In his thirty years of painting since graduating from Pratt Institute, Anthony Scarzafava has rarely let a piece out of his studio, often working on images for years at a time. He has been known to put a painting aside and pick it up a decade later.

Using items from his day-to-day life, e.g. family photos, magazine clippings and found objects, Scarzafava has created a miscellany of colliding images, leaving his audience to construct its own narrative. His early work was dark and claustrophobic, reflecting both the personal and political. Viewing his work was akin to studying an excavation site of his life.

In the last five years, Scarzafava has thrown open the doors and windows on this dark archaeological dig and let in sunlight and fresh air. The dominance of collage fragments has given way to an explosion of color and texture. Once so prominently displayed, collage now serves the pieces rather than directing them. The paintings seem to be staring at the sky, blurring saturated light to the edges of the canvas.

Scarzafava has developed a distinct style that continues to evolve, always exploring the delicate balance between the light and color of life and the texture and layers of accumulated experience.