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    Lost Art Salon
    • | All Art
    • | New Arrivals
    • I Bernard Zawisa
    • | Gaétan Caron
    • | Rob Delamater
    • | Curator's Vault
    • | Book Your Visit
    • | Artist by Name
    • | Art by Category
      • Abstract
      • Figurative
      • Landscape
      • Still Life
    • | Art by Medium
      • Drawings & Watercolors
      • Limited Edition Prints
      • Mixed Media
      • Paintings
      • Photography
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      Michael di Cosola

      Michael di Cosola

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      Michael di Cosola (1929-2010)

      • The Collection
      • The Story
      • Michael di Cosola was born June 27, 1929 in Chicago at the Mother Cabrini hospital to parents Michilina and Tony.  His parents were born in this country, but his grandparents on both sides were from Italy.  There were three children, an elder sister and a younger brother. His elementary education was at catholic school and he went to high school in Oak Park, Illinois, graduating in 1947.  After that, his schooling was:

        -University of Illinois Navy Pier: 1946-48
        -American Academy of Art:  1947-49  (with Haddon Sundblom)
        -Art Institute of Chicago:  1946-50
        -California College of Arts & Crafts (Oakland) 1950-1952 (contemporary with Nathan Olivera, Robert Bechtle, and George Post).

        His awareness and inspiration of art was fueled by the huge amount of time he spent alone studying the wonderful collection of paintings at the Chicago Art Institute during his teenage years. At that time the Art Institute had the fabulous “Chester Dale” collection on display, which they failed to make permanent, and it went to the National Gallery in Washington D.C. where it is today. This gave him the opportunity to study closely the work of Picasso, Matisse, and other masters of the Modern Era.  This privilege to absorb all these masterpieces at his leisure, close up, unhurried, over and over, became his inspiration to develop from these his own technique of form, color and paint use.

        He longed to go to New York where it seemed everything was happening.  But he formed a friendship with a man who was bound for San Francisco and a job teaching at San Francisco State College.  That journey brought him west rather than east. They arrived here in 1950 and stayed with friends at 930 Green Street on the top of Russian Hill.  Then they got a small apartment downtown at 680 Sutter Street.  Since there was not enough room for him to do his painting there, he found a space for his studio at 535 Columbus in North Beach.

        The Columbus Avenue Studio flourished during the height of the Renaissance in North Beach, with its wide windows overlooking Washington Square and a short distance from Hip Beat feel of Grant Avenue. The studio was a frequent gathering spot for the artists, writers, poets and philosophers who called this part of the city, home.The studio -- along with Vesuvios, 12 Adler Place, and Jazz Poetry Open Mic nights at the Cellar -- were among the gathering places for the emerging Beat Generation.  The space had previously been a tailor’s work space and he had to clear away the remnants of that use, paint it fresh as a background for all the colorful paintings he did there.

        Eventually, the small apartment at 680 Sutter made a move necessary and they bought a Victorian at 4411 17th Street in 1953.  Michael, ever handy with the crow bar and paint bucket, cleaned that place up and he converted a downstairs space into his Studio.  It looked down over Market Street to what would much later become the Castro District.

        It was during this early 50’s period, Studio at 535 Columbus becoming Studio on 17th Street, that he attended California College of Arts & Crafts in Oakland.  He had wanted to attend the San Francisco Art Institute, but this was during the Korean War and the SFAI did not offer a deferment from draft, while CCAC did.  So the choice was CCAC. Two of his instructors there were Geo Post, well known for his Bold Flat strokes watercolors and potter Antonio Prieto.  While there he befriended Nathan Olivera, who admired Michael’s work and was very supportive.  Nathan, a well known painter later taught at San Jose State.

        In 1956 another move, to an even larger space and a much bigger project, was to a four-story Queen Anne Victorian at 2507 Pacific Avenue.  This was to be his home for the next 53 years. Because of its location in a quiet family neighborhood, and the size of the rehabilitation and restoration project that he took on, his life became much more reclusive and quiet.  His top floor studio, looking out at the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge became a refuge from the busy city and a quiet place to concentrate on his art. That isolation brought other problems-- being out of the mix, not part of a coterie of artists talking about each other, and the galleries not knowing who he was or what he was doing. Michael became an outsider, in his own little world, with no word circulating about what he was doing.  That and his innate shyness precipitated his withdrawal from that mix.

        His life long interest in Decorative Arts led him to search, along with his life partner Max Lightfoot, for interesting and beautiful objects they would present at antique shows. Michael especially enjoyed colored art glass, a natural offshoot for someone who was so excited by the different colors, combinations, intensity, nuances and integral importance of form; all things he explored so beautifuly  in his work.


        Michael died on December 20, 2010 at the age 81.

        Exhibitions:
        - Columbus Avenue Studios, 1950-52
        - San Francisco Interplayers Theatre Gallery:  one man show 1951-52
        (Located at Beach and Hyde Streets -  across from the Buena Vista Café)
        - Another Gallery:  one man show, 1952 (with Ruth Asawa Wire Sculptures)
        - 12 Adler Place:  Watercolors, 1952
        - U.F.O. Gallery, 1608 Haight Street: one-man show, 1967
        - Kelly Gallery, 3673 Sacramento Street:  one-man show, 1968

        
 *This biographical information was written by Max Lightfoot, Michael’s friend and life companion (October 16, 1969 - December 2010). Our thanks to Max for bringing Michael's story and this stunning collection to Lost Art Salon.
      View All _|_ View Available _|_ View Sold
      Surrealist Lamp-Like Figure <br>20th Century Graphite <br><br>#95761
      Surrealist Lamp-Like Figure
      20th Century Graphite

      #95761
      Michael di Cosola $255
      Surrealist Side Profile <br>20th Century Graphite <br><br>#21733
      Surrealist Side Profile
      20th Century Graphite

      #21733
      Michael di Cosola $295
      Colorful Pastel Abstract <br>1986 Drawing <br><br>#83904
      Colorful Pastel Abstract
      1986 Drawing

      #83904
      Michael di Cosola Sold $475
      Sold
      Geometric Portrait Deconstruction <br>1972 Pastel <br><br>#21191
      Geometric Portrait Deconstruction
      1972 Pastel

      #21191
      Michael di Cosola Sold $685
      Sold
      Surreal Abstracted Face <br>1972 Pastel <br><br>#21193
      Surreal Abstracted Face
      1972 Pastel

      #21193
      Michael di Cosola $685
      Surreal Monochrome Abstract <br>20th Century Graphite <br><br.#98857
      Surreal Monochrome Abstract
      20th Century Graphite
      Michael di Cosola Sold $255
      Sold
      Geometric Abstracted Forms <br>20th Century Collage & Graphite <br><br>#83297
      Geometric Abstracted Forms
      20th Century Collage & Graphite

      #83297
      Michael di Cosola Sold $395
      Sold
      Surrealist Monochromatic Abstraction <br>Late 20th Century Graphite <br><br>#83790
      Surrealist Monochromatic Abstraction
      Late 20th Century Graphite

      #83790
      Michael di Cosola Sold $255
      Sold
      Surreal Monochromatic Forms & Shapes <br>20th Century Graphite <br><br>#B1956
      Surreal Monochromatic Forms & Shapes
      20th Century Graphite

      #B1956
      Michael di Cosola Sold $445
      Sold
      Surrealist Abstracted Face <br> Late 20th Century Graphite <br><br>#98844
      Surrealist Abstracted Face
      Late 20th Century Graphite

      #98844
      Michael di Cosola Sold $255
      Sold
      Valentine's Day Surrealist Abstract <br>February 14, 1972 Pastel and Graphite on Paper <br><br>#17062
      Valentine's Day Surrealist Abstract
      February 14, 1972 Pastel and Graphite on Paper

      #17062
      Michael di Cosola Sold $285
      Sold
      Bright Surreal Portrait<br>Mid-Late 20th Century Pastel<br><br>#16405
      Bright Surreal Portrait
      Mid-Late 20th Century Pastel

      #16405
      Michael di Cosola Sold $585
      Sold
      Blue Surrealist Abstract of Head<br>1996 Pastel and Graphite<br><br>#83918
      Blue Surrealist Abstract of Head
      1996 Pastel and Graphite

      #83918
      Michael di Cosola Sold $285
      Sold
      Surrealist Abstract<br>Late 20th Century Graphite<br><br>#83780
      Surrealist Abstract
      Late 20th Century Graphite

      #83780
      Michael di Cosola Sold $255
      Sold
      Serene Profile In Psychedelic Colors <br>Mid - Late 20th Century Pastel <br><br>#16395
      Serene Profile In Psychedelic Colors
      Mid - Late 20th Century Pastel

      #16395
      Michael di Cosola Sold $685
      Sold
      Colorful Surreal Abstract Face <br>1970s Oil Pastel & Graphite <br><br>#89576
      Colorful Surreal Abstract Face
      1970s Oil Pastel & Graphite

      #89576
      Michael di Cosola Sold $445
      Sold
      Abstracted Surreal View From A Window <br>20th Century Pastel & Graphite <br><br>#83900
      Abstracted Surreal View From A Window
      20th Century Pastel & Graphite

      #83900
      Michael di Cosola Sold $295
      Sold
      Amorphous Face <br>20th Century Graphite <br><br>#94179
      Amorphous Face
      20th Century Graphite

      #94179
      Michael di Cosola $265
      Surreal Conversation <br>Late 20th Century Pastel & Graphite <br><br>#94083
      Surreal Conversation
      Late 20th Century Pastel & Graphite

      #94083
      Michael di Cosola Sold $325
      Sold
      A Portrait In Many Colors <br>20th Century Pastel & Graphite <br><br>#83825
      A Portrait In Many Colors
      20th Century Pastel & Graphite

      #83825
      Michael di Cosola $295
      Angular Geometric Abstract <br>20th Century Pastel & Graphite <br><br>#95746
      Angular Geometric Abstract
      20th Century Pastel & Graphite

      #95746
      Michael di Cosola Sold $475
      Sold
      Radiant Abstract Psychedelic Profile <br>Mid to Late 20th Century Pastel <br><br>#17016
      Radiant Abstract Psychedelic Profile
      Mid to Late 20th Century Pastel

      #17016
      Michael di Cosola $485
      Feminine Portrait In Pastel Tones <br>Mid - Late 20th Century Ink & Pastel <br><br>#16902
      Feminine Portrait In Pastel Tones
      Mid - Late 20th Century Ink & Pastel

      #16902
      Michael di Cosola Sold $685
      Sold
      Surreal Monochromatic Portrait <br>Mid - Late 20th Century Graphite <br><br>#16451
      Surreal Monochromatic Portrait
      Mid - Late 20th Century Graphite

      #16451
      Michael di Cosola $685
      Bright Psychedelic Geometric Surreal Portrait <br>Mid to Late 20th Century Pastel <br><br>#16445
      Bright Psychedelic Geometric Surreal Portrait
      Mid to Late 20th Century Pastel

      #16445
      Michael di Cosola Sold $425
      Sold
      Moody Surreal Portrait <br>Mid-Late 20th Century Gouache <br><br>#16429
      Moody Surreal Portrait
      Mid-Late 20th Century Gouache

      #16429
      Michael di Cosola $785
      Surreal Abstracted Cat Faces <br>Late 20th Century Graphite <br><br>#98856
      Surreal Abstracted Cat Faces
      Late 20th Century Graphite

      #98856
      Michael di Cosola Sold $245
      Sold
      Monochromatic Deconstructed Sketch with Shading <br> Late 20th Century Graphite <br><br>#98841
      Monochromatic Deconstructed Sketch with Shading
      Late 20th Century Graphite

      #98841
      Michael di Cosola $275
      Moody Geometric Abstract <br>Mid-Late 20th Century Graphite, Charcoal, and Pastel <br><br>#95758
      Moody Geometric Abstract
      Mid-Late 20th Century Graphite, Charcoal, and Pastel

      #95758
      Michael di Cosola $365
      Structural Colorful Abstract <br>Mid-Late 20th Century Graphite, Charcoal & Pastel <br><br#95744
      Structural Colorful Abstract
      Mid-Late 20th Century Graphite, Charcoal & Pastel
      Michael di Cosola Sold $295
      Sold
      Minimalist Orange Abstraction <br>Late 20th Century Graphite & Pastel <br><br>#94178
      Minimalist Orange Abstraction
      Late 20th Century Graphite & Pastel

      #94178
      Michael di Cosola Sold $425
      Sold
      Surrealist Monochromatic Abstraction <br>Late 20th Century Graphite <br><br>#94167
      Surrealist Monochromatic Abstraction
      Late 20th Century Graphite

      #94167
      Michael di Cosola Sold $235
      Sold
      Surreal Deconstructed Abstract <br>Late 20th Century Graphite <br><br>#94158
      Surreal Deconstructed Abstract
      Late 20th Century Graphite

      #94158
      Michael di Cosola $275
      Bright Colorful Modernist Abstract <br> Late 20th Century Graphite & Oil Pastel <br><br>#94150
      Bright Colorful Modernist Abstract
      Late 20th Century Graphite & Oil Pastel

      #94150
      Michael di Cosola Sold $545
      Sold
      Disjointed Colorful Dreamscape <br>Late 20th Century Pastel <br><br>#83909
      Disjointed Colorful Dreamscape
      Late 20th Century Pastel

      #83909
      Michael di Cosola $285
      Dynamic Deconstruction <br>Late 20th Century Pastel <br><br>#83906
      Dynamic Deconstruction
      Late 20th Century Pastel

      #83906
      Michael di Cosola $295
      Bright Surreal Path & Archway <br>1986 Oil Pastel and Graphite <br><br>#83882
      Bright Surreal Path & Archway
      1986 Oil Pastel and Graphite

      #83882
      Michael di Cosola Sold $285
      Sold
      Colorful Abstract With Eye <br>1990 Oil Pastel & Graphite <br><br>#83861
      Colorful Abstract With Eye
      1990 Oil Pastel & Graphite

      #83861
      Michael di Cosola $285
      Colorful Abstract Sketch <br>1986 Pastel <br><br>#83840
      Colorful Abstract Sketch
      1986 Pastel

      #83840
      Michael di Cosola Sold $275
      Sold
      Abstract Figurative Study <br>Late 20th Century Graphite <br><br>#83807
      Abstract Figurative Study
      Late 20th Century Graphite

      #83807
      Michael di Cosola Sold $245
      Sold
      Entangled Surreal Abstract <br>Late 20th Century Oil Pastel & Graphite <br><br>#83806
      Entangled Surreal Abstract
      Late 20th Century Oil Pastel & Graphite

      #83806
      Michael di Cosola $255
      Undulating Surreal Abstract <br>Late 20th Century Graphite <br><br>#83784
      Undulating Surreal Abstract
      Late 20th Century Graphite

      #83784
      Michael di Cosola Sold $265
      Sold
      Surreal Figurative Line Drawing <br>Late 20th Century Graphite <br><br>#83783
      Surreal Figurative Line Drawing
      Late 20th Century Graphite

      #83783
      Michael di Cosola $265
      Colorful Modernist Abstract<br> 20th Century Charcoal & Pastel<br><br>#17694
      Colorful Modernist Abstract
      20th Century Charcoal & Pastel

      #17694
      Michael di Cosola $175
      Monochromatic Modernist Abstract<br> 20th Century Graphite, Charcoal & Pastel<br><br>#17693
      Monochromatic Modernist Abstract
      20th Century Graphite, Charcoal & Pastel

      #17693
      Michael di Cosola $235
      Surreal Deconstructed Pastel <br>1972 Pastel <br><br>#17261
      Surreal Deconstructed Pastel
      1972 Pastel

      #17261
      Michael di Cosola Sold $285
      Sold
      Bright Abstract Pastel <br>1972 Pastel <br><br>#17185
      Bright Abstract Pastel
      1972 Pastel

      #17185
      Michael di Cosola Sold $285
      Sold
      Colorful Surrealist Abstract Pastel <br>1972 Pastel <br><br>#17184
      Colorful Surrealist Abstract Pastel
      1972 Pastel

      #17184
      Michael di Cosola Sold $285
      Sold
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