About — Thomas Paul Raggio

I contemplate every color, mark, and placement of the line to formulate what I call rhythmic velocities: relationships of color and motion that give life to the composition, creating a heartbeat. I am interested in the duality of math and design: through repetition, a line made of color becomes a rhythmic pattern. This concept is found when composing music, organic landscapes and architectural structures. By referencing these sources, my abstractions transcend their formal components, reaching beyond a minimalist canon.

My work is composed of hard edges and thin lines set against an abstract field or a pictorial space. Each color has a quickness that is relative to the colors surrounding it; this gives my paintings visual movement and dislocates the viewer. Through linear and geometric forms, my paintings explore design and mathematical concepts found broadly throughout culture. They are improvised from a wide range of sources such as my conversations with scholars in various fields of music, architecture, cryptology and engineering, my life experiences and travels.

Thomas Paul Raggio holds an MFA from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University and a Four-Year Certificate from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Professor Raggio has taught Color Theory, Visual Thinking, Painting, Drawing, and currently Lead Prof. of Art Appreciation at Rutgers University. He has also lectured Abstract Expressionism, 19th-century American Art, and participated in many programs promoting the visual arts. Thomas has exhibited works nationally and internationally. His works are in private and public collections in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Australia.