The Artist's Story

Frank Corso was born in Syracuse New York. Taking a keen interest in art at a very early age, he was inspired to draw and paint the landscape of the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York where he still maintains a summer residence. He had the opportunity to have very fine Art teachers in high school who also happen to be fine painters (George Benedict and Nick Todisco), and through their influence began to polish his painting style from an early age. After attending both Onondaga Community College and Syracuse University, He began private study in portrait and figure painting with an Austrian born portrait painter, Robert Hoffmann. This association lasted for over eleven years. He then began to travel and paint extensively around the country and eventually to Europe, focusing his attention on Italy. As time went on he continued study with other portrait painters such as Daniel Greene of New York and Jack Callahan of Rockport, feeling that the way to gain knowledge of painting was through portrait painters, which he could then apply to landscape painting to forge his own style.

Around 1980, he relocated to the North Shore of Massachusetts, where there has always been a thriving art scene. He achieved Master status at the Copley Society in Boston and began to receive many awards for his work, including The Yankee Sagendorf award and the Grumbacher medal. Paintings have been included in “The best of Oil Painting” and the “Best of Pastel” hard cover art books by Rockport Publishers and feature articles recently in “Sea History Magazine” and Southwest Florida's "Expressions" magazine. He continues to have sell out one man shows in both Nantucket Massachusetts and in Florida. Most recently his paintings were selected to be in the movie set of an upcoming major motion picture called "The Company Men" starring Kevin Costner, Ben Afflect and Tommy Lee Jones. This is scheduled for a 2010 release.

Frank still spends some time in coastal Massachusetts where he maintains a home and studio, Upstate New York in the Finger Lakes region and at his home in Southwest Florida, where he seems to be spending the majority of his time these days, along with various painting trips around the country and Europe. He has done two month long painting trips from Sicily to Tuscany. His many other interests include being a professional Blues and Old time musician , having released three CD’s with his band Roll and Tumble and a fourth Solo CD coming soon featuring guitar, slide guitar banjo and ukulele. He also builds his own guitars and banjos and has restored and maintains his award winning 1933 Plymouth coupe, along with constantly tinkering with his 2008 C6 ZO6 Corvette. His paintings are sought by collectors and hang in many private and corporate institutions around the world including the Ritz Carlton, Naples Florida,The Cloister, Geogia Sea Island and many others. Frank is represented by fine Galleries and dealers nationwide.

Here is a link to the most recent newspaper article in the Naples Daily News regarding my 13th annual one-man show.

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2010/feb/24/frankly-great-corso-applies-himself-painting-music/

Some Awards and Affiliations

Master Status from the Copley Society of Boston

Elected Full member Pastel Society of America

American Society of Marine Artists

1987-Grumbacher Gold Medal

1984 Yankee Sagendorf Award

1985-86-87-88-89-91 Massachusetts Arts Lottery Council awards

Selected Shows

13 Annual one -man shows at Gardner Colby Gallery, Naples, FL

2006 One Man show, Cavalier Gallery, Nantucket MA

2005 One Man Show, Robert Wilson Gallery, Nantucket Ma.

2004-2006 Wentworth Coolidge Mueseum, NH

2001 Attelboro Museum, MA

1999 Harvard Club, Boston,MA

1996 John Collins Gallery, Newburyport, MA

1988 Art Expo, NYC

Some Publications

2007 Feature article American Art Collector magazine

2005 Expressions magazine

2005 Feature article American Art Collector magazine

2004 Spotlight Magazine

2004 American Art Review

2003 Cape Cod Life

2000 Sea History Magazine

1990 Fine Art and Antiques

1997 The Best of Oil Painting, Rockport Publishing

1997 The Best of Pastel, Rockport Publishing

1988 Decor Magazine

1985 Yankee Magazine

1995 Enrico Donati Gallery, Ma.