IMERO GOBBATO
1923-2010
Imero Gobbato was born in Milano, Italy on December 28th, 1923. His artistic talent was evident as a child and he grew up in a region of great cultural richness, spending winter holidays with his family in the Swiss Alps and summers in Venice by the sparkling Adriatic Sea.
Violence eventually erupted in Italy. Imero witnessed the loss of close friends as his family home was taken over by German officers. His father’s factory, which manufactured fine woolen fabrics, was destroyed. Imero was forced to enlist in the Italian army.
When the war ended in 1945, the chaos in Italy offered little economic opportunity to Imero and his brother, Armando. They left the country to start anew. Imero lived in Argentina for a couple of years, earning a living creating illustrations for comic books, and then moved to Guatamala where Armando had already settled. In 1950, disillusioned, Imero decided to return to Italy and boarded a boat which stopped en route in New York City, where he met his future wife, Josette Ardouin. They were married for 53 years until Josette’s death in 2003.
Imero and Josette lived a “gypsy period” for the next 14 years, moving 31 times between New York, Florida, California, Connecticut and Italy. Imero continued to paint and exhibit his work, while taking on various jobs such as art restoration and set design. He later took a correspondence course to become a naval architect and designed several boats, while also establishing a successful career as a children’s book illustrator.
At the age of 15, as Italy’s political system was deteriorating into WWII, Imero began basic art training at the Liceo Artistico in Milan. After two years, he transferred his residence to the Istituto d’Arte in Venice to continue his advanced art training. It was a disciplined and rigorous curriculum. He also completed an extra-curricular course in theatrical set design and construction, planning and setting scenes at Venice’s Teatro della Fenice, one of Italy’s major opera theaters. He earned his Maestro d’Arte in 1942, which qualified him to teach art. For the next two years, despite the threats of war, he attended specialized painting classes in oil and fresco, and was schooled in traditional and late 19th century Neo-Impressionistic techniques.
Morning in Camden Harbor, 22x30, acrylic on canvas
After exploring the coast of Maine, the couple settled permanently in Camden in 1964 in their home by the harbor. Imero established Two Harbors Studio and settled fully into making his art. His primary passion was painting, but his interests included printmaking, wood carving, model making, and playing and composing music.
With his home and studio backed right up to the Camden Harbor, Imero befriended several captains who ran their schooners out on the Penobscot Bay. He and Josette were often invited out for day cruises to picnic on one of the many small islands dotted in the bay. His connection to the sailing community, led to a commission to design the steel hulled ketch ‘Angelique’, a 90 foot vessel still sailing today in Camden’s renowned Windjammer fleet.
Quickly embraced by the local talent of sea-faring musicians and artists who frequented the working harbor, Imero’s own music flourished. He played violin in the local community quartet while also writing his own compositions on a computerized keyboard system he configured in his home studio. He composed over 300 musical scores for solo and orchestral performance.
Echo Chamber, 26x30, acrylic on canvas
TRANSFIGURATION PAINTINGS
In the 1970s and early ‘80s, intrigued by the latest theories of quantum physics and practicing transcendental meditation, the ‘Transfiguration’ paintings developed. With this body of work Imero delved into the inner landscapes of his mind, reflecting visions, dreams and powerful illuminations he experienced at the time.
Quiet Passage, Limited Edition Digital Print, 6x24 or 24x36 inches, Signed by Artist
NEO-IMPRESSIONISTIC PAINTINGS
The next few years also marked the beginning of a style of painting Imero would be admired for and recognized by for years to come. He began to paint scenes of the coastal life surrounding him, specifically pulling on his training and skills in the Neo-impressionistic techniques studied in Italy, to capture the sparkle of sun on water and wind in sails. The beauty of the paintings and the light and energy imbued within them came from his unique combination of memory and imagination.
HUMBRAVANA
Above and beyond all he had accomplished Imero remained steadfastly committed and true to a particular body of work; his most personal and private creative endeavor, a world he explored, expressed and protected at the deepest core of his being: A place he called Humbravana. It was a place of his own, a world where he felt free to express his ideas and philosophy. A place he dreamed and imagined since the age of 11, creating hundreds of images and pieces of music, to form an entire land filled with beautiful places, colorful characters, strange creatures, and intriguing stories. He described Humbravana as “The Land of the Eloquent Shadow”.
Again and Again, 5x5 inches, Limited Edition Intaglio Print
