Lou Ann Dattilo

As an artist each piece I paint is meant to reflect the timeless qualities of a fresco painting. By using unconventional methods and materials, I begin to reference the painting techniques of the renaissance.

Born in a small town in Tennessee, my family owned a paint store where my father created many custom finishes. As a home builder, he incorporated his painting techniques into many of his homes. I have been told by family members that I acquired his same talent and love for creativity.

Through the process of my techniques, I work at staying true to the principles in the field of fresco while creating a contemporary piece using modern mediums. I begin by working on a prepared wooden canvas. Using a trowel as my utensil, I apply a Giornata layer; it is allowed to dry overnight. While this layer is wet, I mist color pigment on top for depth. I also employ analytical techniques to allow for a broader range of pigments and visual appeal. To recreate the chemical reactions that takes place in a Buon Fresco I will use products to fix color pigments into the wet layers. When the time is right, I add my signature distress marks and formal lines to the piece. These divided spaces are seen in large Fresco paintings as a seam separating various day’s work.

The majority of my works are created on wood panel surfaces. I tend to work larger - with common sizes ranging from 20 x 20" to 48 x 60." 

The process of layering product, infusing with color and physically distressing when dry to reveal many layers is repeated several times. These multiple steps insure that my work is not a surface decoration but an integral part of the finished piece. Through my paintings, I hope to illuminate how my modern take on a fresco can still play an active role in shaping art today.