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by Helen Ranta
Cowgirls and Painted Ladies – Oil on canvas by Carla D’aguanno. |
The Vision Award sponsored by Horses In Art magazine was presented to Carla D’aguanno for her painting titled Back From the Dusty Trail at the annual Women Artists of the West show, the East To West – Meeting in the Middle Exhibit at Hilligoss Galleries in Long Grove, Illinois, at the end of 2007. A native of New England, Carla D’aguanno’s illustration career began on the West Coast in Los Angeles where she was commissioned to do celebrity portraits. She also painted movie posters, and other work for advertising agencies. Longing to see the change of seasons again, she returned to her home town in New England and painted book covers for Doubleday, Bantam and HarperCollins of New York.
After switching her focus to concentrate on fine art and participating in some gallery shows, her work was noticed by Mill Pond Press and licensed to appear on greeting cards, calendars, various puzzles and other products sold worldwide. Her first big show in September, 2006, judged by an artist she admires, Martin Grelle, resulted in the Purchase Award for her painting Sabino Gold.
Sabino Gold – Oil on canvas by Carla D’aguanno. |
Today she paints from her studio surrounded by several acres of farmland in Massachusetts where she lives in a log home built by her husband. Her love of the country life, horses, animals and her children is warmly portrayed in her paintings. D’aguanno comments, “It’s interesting how children are so eager to show an animal some love and attention and how eager animals are to accept it.” Portraying children interacting with animals, often performing daily chores is a favorite subject of D’aguanno’s. She notes, “Children and animals have been entrusted to us, and I feel it’s our responsibility to take care of them.”
Carla D’aguanno paints in oils on canvas. To express her gratitude to God, whom she deems the greatest artist of all, her originals are accompanied by a verse from scripture. “A righteous man careth for the life of his animals.” – Proverbs 12:10
Carla D’aguanno is a member of the Women Artists of the West. Visit Carla’s web site at www.westerninspirations.4t.com. Carla will be exhibiting at the Peppertree Art Show in Santa Ynez, California, in May 2008. For an invitation visit www.peppertreeartshow.com.
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