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I’m Ro Calderoni, a fine artist based in Coral Gables, Florida. I create oil paintings enriched with mixed media, merging abstraction and realism to celebrate the beauty of life. My art blends figurative portraits with abstract elements, using bold colors and rich textures. I begin with an acrylic underpainting, often building texture with molding paste or other acrylic mediums. Depending on the composition, I may incorporate graphite, charcoal, inks, acrylic markers, art crayons, collage, or gold and silver leaf to add depth, energy, or luminosity. I do not use every material in every piece because each work calls for its own unique combination. The final stages are painted in oil, where I refine forms and values, develop color, and bring realism to figures and portraits. I often integrate wax medium to enhance texture and surface richness. This flexible approach allows me to move fluidly between abstraction and realism, creating tactile and atmospheric paintings that respond intuitively to each painting’s vision.

I was born in El Salvador, where my childhood unfolded during the civil war. Outside there was violence: the sounds and shadows of gunfire, bombs, and fear. Inside my home, I was surrounded by overwhelming love, protection, and happiness: lush greenery, the volcano visible from my window, and the certainty that family was what truly mattered. That contrast became the foundation of who I am and what I create.

My journey from El Salvador to Mexico, Los Angeles, and now Florida, along with travels across every continent, has been an apprenticeship in the beauty of different cultures and continues to shape my work. My paintings reflect admiration, gratitude, and deep love for the ordinary moments that connect us. Those simple joys infuse each piece.

In a world that often feels heavy, I want my art to be a refuge, a joyful, hopeful place where people can find comfort, peace, and a reminder of the beauty that still surrounds us.