The Klein Mezzanine Gallery
Artists in the present exhibit
Benjamin Casiano
Artist and Curator
Native New Yorker, Benjamin Casiano is an accomplished creative director, designer & painter. He received his BFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. Painting was always his first love. Inspired and influenced by the great masters worldwide, But it's the women also played a crucial role in his life, which is why he pays tribute to them with his paintings.
Casiano’s work fuses expressionism and pop-cubism. Although he uses geometric and abstract shapes in his artwork, a prominent focal point is the one-eye figurative. “Most of my one-eye figurative are a reflection of my alter ego and a self-portrait of my subconscious,” says Casiano. “Im blind in one eye, but the irony is I was painting figures with a single eye years before losing my vision.”
Casiano always had a love for strings and classical music. “Music and art go hand in hand. I never learned to play but I at least paint my favorite musical instruments with the ladies,” he says. For Casiano, painting has proven to be a positive emotional outlet. His works have been exhibited in galleries in the U.S. and as far away as China. Recognized with numerous honors & awards. Casiano is currently exhibiting in New York City, Philadelphia & Paris. Numerous pieces are owned by corporations and private collectors.
His goal is to simply add something not seen in modern-day culture. Something different, something beautiful, one painting at a time. One exhibition at a time.
Jin Yu
Jin Yu, born in 1979 in Heilongjiang Province, China, graduated from Shenzhen University and currently works and lives in Shenzhen and Beijing. Member of Italy FLY ART Association and Shenzhen Artists Association. Jinyu attaches great importance to the expression of personality and spiritual outlook, paying attention to human emotions, emotions, traditions and the present, as well as the integration and evolution of different cultures. The images are shaped using classical aesthetics combined with the transformative interest of self emotions. In a wild and luxurious way, lines and colors are used to create a dreamy and emotional scene, forming its own unique artistic style.
His creations are mainly based on oil paintings, and his works have received widespread attention. They have been exhibited in art museums, centers, and galleries around the world and have been collected by major art institutions and collectors.
Patrice Barrett
I am a designer who loves to paint. What motivates me is making sense of colors and shapes, leading the eye across the page to rest on an important element. Analyzing why choices were made, and sometimes not - just accepting a serendipitous brush stroke or color mix. My purpose is to express myself in color and shapes, and to garner a response from the viewer.
Sometimes I paint because I want to make an image, or design something beautiful for it's color, lines and flow. It's a sheer exercise of power over my sense of composition and the medium(s) I use. There's a deep satisfaction in being skillful and bringing forth something that people look at and relate too, just because they find it beautiful for itself.
Sometimes I paint to illustrate an event that has affected me deeply: a loved one's heart attack and surgery, my grandfather's dementia and distant personality. These end up being my favorite pieces because they are emotionally driven and close to my heart. The viewer may see my message, share my emotion, or take away their own, but there will have been a connection made, feelings touched upon.
As subject matter, I choose most frequently to paint people. Faces in particular. There's so much to work with from the perspective that people can be enigmatic, fascinating and ever changing. The recurring design style of having two distinct sides of the faces is my way of saying that everyone, always, has one side they show to others, and one side they hide, no matter what the circumstance.
John Anthony Bright
Iryna Chaboryk
Born in Ukraine, Iryna Chaboryk was raised with a family history in fine art. With art as a constant background (her mother and grandfather were artists), she became interested in fashion and landscape design. In 1998 she graduated from Kalush State College of Art and Culture, majoring in Folk and Decorative Art. In 2004 she earned a degree in Art and Landscape Design from the State University of Senior Personnel of Culture and Art in Kiev.
Upon immigrating to the United States in 2007, Chaboryk had taken a keen interest in the role of a fine artist, fusing her previous learnings to give a unique vision and breath to a canvas. Chaboryk is now a multi-disciplinary artist currently working with multitudes of media: paintings, sculptured light installations, and digital media. Her artwork is featured in many galleries and group shows in the US and Europe and she has received numerous awards and publications.
Her broad knowledge and infinite range of artistry give her the ability to stretch her art beyond the bounds of a singular canvas. Iryna’s work is extremely expressive and highly symbolic, focusing on interpersonal psychology and a woman’s attempt to find individuality.
Yvonne Claveloux
Yvonne’s passion for art was sparked while studying fashion design at Marangoni Instituto in Milan. Since then, her creative journey has taken many forms, from running her own interior design firm to working as head stylist for AtHome Magazine.
After taking classes at Silvermine Arts Center, the primarily self-taught artist began experimenting with different mediums, including acrylic, graphite, gesso and watercolors, finding joy in combining them all in her mixed media paintings.
Yvonne paints from her home studios in Westport and Miami, and sells and exhibits her work in several galleries and interior design stores.
Yvonne derives inspiration for her work from her many travels, Cuban roots, and colorful winters in Miami. She is often told that her artwork is a reflection of her personality…bright, bold, honest and with a lot of soul.
Bianca Valencia Criscuolo
Bianca Valencia Criscuolo, raised in the small country town of Easton CT, moved to NY for school and spent her early 20s living in Brooklyn NY attending PARSONS School of Design as an Illustration major with a scholarship from The Beijing Contemporary Arts Foundation for excellence and additional studies in Mandarin Chinese and East Asian art. Her understanding of the artworld broadened and professionalized through her time as Curator with the Contemporary Art Modern Project Galleries. Working events like Volta, Hamptons Art Fair and Art Basel New York, Bianca Valencia accrued an understanding for the business of art from the gallery perspective.
With newfound artworld language she developed a passion for cultivating fellow artists and she went on to have her first solo show at 25, co-lead her local artist guild, and is an integral member of ‘Call to Gather’ a Manhattan based artist guild cultivating artists and creating bespoke sessions for the public. She has had the privilege of working on projects with artists/designers such as Makoto Fujimura, Clara Fialho, Guang-Yu Zhang, and Esther Mun.
Donna L. Hargrove
Fairfield County Connecticut Artist
Primary media used: Graphite, acrylic and watercolor.
Katia Jirankova Levanti
Katia Jirankova Levanti has been permanently in travel between two continents since 2007, living between the Atlantic coast in Connecticut and in Prague. Under the title "Subconsciounalism" (channeling the subconscious journey) she has exhibited in Prague, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Florida, Massachusetts, Denver, CO., New York, Nashville, TN., and is represented in many private collections throughout America and Europe. Her book of paintings is part of the library of the Carl Jung Institute in New York.
"I came up with the title "Subconsciounalism" when I tried to describe the process of my intuitive painting, which in a certain state of meditation brings you to the spheres of universal memory and touches moments and dimensions in the existence of the universe, and its various beings. During my studies of philosophies, mythologies, comparative religions, cosmology, and quantum physics I am discovering in my paintings fragments of this living mosaic."
Edmarie Martinez
Edmarie Martinez, born and raised in the exotic island of Puerto Rico. As a child she was always surrounded by art and creativity. However, it was not until the year 2021 that she discovered her true passion. On her way to discovery, she listened to her inner voice, grabbed her old sketchbook and decided to complete an unfinished drawing. Little did she know that this simple act would ignite an undeniable spark within her.
This desire to expand her artistic abilities led Edmarie to find the Milan Art Institute. With unwavering belief in her talents, she made the bold decision to enroll in the Mastery Program. It was here that she truly honed her skills and discovered her true potential as an artist.
As Edmarie fully immersed herself in the world of art, her life underwent a remarkable transformation. She began to see the underlying beauty within herself and made a conscious choice to believe in her abilities. Her journey towards self-discovery and creative expression became a powerful force that shaped her identity. By opening the doors to endless possibilities, she has embraced her true self and is ready to explore all that the world of art has to offer. With unwavering passion and a newfound sense of purpose, Edmarie Martinez has embarked on a creative journey that knows no limits.
Sharon Smalls
Sharon Smalls is a Bridgeport, Connecticut artist who balances her days as an HR professional and by night expresses her creativity through mixed media art. She embodies the belief that it’s never too late to begin a new passion and pursue the life you’ve always imagined. Over the years, she’s explored various creative avenues – from jewelry making and photography to crochet and graphic design – all of which have culminated into her love for mixed media. Her creativity extends beyond traditional canvases; she also transforms clothing into expressive works of art. Sharon finds inspiration everywhere, and her art is a vibrant reflection of her journey and desire to inspire others. With exhibitions spanning Connecticut and NYC, she continues to captivate audiences with her unique artistic vision.
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