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Al Desetta, Figurative Painter
About Al Desetta
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My work is an interpretation of nuances in expressions and undertones of emotion.
It has been called “psychologically taut,” as I explore those moments in our lives when the unstated and the unguarded rise to the surface in our interactions.
The paint handling reflects the subject matter, as boundaries are not challenged by literal, descriptive realism. The openness of both the narrative and the paint handling leads the viewer to question what is being depicted, both figuratively and emotionally.
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I am also a professional memoir ghostwriter: www.aldesetta.com.
“Al Desetta’s large paintings of groups of seated figures, in which thin washes of color [are] arranged in big, jazzy shapes on the drawn forms, suggest cubist collages, convey humor, and hint at a gestalt in the quirky drawing and off-beat harmonies.”
Lynn Woods, Kingston Times
“The Mystery of the Moment,” Green Kill, Kingston, N.Y., Feb. 2020.
Shows
Hudson Valley MOCA Juried Exhibition, Peekskill, N.Y., Feb. 1-May 3, 2025
“The Mystery of the Moment: Painting from Family Photographs,” an Exhibit of 20 Paintings, Green Kill, Kingston, N.Y., (Featured Artist of the Month), Feb. 1-Feb. 29, 2020.
“Black History Month,” The Lace Mill, Kingston, N.Y., Feb. 1-Feb. 29, 2020.
“Dimensions Variable,” 2020 Annual Member’s Show, Woodstock Byrdcliffe Guild, Woodstock, N.Y., Jan. 17-Feb. 16, 2020.
“Politics 2,” The Lace Mill, Kingston, N.Y., Jan. 1-Jan. 27, 2020.
“Primar(il)y Red,” Emerge Gallery, Saugerties, N.Y., December 7-29, 2019,
“Light within Darkness,” an exhibit of paintings at NixonLoftWorks, The Shirt Factory, Kingston, N.Y., Nov. 2, 2019.
“Something Blue: Art Celebrating Blue,” Emerge Gallery, Saugerties, N.Y.,
March 2-31, 2019.
“Bianco: An Exhibition Celebrating White,” Emerge Gallery, Saugerties, N.Y.,
January 5-28, 2019.
“Tell Me a Story: An Exhibition of Narrative Art,” Emerge Gallery, Saugerties, N.Y.,
October 6-29, 2018.
“Mixed Company,” ART-BAR Gallery, Kingston, N.Y., Aug. 5-30, 2017,
curated by Christie Scheele.
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