New York born artist Stephen Palladino creates work that combines loose, raw, and expressive mark making with tight and clean line work. Jumping between two predominantly linear styles, the painter can create a portrait with one single line or carefully craft a character made up of precise detail work, either style being very recognizable of the artist at just a glance. This style stems from Stephen’s childhood obsession with cartoons and graffiti which shows clearly in his present work. Palladino’s characters personify slick, gritty, vintage, gangster-esque gentleman as well as wild, weird, dark, demented, and lowbrow mash-ups with hidden layers of popular imagery and clever dialogue.
Formally trained in grade school, Palladino eventually dropped out of high school to work and continue painting. He began working full time doing commercial artwork until gaining success for his personal work in 2011.
