John Raimondi is a sculptor and creator of public sculpture on a monumental scale, with works in more than thirty states and several European countries.

Overview

John Raimondi - creator of monuments, interpreter of life. From his early days in Winthrop, Massachusetts, Raimondi has demonstrated a unique ability to envision and create tremendous works of art that are solid in form, yet fluid in movement.

The first of four sons born to Erma and Peter Raimondi in May of 1948, the sculptor spent his early years honing his skills while developing an eye for the beauty of nature that surrounded him. The young man spent much of his time in the company of his family, though he also enjoyed the solitude of drawing and painting, as well as collecting coins and building model airplanes.

In his formative years, Raimondi became fascinated by scale-model automobiles and airplanes, which later translated into full-size "hot rods" as he grew into a teenager. These hobbies proved invaluable in the artist's keen ability to comprehend scale and movement— two of the elements that are so essential in his work today.

Raimondi first ventured into the world of monumental sculpture while studying at the Massachusetts College of Art. He exhibited early works at Boston City Hall, Bridgewater State College, and numerous local galleries and museums. This led to Raimondi's first prominent commission, awarded to him in a national competition conducted by the I-80 Bicentennial Sculpture Project.

This sculpture, entitled Erma's Desire, is named for the artist's mother and her intense desire for the happiness of her children. Located in Grand Island, Nebraska, the work was considered controversial, due to its suggestive title and abstract form, and was debated fiercely in several major publications and on the TV news program "60 Minutes," catapulting Raimondi into the national spotlight.

Since then, Raimondi has completed more than 75 monumental sculptures for public, corporate and private collections worldwide. He currently resides in Manhattan and also owns a home in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.

Intending to become a seascape painter, Raimondi first attended the Portland School of Fine and Applied Arts in Maine

Maine

Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...

. There he met teacher and sculptor Norman Therrien who encouraged Raimondi to try sculpture. Next Raimondi attended the Massachusetts College of Art

Massachusetts College of Art

Massachusetts College of Art and Design is a publicly-funded college of visual and applied art, founded in 1873. It is one of the oldest art schools, the only publicly-funded free-standing art school in the United States, and was the first art college in the United States to grant an artistic degree...

 where he studied sculpture. Since 1970 he has been creating sculptures. He currently resides in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 and winters in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Palm Beach Gardens is a city in Palm Beach County in the U.S. state of Florida. The city is in the center of a rapidly-developing area north of West Palm Beach in the northern part of the county and the South Florida metropolitan area. , the population was 48,452...

, where he has maintained a home since 1987.

His early works were exhibited at Boston City Hall

Boston City Hall

Boston City Hall is the seat of the municipal government of Boston, Massachusetts. Architecturally, it is an example of the brutalist style. It was designed by Kallmann McKinnell & Knowles...

 and Bridgewater State College

Bridgewater State College

Bridgewater State University is a public liberal-arts college in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is the largest college in the Massachusetts state university system outside of the University of Massachusetts system. The school's mascot is the bear.-History:BSU was founded by...

, along with numerous local galleries and museums. This, in turn, led to Raimondi's first prominent commission, which was awarded to him in a national competition conducted by the Nebraska I-80 Bicentennial Sculpture Project. The sculpture he created was entitled Erma's Desire.

Erma's Desire is named for the artist's mother and her intense desire for the happiness of her children. Located in Grand Island, Nebraska

Grand Island, Nebraska

Grand Island is a city in and the county seat of Hall County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 48,520 at the 2010 census.Grand Island is home to the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center which is the sole agency responsible for training law enforcement officers throughout the state,...

, the work was considered controversial due to its suggestive title and abstract form, and was debated fiercely in several major publications and on the TV news program "60 Minutes

60 Minutes

60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....

", catapulting Raimondi into the national spotlight. Since then, he has completed more than 100 works.

Further reading

• Corbett, William. John Raimondi, Sculptor (Hudson Hills Press, 1999) ISBN 1-55595-179-1

External links

• International Sculpture Center website artist page provides info on Museum collections, public collections, and exhibitions
• John Raimondi 1987 Newspaper Review discusses a sculpture entitled The Aquila, located in Miami, FL and described as "largest bronze sculpture in North America".