Arnold Desmarais

Arnold's paintings are narratives that tell stories of a coastal environment with subtlety and understanding that only comes from a lifetime by the sea. Fond childhood memories of many idyllic summers on Block Island, RI, provided a treasure-trove of images for artistic seascapes which whisper of gentler times. Although he put himself through school by holding one-man watercolor shows in Maine and New Hampshire, he now works exclusively in oil from his studio and home on Cape Cod, where he has resided with his wife, Patti, and son, Grant, since 1992.

His formal training began at the Rhode Island School of Design, where he attained his early exposure to art. Arnold then attended Bryant College, where he acquired his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. It was his career in the fashion industry, however, that gave him the opportunities to hone his skills and to work with the "royalty of design" here and abroad. His global itinerary enabled him to view and learn from the masters in museums and galleries from Russia to the Orient.

Drawing on his background in jewelry design enabled Arnold to create interest with even the simplest subject. His experiences with color and light in the fashion industry are skillfully interpreted in his compelling compositions, which evoke emotions of comfortable familiarity and serenity.

In many of his seascapes, one can feel the power of the ocean. "I enjoy the power of the ocean, its ever changing aspects, its elusive qualities of color and reflective light . It's hard to capture, but I always love a challenge. Art is all about challenging yourself all the time," reflects the artist.

Arnold is a member of the Cape Cod Art Association and is represented by the Admiralty Gallery in Vero Beach, Florida; the Powers Gallery in Acton, Massachusetts; and the Mast Cove Galleries in Kennebunkport, Maine. He was also awarded a one-man show at the Heritage Plantation Museum in Sandwich, Massachusetts.

In addition to his painting, Arnold gives back to the art community by teaching. He has taught workshops at the Inn At Sandwich in Sandwich, Massachusetts. He teaches weekly at the Cape Cod Art Association and sponsors an annual plein-air trip to Europe.