Eric Santoli

The power of art is to see the world a little differently so don't let color blindess hold you back!

About the Artist

Eric Alexander Santoli is a painter and teacher. He is a 2014 BFA graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and a 2013 certificate recipient of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. In 2024, He received his MA in Studio Art from the Florence Academy of Art. In May of 2021, Eric was awarded the Versailles Foundation's prestigious Munn Fellowship Artist Residency Award. For this Fellowship, he lived as Artist-in-Residence at Claude Monet's house and gardens in Giverny, France from May until August of 2023. Eric is currently developing an instructional painting and travel program titled, Eric En Plein Air™ for American Public Television (APT). In addition to painting, he enjoys being outdoors, gardening, reading, writing, traveling, skateboarding and riding my Triumph Bonneville T100.

Artist's Statement

"As a representational painter, I often receive interesting responses when people find out that I’m colorblind (deficient). People sometimes ask, “How can you paint?” or “What do you see?” In art school, we learn about the importance of a principle called “value”, which means lightness and darkness of color. Essentially, value plays a more important role than color in my work. At the same time, I also love color and the subtly of color. I’d say being colorblind has made me focus more on my color and the way I use my palette. I think focusing on seeming “disadvantages” can turn them into advantages. Art became my career so my colorblindness became part of my story and practice."

Normal Color Vision vs. Color Blind Vision

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Instagram: @ericenpleinair | Website: www.ericenpleinair.com

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