Artist Biography....
Born in the city of New York, Ron Mineo was brought immediately into the art world.
His father Sebastiano Mineo, a Sicilian born artist, came to America to establish one of the largest private art schools in New York City.
It was called Art Life Craft Studios. It was born, like Ron, in the Fifties when art trends made New York the "Artistic capital of the world."
In his teens Ron spent much of his time at the studio in Manhattan, learning every aspect of the fine arts.
He managed the small bronze foundry created by his father. He supervised the school's supply shop containing art materials including a variety of wood and stones,
clay, glazes, plaster, and casting paraphernalia, painting and drawing equipment, plastics and more. This exposure gave Ron a profound reverence and understanding
of all art materials.
He found his way to Philadelphia to study and apprentice under Boris Blai who had taught Ron's father,
Sebastiano, forty years earlier. Professor Blai, founder of Tyler School of Art, was a figurative artist who worked on a grand scale and had been an apprentice to
August Rodin in Paris. His portraits were in great demand. Models who sat for Blai included President Truman, President Roosevelt, Frank Lloyd Wright,
and many other dignitaries of the 20th Century. Working in Blais' studio for two years, Ron came away with a sense of professionalism and an appreciation
for sculpting on a grand scale.
Returning to New York, Ron took an active roll in operating Art Life Studios.
In addition Ron submersed himself in the search for extraordinary teaching techniques, and during this period earned his Bachelors and Masters degrees,
both with honors. Ron's educational quest took him to some of the finest teaching institutions. In the late 70's Ron was awarded two consecutive,
highly sought after scholarships to Haystack School of Crafts in Deer Isle, Maine.
In the mid eighties Ron, now the Director of Art Life Studios, moved the studio to Westchester County
where cultural demand was high. Art Life Studios became the finest private art school in the area. In addition to his quest for the excellent teaching
techniques Ron continued to refine his knowledge of materials and restorative processes. During the late eighties Ron studied museum quality framing and
also apprenticed at the Pine Hill Studio in Katonah under the tutelage of James Beardsley, where he practiced fine art restoration.
He then opened Art Life Frame and Restoration to coincide with the studio operation.
About that time Ron realized the finest marble, and marble carvers came from the Tuscany region of Italy.
To be precise Carrara Italy, where Michelangelo acquired the stone for his sculptures. Intent on knowing more about this industry Ron brought his students
to Carrara to carve with the masters. Ron has visited Carrara many times and now has an intimate knowledge of this incomparable marble,
the place it is quarried, and the people who work it. Many of these trips were teaching junkets where Ron organized and supervised 12-14 students for
three weeks of carving, touring, and studio visits.
During this same period Ron had the opportunity to create a number of public artworks.
Some of these pieces are on a monumental scale and can be seen on the Public Projects page of this web site.
Ron is well suited to creating site specific installations. The fascination with public artwork has encouraged Ron
to attend numerous symposiums on the subject. Between the new technologies he has learned and his earliest exposure to the bronze industry,
Ron is poised to become an important creator of public art.
Ron is the consummate teacher, always willing to discuss an art project with a patron,
a pupil, or a colleague. In a culture where too many artists are secretive and concealing, Ron is eager to share his deep knowledge of art and
lifelong pursuit of the creative process.
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