Biography

Augusto Argandoña is a well known artist who has gained recognition for his crisp and realistic watercolors. With a degree in Industrial Design from California State University, he has practiced his profession for 20 years all the while pursuing his passion for painting. While working as a Designer he started painting watercolors as a hobby, as his skill expanded, he began doing paintings for relatives and showing his art publicly. The positive response his work received fueled his enthusiasm and in 1990 he began a new career painting full time primarily in watercolors.

Based on his formal training as a Designer, Argandoña has developed a distinctive painting style which has wide appeal and provides him with many opportunities to use his talent. His artistic versatility and expertise in the challenging medium of watercolors coupled with his approach at marketing his art has won him a feature article in the June 1992 issue of North Light Magazine, an art publication with national circulation.

Previously a resident of East Aurora, NY, Argandoña moved to Sarasota, FL. in 1997. It was then that he began to see the potential for his art. The exposure to a large national and international tourist audience was the nudge he was looking for. It is this audience that is the source of his extensive clientele.

Aside from his art of local tourist attraction locations, wildlife, and other images which the artist sells in print form and other products at galleries and gift stores, he continues to receive commissions for paintings of houses, family portraits, boats, and pets. In addition to Florida images, the artist also offers images of areas where he travels in search of new markets. Additionally the artist gives watercolor lessons and workshops at his studio and Sarasota area art centers throughout the year.

Argandoña’s paintings are part of private, corporate, and public collections and have won numerous awards including first place and best of show awards in Florida, Western New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Florida Watercolor Society, signature member of the Florida Suncoast Watercolor Society and member of two plein air painting groups in Sarasota: Light Chasers: Plein Air Painters of the Suncoast and SRQPAP. For the artist all of this was once a dream.......now he is living his dream..

Drawing,and painting has always been a part of my life. In my childhood I would spend hours drawing with color pencils, and would give drawings of flowers to my mother. In school the margins of my books were filled with sketches and needless to say I always excelled in the art class.

In my mid teens while still in Bolivia, I met a medical student named Mariano Morales. While studying he would do pencil drawings, once seeing my interest in his drawings he invited me to his house, the walls of his living room were filled with his beautiful paintings, I remember tears in my eyes while admiring his paintings. It was the first time I had seen watercolors. One day he patiently showed me how to use the brushes and colors. He told me that although he was studying medicine, painting was his passion. Shortly thereafter he moved and I became busy with my plans to come to the US and never saw him again.

I see the world around me differently than most people do. I love to see shadows because of the reflective colors in them, While most people appreciate the sun for its warmth, I do it for the way it bathes nature and objects with brilliant hues of color. I painted with oils, acrylics, pastels etc, but no medium excites me more than painting with watercolors, because they are fluid, unpredictable, spontaneous, and every painting is a challenge. My paintings are crisp yet loose, I like to combine loose watery effects with clean and sharp brush strokes. I find this combination ideally suited for the way I paint.

Having been blessed with a wonderful talent, teaching and sharing my knowledge and my art is my way of thanking our creator and the universe for this wonderful gift.

Awards
Second Place SRQPAP, FL. 2016
First Place – Venice Art Center, FL 2007
First Place – Venice Nokomis Art Fest, FL 2005
First Place – Quaker Art Fest, NY 1987/ 1988/ 1989
Best of Show – Huff’s Promotions Show / Great Lakes Mall , OH 1998
Best of Show – Huff’s Promotions Show / Great Northern Mall, OH 1998
Best of Show – Huff’s Promotions Show / Southern Park Mall, OH 1997
Best of Show – Huff’s Promotions Show / Boulevard Mall, NY 1997
Best of Show – Summit Park Mall Show / Akron , OH 1996
Best of Show - Huff’s Promotions Show/ Ross Park Mall, Pittsburg , PA 1996
Second Place – Venice Nokomis Art Fest, FL 2006
Second Place – Quaker Art Fest, NY 1991