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Pino was born in Bari on November 8, 1939 and began his studies at the
city’s Art Institute. In 1960 he entered Milan’s Academy of Brera where he
perfected his talent and skill for painting nudes. In the two years he
studied at the Academy, he came under the influence of the Pre-Raphaelites
and Macchiaioli.
During his stay in Milan in the late sixties, Pino also experimented with
Expressionism. From 1960 to 1979 his work appeared in several major
exhibitions throughout Italy and Europe. At the same time, he was
commissioned by Italy’s two largest publishers, Mondadori and Rizzoli, for
book illustrations. However, Pino felt restricted in Milan. He wanted more
artistic freedom which he believed existed in the United States.
In 1979, he emigrated to the United States under the sponsorship of the
Borghi Gallery where he held several shows in New York and Massachusetts.
In 1980, after knocking on many doors, Zebra Books Publishers commissioned
him to do his first book cover. His interpretation was new, fresh and
sensual, an illustration so successful that he gained entry into creative
relationships with many leading publishers of Romance novels. His
popularity grew within the literary community and he became the
artist-in-demand for Zebra, Bantam, Simon, and Schuster, Harlequin,
Penquin USA and Dell.
To date, Pino has illustrated 3,000 books; his style has dominated and
influenced the market. Although Pino devoted thirteen years to
illustrating book covers, he never abandoned his desire to return to fine
art. Since then his paintings have appeared in Morris and Whiteside
Gallery in Hilton Head and Stuart Johnson’s Settlers West Gallery in
Tucson. |
