Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, Sandro Sebastian began drawing at an early age by way of copying cartoon characters he watched on television as many children do.
Always dreaming of a career in animation and comic books, Sebastian didn’t discover the great masters until his third year of college as an undergrad. It was there, on the third floor of the University library, he encountered books of reproductions by Caravaggio, Velazquez, Sandro Botticelli, Vermeer, and all other Baroque and Renaissance masters that our worldview is built around.
All of a sudden a new world opened up and he began furiously copying these works, trying to learn to not take that masterful technique for granted, and the results encouraged him to pursue painting full time. The world that existed before the one that we currently inhabit, the people that affect why we look at the world the way we do, is what drives this work, and what connection there is between past and present. How many things can you be taught to see that our current society does not.
After much practice, Sandro was able to secure a scholarship to a graduate MFA program at Pratt Institute of Fine Arts in Brooklyn, NY. After relocating, however, Sandro soon found the academic environment to be a mixed bag of positive and negative influences, so to relieve anxiety, he began making weekly trips to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. With sketchbook in hand, it was there that he discovered a treasure trove of works outside the western tradition, and copied in person the wall reliefs of Ancient Egypt, the tribal sculptures and figurines of Africa, and the elegant Chinese landscapes on display at the Met. A whole new realm opened up yet again, seeing the artistic perspective of non-Eurocentric cultures that pre-date the Renaissance and, dare I say, surpass it in many respects.
Officially breaking ties with Pratt in the Spring semester of 2019, Sandro Sebastian returned to Los Angeles where he now lives and works, pursuing his own voice.
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EDUCATION:
OTIS College of Art and Design Creative Writing MFA – (1 semester)
Pratt Institute MFA Painting and Drawing Program – (2 semesters)
Bachelor’s Degree (Studio Art): California State University, Sacramento
AWARDS/HONORS:
OTIS College of Art and Design Merit Scholarship 2020
Pratt Institute Fine Arts Merit scholarship 2018
Pasadena Art Center College of Design MFA Scholarship 2018
Dominic J. Bazanella Award Sacramento State- Short Fiction 2012
EXHIBITIONS:
2025
“Crushes” Art Show- Center for the Arts Eagle Rock (CA)
Carnival of the Animals – Mandell Weiss Gallery (CA)
2024
Texas National 2024- Stephen F. Austin State University- School of Art (TX)
California Dreamin’ – Dorado 806 Projects (CA)
2023
“Your Place at the Table III: Rooted” -311 Art Gallery (NC)
2022
“Magnum Opus 2022”- Sacramento Fine Arts Center (CA)
2021
“Open Themed Annual 2021” Webster Arts (MO)
“42nd National Juried Art Show” The Arts Council of Wayne County (Wayne County, NC)
“CCAN 2021” Center for Contemporary Arts (Abilene, TX)
“Summer Pleasures” Modern Visual Arts Gallery (Bethlehem, PA)
“May 2021 Group Art Show” Jones Gallery (Kansas City, MO)
“Heroes, Heroines, and Heroics” Flagler County Art League (Palm Coast, FL)
“Artist’s Vision 2021” Marin Society of Artists (San Rafael, CA)
“Expo 40-Where Things Land” B.J Spoke Gallery (New York, NY)
2020
“Photography 2020” Las Lagunas Gallery (Laguna Beach, CA)
“Expressions 2020” Marin Society of Artists (San Rafael, CA)
“Go Figure!” Springfield Art Association- Hoogland Center for the Arts. (Springfield, IL)
“Red” Colors of Humanity Gallery (online exhibition)
“Open Theme Annual” – Webster Arts, (St. Louis, MO)
2019
-“Botanicals” Artroomgalleryonline.com (Online Gallery)
– “55th Annual Newport Beach Art Festival.” June 15 (Newport Beach, CA)
-“Roslyn Art Festival.” Brodine and Brodine Gallery (Roslyn, WA)
-“555 Special Exhibition” Light Space & Time Art (Online Gallery)
2018
-“Sweet 15” Alumni Show- Napa Hall Main Gallery, California State University Channel Islands (Camarillo, CA)
2012
-“Annual Student Awards Show” Robert Else Gallery, California State University, Sacramento
-“Annual Senior Show” Robert Else Gallery, California State University, Sacramento
PUBLICATIONS:
2020
Circle Quarterly Art Magazine Issue 5- Summer 2020
Murze Magazine Issue 12- “Our Body”
2019
Wotisart Magazine – January 2019 Open call for submissions
Murze Magazine Issue 4 – “Fluke Photography contest”
Outsider Art Magazine – Issue 3. Featured Artist
Favorite works of art:
The Art Monk 