American Journey: My Life in Art

by Marco Sassone

Overview

“A captivating autobiography of an extraordinary life, as dramatic as it is accomplished.” —Kirkus Review

“The artist steps forward to disclose why a spiritual journey is required before any great art can be brought to light.” —Peter H. Falk, Editor of Discoveries in American Art

American Journey is the vivid, transformational life story of internationally acclaimed American-Italian painter Marco Sassone, who came to California in search of artistic freedom and success. His journey led him through periods of hope and despair and ultimately to the threshold of true self-fulfillment: a deeper understanding of himself and his mission as an artist.

The life he has lived and the people he has known make the memoir of this remarkable artist a wonderful revealing canvas. Dining with Sophia Loren, conversing with Luciano Pavarotti, and joking with Tina Turner at his Beverly Hills opening are all part of his California days during the 1970s.

But what makes this memoir extraordinary is Sassone’s vivid recollection of his real-life stories:

• His childhood in post war-torn Florence in the 1950s; his beginnings as an artist in the glorious studio of his teacher overlooking Giotto’s Bell Tower; and his harrowing experience of survival during the great flood of Florence in 1966;
• His first drawing of “Willie” in San Francisco in the late 1980s, and his extensive personal research on the homeless that led to his groundbreaking exhibition “Home on the Streets”;
• And more recently, his reflections on the forgery of his artwork and the subsequent lawsuit in the Nevada’s Supreme Court.

Sassone also offers vivid descriptions of what takes place in his studio during the act of painting: an intimate affair that he reveals for the first time in his memoir.

American Journey is an inspiring, sometimes painful and courageous examination of a life in art. Sassone's story explores the very nature of all human beings and fulfills the inner vision that motivates them.

“‘Home on the Streets’ is brutal and unforgiving and, accordingly, unforgettable . . . You have done something very important—giving a voice to those who are silenced and dismissed, and giving an image to those of us who would prefer not to see. Thank you.” —Amy Selwyn, Associated Press

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780935194159
Publisher:	Arti Grafiche Press
Publication date:	03/09/2023
Pages:	360
Product dimensions:	6.25(w) x 9.25(h) x 1.19(d)

About the Author

Born in Florence, Italy, the most poignant and enduring of Sassone's influences can be traced back to his studies in the 1960s with acclaimed painter Silvio Loffredo, himself a student of the Austrian Master, Oskar Kokoschka. The agitated brush strokes and vibrant colors appealed to a young Sassone, offering the artist a foundation upon which to create his emotional, expressive art works.

Numerous books and catalogues have been written about his work, including a 300-page monograph, Sassone, written by art historian Donelson Hoops. His paintings hang in collections throughout the world.

Marco Sassone was knighted into the "Order of the Merit of the Italian Republic" by President Sandro Pertini in 1982.

Editorial Reviews

2022-10-31
Sassone candidly chronicles his upbringing in Italy and his remarkably successful career as an artist.

In 1942, Sassone was born in Campi Bisenzio, a small town in Tuscany not far from Florence. Artistic talent ran in the family—his father was both a singer and a painter, though he was frustrated by his lack of success. A “rebellious kid” moved by a “spirit of independence and foolhardiness,” Sassone found a youthful solace in drawing and painting, a “legitimate escape from the humdrum of everyday life,” as well as a reprieve from troubles, a sanctuary affectingly described in this fascinating remembrance. By the time he was in high school, he was a serious student of art—he studied with and was deeply influenced by the painter Silvio Loffredo. Eager to expand his artistic horizons, he traveled to California by way of London and New York, enjoying a meteoric rise in the art world. The prestigious Wally Findlay Gallery exhibited his works; he was invited to the 1978 Oscars; and celebrities like Tina Turner admired his art. Ultimately, he became so famous, his work so valuable, that he was plagued by the illicit selling of forgeries. The author treats the reader to more than an account of a memorable art career; he provides an astonishingly forthcoming, even confessional peek into the personal world of an artist at the height of his power, including his chaotic romantic life. Sassone never refrains from sharing his opinions, often critical of contemporary artistic convention, reliance on mass media, increasing conformity, and obsession with profit, opining, “It all seemed to me like smoke and mirrors. Come to think of it, a lot of the art I see these days in museums and galleries is mostly smoke and mirrors—flashy things that appeal to the superficial eye.” This is a captivating autobiography of an extraordinary life, as dramatic as it is accomplished.

A gripping memoir that luminously captures an artist’s life.

Kirkus Reviews