Artist Bio

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Tony Calsaferri is a Coromandel painter whose work is the brightest in town.  When stepping into his well organized flat the colour of his art bounces off the walls grabbing your attention and offering vibrant colour therapy.  Almost every inch of wall space is covered in art and it is an absolutely inspirational space to encounter.  The energy emitted by the work is warm and so is Tony.  He is a very welcoming and friendly guy.

 

The titles of his work are synchronous with his thinking.  Titles like ‘Aftermath’, ‘Revelation’, ‘Colour Revolution’ and ‘Very Superstitious’ give an indication of each work.  He uses the symbols and glyphs of the Maya Civilisation in his work and has a variety of styles from glyphs to abstract symbols working together.  

 

Tony is no doomsday thinker, he believes in eternity with many lessons to be learnt along the way.

“I’m not left or right, but believe in right and wrong. We need to look to a utopian earth, all the necessary inputs are there”.  He has a very positive worldview and his paintings are geared up to uplift people and let the mayan symbols do their work.

“Positive wins over the negative in the end.  We have to be patient, sweet, ruthless and cunning to bring about change”.

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Tony was inspired to work with the symbols of the Mayan Civilization while in Hospital 16 years ago. Prolific since then he has painted over 100 paintings every year.  His paintings are found all over the Coromandel Peninsula and in at least half in the local’s homes and many overseas.

Tony’s main inspiration was three and a half years living at El Remate in Peten Guatemala 20 kilometers from Tikal brilliant city of the Maya.  While there he carved hard wood with the locals for sale to the tourists.  Helped establish an ecotourism venture on a Mayan Ruin overlooking the warm water Lake Peten-Itza.  He guided at Tikal and on week-long jungle trips.  Tony envisioned he was going to stay there but bad health and two bad belts of Malaria brought him home.

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Seven years later he started painting.  His early work was rougher and more radical.  Now his work is measured and has become a bit more conservative.  He is interested in the social effects of his art.  “The colours are the bright colours, the colours of the rain forest, the colours of the Mayan culture”.  Tony is mainly interested in the Classic Maya but is also inspired by all Pr-Columbian art and culture.

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The size of his work generally ranges from 16” x 20” through to 30” by 40” paintings.  The canvas is stretched and he works with acrylic.  Earlier on this year he completed a 4 meter by 1 meter mural which can be viewed at the Coromandel Community Gardens.

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Tony would love to meet you and inspire you with his knowledge of the Mayan civilization.  Please ring him directly to make an appointment to visit.  

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p:  021 260 5344

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