John Torreano (Born 1941) American, Mixed Media Composition. Titled "Goof Ball Mail Box". Mixed media composition depicting a deconstructed mail box. Titled and attributed verso.

Proceeds from this sale will benefit students at the Ringling College of Art & Design. 

Size: 25 x 25 x 3 1/2 in.

John Torreano (born 1941 in Flint, Michigan) is a pioneering American artist and educator, best known for transforming painting through the inventive integration of faceted gems. He earned his BFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1963 and his MFA from Ohio State University in 1967, and, since 1992, has been a clinical professor of studio art at NYU’s Steinhardt School, including its Abu Dhabi and Florence campuses. Torreano’s iconic works—ranging from gem-studded plywood paintings and wood column sculptures to blown-glass forms—explore what he calls “movement-oriented perception,” creating vivid cosmic fields that fuse abstraction with spatial realism. Influenced by his Catholic upbringing, he likens his gems to vigil lights and often draws inspiration from Hubble Space Telescope imagery, turning each piece into a meditative exploration of time, value, and the universe. His work has been featured in major venues including the Whitney, MoMA, MCA Chicago, and Corcoran, and he has received prestigious awards such as a Guggenheim Fellowship and multiple NEA grants.

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