Thomas Frontini (°1967, Canada) combines surrealist techniques of painting detailed foreground images with atmospheric backgrounds. The dreamlike imagery balances contemporary objects with historical scenes. His paintings explore magic in the mundane and draw from the transformative power of the subconscious. / Frontini’s palette and technique are directly influenced by his Italian heritage and Italian art history, yet he creates a dialogue between the present and the future. His reference material is sourced from current topical issues that humans face, using metaphors to portray an intangible potential of the future. Immense landscapes stretch out around intricately painted flora and fauna. Thickly painted cliff faces and clouds are dotted with tiny details of futuristic habitats. Expressive abstract orbs are enwrapped in a volume of light and distance. In a carefully measured vagueness, Frontini’s paintings address not only the seen world, but a world of puzzling fantasies. / Frontini’s education began in art restoration and conservation in Florence, Italy. He received a BFA at the Cleveland Institute of Art and a MFA from Ohio State University, Columbus. He has exhibited throughout Canada, the United States, and Hong Kong and is a part of various collections both private and public including the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul and the Cleveland Clinic. Born and raised in Canada, Frontini currently lives and works in Cleveland, OH.