a new site because I feel that my work has gone through a rather radical transformation recently. My work still has a tribal feel to it but I’ve expanded my subject matter, and elevated the pathos of my style and technique. I thought it warranted a new presentation.”

Inspired by the love for her French and English Bulldogs, Heather began to incorporate them into a new series of stenciled works. Although she hasn’t strayed from her gothic roots, Heather’s latest creations also show a new and maturing fascination with our own human origins and the notion of mortality. Many of her earlier works reflected a “rimpa-style” of line art….detailed….chaotic….and a bit random. This latest collection features a more realistic feel with sophisticated  yet subtle lines and shadows.

“I’m very proud of the evolution that Heather’s work is undergoing,” said Charles Fazzino.  “I think that as she matures, so do her lines and compositions. I find her work to be very thought-provoking and while very different from my own, there is a definite sense of style, technique, and spirit. I think she’s on her way to making a name for herself and distinguishing herself as one of the strong artistic voices of her generation. In fact, we’ve collaborated on a few originals and I’m looking forward to doing more of that in the future.”

Her works are available both as limited edition and original works.

Yesterday was President’s Day, the annual holiday during which we celebrate the most powerful person on the planet – The President of the United States of America. Originally, the holiday in the 1800’s was meant to celebrate the birth of our first President, George Washington. It’s gone through several iterations and today, it embodies the patriotic spirit and all the pomp and circumstance surrounding the Commander in Chief.

Throughout history, US Presidents have provided some of the most compelling subjects for painters, photographers, and sculptors. Every President sits for an official portrait that eventually becomes installed in The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. Salvador Dali put his very unique spin on President Abraham Lincoln. Pop Artist Steve Kaufman paid tribute to President Clinton, and contemporary artist Andy Thomas has painted a series of signature political images, several of which are light-hearted, imaginary assemblages that put Presidents from different times in the same painting.

Charles Fazzino has painted the US Presidents only a few times. In 2003, he presented an original painting to President Bill Clinton to benefit the Clinton Foundation in NYC. He has since painted several originals celebrating the US Presidency, none more majestic than “All the Presidents Men” a work completed in 2009. Fazzino has also included Presidential portraits in several of his limited edition pieces including “In a NY Minute,” and “Euros, Dollars, Yen…oh My!”

Happy President’s Day to our leaders…present, past, and future!

All The Presidents’ Men by Charles Fazzino

Fazzino Presenting to President Bill Clinton

“Callin’ The Red” by Andy Thomas

Salvador Dali’s potrait of Abraham Lincoln/homage to Rothko

Steve Kaufman’s President Clinton

We recently heard from Ed, whose granddaughter Tess has become quite the young artist! In his letter to us, Ed proudly writes:

“Our granddaughter, Tess, has always been intrigued with Charles’ art and its construction.  Recently Tess entered an art exhibition in her Larchmont Middle School (she is twelve years old).  Her artwork was based on a scenic “construction” of memories derived during a summer visit to Coney Island in Brooklyn.  From the photographs I took, you can see Tess utilized her three-dimensional style of artwork based upon your concepts.

Her design was first sketched on the canvas, then painted as a “base level.”  She then she used “push pins” to elevate little cutout pieces to the “second level.”  Her final result so impressed the middle school teachers that she was awarded a first place honor!  After it was exhibited in the school, Tess presented the artwork to us, her grandparents.  We then got the artwork framed, and it proudly hangs on a wall in our house.”

Ed, we most certainly think you should be a very proud grandfather. We were so impressed by Tess’s ability to communicate her message through her artwork. Her technique notwithstanding, her works hows a great deal of thought and ingenuity, and a maturity beyond her years. Charles Fazzino is flattered by her homage to his work and we all hope that Tess keeps painting and creating! We can’t wait to see what else she comes up with.

Thank you for submitting her work to our blog!

“What a Wonderful World” is the latest 3D pop art release from Charles Fazzino. Originally titled “Fazzino’s Wonders of the World,” it’s core focus is on just how incredible our world is…all of the most incredible and incredulous sights and sounds you can find. “I originally wanted this to be an homage to the seven wonders of the world,” said Fazzino. “But in doing my research, I found out that there are dozens of interpretations as to the top seven wonders….so I just started drawing every one I could find and the image just came together. It’s a bit different in feel to my last world-themed piece but I think in a way, it’s more profound and more poignant.”

With all of the cityscape artwork Charles Fazzino has created over his 30-year career, he didn’t actually try to encompass the whole world into one image until 2010 when he released “We are the World Mural.” A masterpiece at almost 6 feet in length, this mural took almost three years to bring to fruition. Fazzino followed that up with an equally successful, if slightly less ambitious “It’s a Small World Mural” in 2014. Both of these editions sold out within months of release. “I really never thought about trying to fit the whole world into one image before,” said Fazzino. “But when you really think about it, it’s a completely natural progression for my work and I’m proud of the fact that I was able to accomplish it.”

Contact your favorite authorized Fazzino Gallery for purchasing information for What a Wonderful World, or visit our current editions page for all of the currently available Fazzino artwork.

Prepare to be Amazed!

We recently came across the paper sculpture art of Canadian artist Calvin Nichols, perhaps the most talented sculptor we’ve ever seen! A naturalist at heart, Nichols has created his own wonderland of animals and landscapes all out of individually cut bits of paper. His detail, texture, and sense of movement are astounding. His works can take weeks, months, and even years to complete. He works mostly in white archival papers, claiming that white is the best color to get the most out of the exquisite shadows and highlights that bring his works to life.

Nichols creates his own works but also takes commissions. One of the most interesting we saw was for a heart surgeon in California. As Nichols remarked “Discoveries in surgical technique and the treatment of heart valve defects give patients new hope. This custom designed piece was presented to a gifted surgeon in California.”

If you are looking for something absolutely stunning and unique to add to your collection, look no further. Calvin Nichols’ work is a wonderful sight to behold. Enjoy!

We’re proud to introduce the first-ever set of Fazzino emoji/stickers! They are now available through the Hi-Art app on iPhone. Now you can tell your friends in the language of Fazzino that you are:

Stuck in Traffic!

Hot as Heck!

Wishing Them a Happy Birthday!

Or Hungry for a Pizza!

24 Emoji/Stickers in all …. and for only $1.99.

Here’s how you can get them.

1. Download the app at https://itunes.apple.com/app/id882848121.
2. Sign up
3. Click Charles Fazzino banner
4. Click the coin button on the Fazzino pack which will prompt you to buy coins.
5. Buy coins and then click coin button top right of the pack and it will be added to your keyboard.
6. You can start sending the emoji instantly. Installing keyboard instructions are there when you click the keyboard on the app. We do not store typing information.

HAVE FUN!

The attacks in Belgium this week were another reminder of the importance of bringing us together as people…to rise up and declare our strength and demonstrate our compassion for one another.

The Paris attacks in November of 2015 were a turning point for all of us….Charles Fazzino included. He was scheduled to visit Paris and Brussels in the weeks after the attacks and he went ahead with his plans….bringing his whimsical, happy, colorful artworks to a group of people who sorely needed some laughter and some smiles. He also brought with him an artwork….titled “We Cry Together”….an artwork that he conceptualized and completed in the days after the Paris attacks to commemorate the event and capture the emotions it evoked. The purpose was to work with his agent in France, Galerie Artima, to sell the artwork as a limited edition with all of the proceeds being donated to the victims of the Paris attacks.

Nobody could have predicted the outpouring of support people showed through the purchase of that very limited edition piece which sold out in a matter of days. The entire amount raised came to over $40,000 and Fazzino’s exclusive agent and partner in the project, Galerie Artima, presented the proceeds to France’s AP-HP, or Paris’s hospital and public care network. The funds are being used for two specific purposes:

The immediate care of the victims directly affected by the attacks

The funding of the largest-ever research program launched to develop new techniques to care for patients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

The research is being undertaken by Professor Brunet, a trauma specialist at McGill University in Montreal in cooperation with Dr. Gaell Apgrall, the Head of Medical Psychotraumatology at Tenon Hospital, and Professor Bruno Millet of the Adult Psychiatric Unit of the hospital Pitié Salpêtrière.  You can visit www.aphp.fr for more information about this valuable and cutting edge program.

“I was horrified by the attacks in Paris…and now those in Belgium,” said Charles Fazzino. “I was actually at a show in the United States in the days following the attacks and i just pulled out a napkin and started sketching the artwork that became ‘We Cry Together.’ I just HAD to DO something. I showed it to Olivier and Nicolas Waltman of Galerie Artima in Paris where  was headed the following week and they were completely behind the effort to sell it to raise funds. They did all of the legwork and also donated all of the framing so that we could raise a significant amount of money to help the victims of the attacks and hopefully victims of these horrific events in the future.”

Last week, Charles Fazzino’s staff had the pleasure of presenting to two art classes at Ardsley High School in Ardsley, New York.  During each class, they gave an orientation on Charles Fazzino, his work, technique, and creative method. The students learned about silkscreen printing and the 3-D process and even had a chance to try their hand at gluing up an actual Fazzino creation. They watched a newsreel about Fazzino’s exploits all over the world and had the opportunity to ask questions and think about how Charles’s journey gives them perspective on the role that art plays in our world today.

“It’s wonderful when we can bring Fazzino to kids who have an interest in the arts,” said Fazzino from his studio. “We try to inspire their own creativity, show them what’s possible in their own lives, and open up their minds to the importance of the arts in their world…whether or not they aspire to careers in the arts. It’s fun for us and we hope, fun for the kids.”

The Charles Fazzino Arts Education is the name we’ve given to an in-house initiative to promote arts education throughout the world. The program has taken on various forms….from conducting interactive workshops throughout the world….to mentoring mural projects from across the country….to producing “Fazzinopalooza” in Williamsport, PA. We’ve hosted studio tours and fund-raising receptions. The upshot is that we want to do what we can to emphasize the importance of teaching art to our young folks…to foster their creativity…to teach them how to think out of the box…to be resourceful and inventive. The arts are the best way to help kids explore themselves and broaden their experiences. We hope that our small bit of involvement goes a long way in promoting these efforts throughout our school and our communities.

On Monday evening, Charles Fazzino was honored to be a guest of the NY Yankees at their annual homecoming dinner and fundraiser for the NY Yankee Foundation. Together with the Yankees, Fazzino had the pleasure of presenting former Yankee and “Pride of the Yankees” Award Winner Hideki Matsui with an original artwork celebrating his storied career with the Bronx Bombers. Matsui, a Yankee from 2003 to 2009, made his mark on the franchise, winning a World Series MVP Award and becoming the first Japanese player to slam a home run in the World Series.

“Hideki Matsui is one of the most respected and beloved Yankees of all time,” said Charles Fazzino. “I was thrilled to be able to work with the Yankees to create an artwork to celebrate his accomplishments. The Homecoming Dinner is a fantastic fundraiser for an incredibly generous organization and I was proud to be a part of it.” The event raised more than $1 million to support the programs of the NY Yankee Foundation.

Remember when you had to actually go to the bank to complete a transaction….or call your broker on the phone and have him get to convey a message to the trading floor to make a stock trade? Those were the good old days. We are stating the obvious when we say that technology is everywhere! Well, Charles Fazzino decided he needed to make a statement about how ever-changing technology has affected our financial lives. The result is the new 3D pop art limited edition release titled Mind Your Money, In Our Digital World.

“In a Way,” says Fazzino, “this piece is a metaphor for my own life. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed by how fast things are happening….but even more so, how fast things can get so messed up. You used to have to talk to people on the phone or see them in person to complete complex financial transactions. Now you can make a mistake by just pushing a button and suddenly, your entire life savings is gone. Or your identity is stolen. Or your bank account is compromised. It’s so easy for things to slip away and you have to be so diligent about staying up on the new technologies.

“We used to be able to manage our lives by using our brains. Now our brains are essentially plugged into all this technology and pretty soon, all you’ll have to do is have a thought and things will just happen…and they will be so far beyond our control before we can do anything about them. The days of the old trading floor with mobs of guys yelling are over and done. Now it’s all about the computers and who can create faster circuits and better buttons to push. It’s more important to be plugged in than tuned in!”

Financial-Themed Pop Art

“Mind Your Money….” is the latest in a long line of financial-themed pop art by Charles Fazzino. Since the 1994 release “Money Makes the World go Round,” money has been a popular subject for Fazzino’s whimsical 3D look at life. “Another Day, Another Dollar,” and “Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees” were two of the most popular images the artist has ever released.

Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees

Another Day, Another Dollar

Here’s a new Fazzino 3D limited edition release for ALL YOU DOG LOVERS OUT THERE! Puppy romance in Paris…couldn’t be better! Paws in Paris is the latest in a line of dog/cat Fazzino releases which has included Dogs on a Hot Tin Ruff-Ruff (1998), Catatonically Catnipped and Meowing in Mancattan (2001), Cat Scratch Fever (2015), and It’s a Dog Day Afternoon (2013).”

“I do like cats, but I’m really a huge dog person. I love them! Unfortunately, I’m allergic to most cats…..my daughter has the most adorable British Bulldog named Missy and French Bulldog named Olivier….they are like my grandkids!”

Paws in Paris sets those lovable canines in the romantic city of Paris!

Paws in Paris

Cat Scratch Fever

Dogs on a Hot Tin Ruff Ruff

Romanticized stories about stolen art have been around….well…forever. How about the 1966 romantic comedy “How to Steal a Million”  starring Audrey Hepburn and Peter O’toole about a woman who steals a statue from a Paris museum? “The DaVinci Code” from the year 2000 centered on a murder at the Louvre in Paris. And who can forget Bogart’s “The Maltese Falcon.” There’s just something seductive and mysterious about the theft of art or crimes involving art.

Life imitated art once again last week when the Springfield Art Museum in Springfield, Missouri reported the theft of several famous Andy Warhol”soup can” works from 1968. The FBI, which actually maintains a special Art Crimes Team, was brought in to investigate. They offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the perpetrators.

Throughout history, stolen art has captured our imaginations. A quick perusal through the FBI’s National Stolen Art File gives us a glimpse at some of the more high profile cases. In 2002, two brazen men broke into the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and stole the artist’s “View fo the Sea at Scheveningen” and “Congregation Leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen.” Together they are valued at about $30 million. Picasso’s “Le pigeon aux petits pais” was lifted in 2010, along with 4 other paintings valued at over $100 million, from the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, and in 2012 theives stole Claude Monet’s “Charing Cross Bridge, London” from the Kunsthal Museum in Rotterdam.

Picasso’s “Le pigeon aux petits pais”

Then of course, there are the private thefts such as the Picasso portrait stolen from the home of Wilma Tisch many years ago. The portrait recently resurfaced with a Miami art dealer, according to the “NY Daily News” and is now the subject of a court battle to determine the rightful owner.

If theft of one’s art is a coming of age right of passage for any well-known artist, then Charles Fazzino has certainly passed that test. Several Fazzino works have been reported stolen, with the “Wizard of Oz” being the most recent. It was stolen from a private home in Broward County, Florida in October, 2015.

The moral of the story? Make sure you insure your beloved artworks as you would your jewelry …. and secure them as you would any other valuable…and then ENJOY THEM!

Fazzino’s “The Wizard of Oz”

Charles Fazzino is very proud to announce his latest limited edition release “Portrait of a Champion,” celebrating Victor Espinoza’s historical trifecta aboard the legendary American Pharoah in 2015. In June, 2015, for the first time in 37 years Espinoza and American Pharoah scored victories in three consecutive Triple Crown races….The Kentucky Derby, The Preakness, and The Belmont Stakes. Only 12 horses in history have achieved that accomplishment.

“Victor’s run to history with American Pharoah was nothing short of inspirational,” said Charles Fazzino. “Having created artwork for three previous Belmont Stakes, this piece was just a natural fit for me. I hope I’ve captured the sheer excitement and the significance of one of the most important moments in horse racing history. Congratulations Victor!”

“Portrait of a Champion” is available as a 250 piece 3D fine art limited edition. Contact your favorite authorized Fazzino gallery or email us at info@fazzinocollectors.com for purchasing information.

The United States Olympic Committee just threw a huge 100-day out celebration in New York City for the upcoming Olympic Games in Rio Brazil. First Lady Michelle Obama and The Band Perry joined Today Show anchors Matt Lauer and Natalie Morales for this stop on the Road To Rio Tour presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance. At the same time, Charles Fazzino released his new officially licensed art collection for Rio…a limited edition 3D print, an embellished limited edition flat print, and a 3D Collectors Pin. The entire Fazzino Summer Olympic Games Art Collection will be on display at the USA House in Rio during the Games.

Stars on Canvas is a bi-annual art auction that raises funds for the UK charity, Willow. More than 900 artworks created by artists illustrators, sports personalities, and stars of stage and screen have been sold to fund Special Days for seriously ill young adults through the UK. The organization is supported by such superstars as Tony Bennett, Annie Lennox, Kylie Minogue… and all have created art sold during Stars on Canvas. The auction has raised more than $300,000 since it began.

Helping Young Adults Get a Special Day

Founded in 1999 by former Arsenal goalkeeper and TV presenter, Bob Wilson and his wife, Megs, Willow has fulfilled more than 11,500 Special Days for seriously ill young adults aged 16-40, creating lasting memories for them and their families at the most difficult of times. Your support and the monies raised from the Stars on Canvas auction will enable the charity to make many more Special Days a reality for those young people living throughout the UK with the life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, MND, cystic fibrosis, MD, and organ failure. The next auction will take place in November, 2016 and you can register on the website in order to be updated with exact dates and times.

“Willow is a wonderful organization. I had never heard of them before,” said Charles Fazzino, “but when they approached me about creating a canvas, I did some research. I was so impressed with the caring and compassion shown by this organization. They are creating wonderful memories and wonderful experiences and I’m honored to be able to do my small part to support their initiative.”

It’s Our Ninth Edition of TRAVEL WITH FAZZINO: Italy

It’s time to travel to a place that has it all: Great food, wine, history, culture and entertainment. There is no place in the world like Italy!

Fazzino’s many tributes to  the country of love, culture, and cuisine

Charles Fazzino has painted many tributes to the homeland of his Italian father, but ironically, he has never been there. “Every year, i say i’m going to spend time in Italy next year….well..i’ve been saying that for almost two decades now and all i’ve been able to do is pass through.” said Fazzino. I WILL get there someday and i am so looking forward to it!”

In 2002, Fazzino released the limited edition “Carnevale Veneziana” with it’s majestic skyline and vibrant colors. It was an immediate success, causing collectors to request more images on this beautiful country. The Italy Suite: Florence, Venice, Rome, and Tuscany followed in 2006. The Tuscany and Venice images proved to be the most popular, with many collectors choosing to install the suite of four together as they were intended to be displayed.

In 2014, Fazzino returned to Venice one more time with “The Sun Rises Over Venice.” This time, he took a bit of a playful approach, highlighting the gondolas … and adding a fun-loving dragon to the mix.

18 Holes at a Tee Time

“Linking the World…18 Holes at a Tee Time” is Charles Fazzino’s first golf-themed 3D pop art release since the year 2000 when he released “A Hole in One Behind Bush 13.” “Linking….” takes a bit of a more sophisticated look at the game of golf, honing in on some of the world’s most famous golf courses. From Pebble Beach in California to Hirono Golf Club in Tokyo, and from Dubai Creek to Marina Bay in Singapore….it’s a golfer’s paradise.

“I only started doing paintings of the whole world a few years ago,” said Fazzino. “And lately, I’ve been hearing more and more of a demand for another golf image but one that focuses on the beauty of the course landscapes and the majesty of the game. I thought that combining the world with golf would make a really nice image. I think it fit together really well and conveys the worldliness and global popularity of the game.”

Fazzino’s first artwork (above) on golf was “Desert Green” in 1993.

Contact us for more information on this new release and be sure to check out other sports inspired art pieces. 

Fazzino and hearts just…well…go together! And here’s another New York heart from the Master of 3D Pop Art, “Night and Day…The Heart Beats for NY.”

The Heart Beats for NY

Fazzino’s whimsical style and vibrant colors always seem to work well with heart shapes. The artist has rendered many of his most favorite subjects in the popular shape: New York, Broadway, Paris, London…and more! “Night and Day…” is a unique forced perspective of New York City. It’s almost a fish-eye view of Manhattan as if you were standing either in Brooklyn or Queens, looking out over the bridges. The city is compressed from both sides to fit within the heart shape.

“New York is the city that never sleeps,” said Charles Fazzino. “I have this piece going from the dark of night to the light of day because if you love New York, you love it around the clock.” The edition is available both on paper and on aluminum.

Contact your favorite authorized Fazzino Art Gallery for purchasing information for “Night and Day…The Heart Beats for New York” or visit our current editions page for all of the currently available Fazzino artwork.