Mauro Baio was born on the 6th of May 1991 in Lecco, a small town by Lake Como, Italy, situated between the lake and the mountains and characterized by its beautiful views and unique landscapes. This singular environment leads to a natural infatuation for the dichotomy and the contrast between lights and shadows, which derive from the shape of its morphology. This is the setting in which the propension for drawing became a passion and brought the artist to undertake the artistic career. Five years ago, he was diagnosed with a chronic disease known as arthritis. But the discomfort turned into motivation and in 2015 he enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice, Visual Arts course, faculty of Painting, where he graduated in 2018 with honors. There he was able to increase his profound research for lights through colors.
Published January 6th, 2020, Interview responses collected in the months prior
What projects are you working on right now?
The mountain theme as a pure life ethic made up of contrasting perceptions. The sacredness and power of an almost pristine natural environment. My favorite way to deal with these environments is to ski, which in itself is an art, the art of drawing lines on a blank canvas. The monumental and desert environment of snowfields and glaciers proves contrasting sensations. Feeling tiny but at the same time great for covering up these distances uphill fighting in the snow and putting your own life into play, because the mountain is majestic, sacred but it is one of the most unpredictable and dangerous natural elements. I take this project very seriously as I personally have been practicing ski touring for two years and every weekend I approach my friends and I with due respect to the mountain. Every week I fill my photo archive, but every week this environment intends to disappear. This series began in January 2019 and has at least 20 paintings in progress.
How do you keep yourself accountable in your practice?
Even if I'm young and a beginner in the art world, I keep my job seriously trying to stay focused on my direction as much as I can. I think that my approach is professional both practice and theory. Nothing on my production is random even better everything is the result of deep research on the theme that I'm dealing with. Any piece of my production is approached as a "masterpiece" from the frame to the canvas. I choose the best cotton and oil paint that fit with my style and proceed step by step trying to make the best any time. Maybe I'm too much on making any time the best as I can and just the effort to build a well-done canvas don't let me the complete freedom to play and be free to experience. But I'm ok with it because even if I'm methodical with my production any few moths things change naturally and the maturity process goes on.
How do you stay motivated to pursue your creative work?
I don't need something to be motivated. Painting is just I think that I can't stop thinking about it. Like any other human, I've my perception of life. As a painter, I paint what I like. Where ever I am, there is something that naturally catches my attention and more I paint more I understand what can fit the best for my painting process. I think to be an artist is all about get interested in something you like and start studying that subject as much as you can no matter what it is. if you have something to show to others is not gonna be a problem to do that. of course, it is nor easy and is up and down like any other job, because painting is like any other job, any time you approach the canvas problems came out and you have to solve them no matter what. sometimes you secede sometime you fail but that's life and it is what it is.
Where do you hope to be 10 years from now and what would you like to say to yourself?
In 10 years I hope to be ten times more mature and with 10 years of experience. All I want is to reach independence and do what I love to do for living no matter the level I'll reach in the art market or which gallery is going to represent me, just wake up in the morning be proud and happy to do what I love will be the best satisfaction to me.
What projects are you working on right now?
The mountain theme as a pure life ethic made up of contrasting perceptions. The sacredness and power of an almost pristine natural environment. My favorite way to deal with these environments is to ski, which in itself is an art, the art of drawing lines on a blank canvas. The monumental and desert environment of snowfields and glaciers proves contrasting sensations. Feeling tiny but at the same time great for covering up these distances uphill fighting in the snow and putting your own life into play, because the mountain is majestic, sacred but it is one of the most unpredictable and dangerous natural elements. I take this project very seriously as I personally have been practicing ski touring for two years and every weekend I approach my friends and I with due respect to the mountain. Every week I fill my photo archive, but every week this environment intends to disappear. This series began in January 2019 and has at least 20 paintings in progress.
How do you keep yourself accountable in your practice?
Even if I'm young and a beginner in the art world, I keep my job seriously trying to stay focused on my direction as much as I can. I think that my approach is professional both practice and theory. Nothing on my production is random even better everything is the result of deep research on the theme that I'm dealing with. Any piece of my production is approached as a "masterpiece" from the frame to the canvas. I choose the best cotton and oil paint that fit with my style and proceed step by step trying to make the best any time. Maybe I'm too much on making any time the best as I can and just the effort to build a well-done canvas don't let me the complete freedom to play and be free to experience. But I'm ok with it because even if I'm methodical with my production any few moths things change naturally and the maturity process goes on.
How do you stay motivated to pursue your creative work?
I don't need something to be motivated. Painting is just I think that I can't stop thinking about it. Like any other human, I've my perception of life. As a painter, I paint what I like. Where ever I am, there is something that naturally catches my attention and more I paint more I understand what can fit the best for my painting process. I think to be an artist is all about get interested in something you like and start studying that subject as much as you can no matter what it is. if you have something to show to others is not gonna be a problem to do that. of course, it is nor easy and is up and down like any other job, because painting is like any other job, any time you approach the canvas problems came out and you have to solve them no matter what. sometimes you secede sometime you fail but that's life and it is what it is.
Where do you hope to be 10 years from now and what would you like to say to yourself?
In 10 years I hope to be ten times more mature and with 10 years of experience. All I want is to reach independence and do what I love to do for living no matter the level I'll reach in the art market or which gallery is going to represent me, just wake up in the morning be proud and happy to do what I love will be the best satisfaction to me.
Find Mauro Baio on instagram