John Stango

Philadelphia born painter John Stango stands at the forefront of modern American nostalgia Pop Art. Inspired by the 50s tradition, Stango’s artworks are distinctive and recognizable. His classic contemporary Americana imagery emerges with a vigorous freshness as he combines silk-screening and freehand painting with iconic pop imagery and vibrant streaks of color. The artist finds inspiration from retro- advertisements, pop icons, B-movies, mid-century modernism, vintage magazines, vintage signage, noir films, and every variety of pop-culture.  Stango is known around the world for his sexy bombshell women, designer logos, sports, hero and Superhero imagery, American muscle cars, and all things in the classic American arena. John Stango’s paintings bring retro Americana Pop Art into the contemporary 21^st century.

Stango’s family lineage traces back to the revered American painter, Norman Rockwell. Stango’s mother, Frances Elaine Rockwell, a distant cousin of Norman Rockwell’s, was also a gifted painter and introduced her son to painting. Growing up, Stango was drawn to bright colors and confrontational, graphic imagery. He loved the outlandish covers of Mad Magazine, especially the iconic imagery of Alfred E Neuman. He went on to discover the hallucinatory and bizarre world of Pop Art, the world in which he now lives and breathes. Stango studied at Tyler School of Art at Temple University, where he began to receive considerable recognition for his talents. After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Graphic Design, he started work as a visual merchandiser and display artist at Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s department stores, then moved on to creating silk-screened t-shirts for these stores, and finally retreated into full-time painting. He says there is only one art master––Andy Warhol––the Godfather of Pop Art. Disregarding delicacy and precise intention, Stango developed a style of painting with the arm rather than the wrist. He calls this full-body technique “Muscle Car Style”: pedal to the metal, always.

Stango’s works are exhibited internationally and owned by notable American musicians, politicians, actors, and athletes. Despite his massive success, Stango remains committed to philanthropy, using the proceeds of his artworks to support international charities and education initiatives. Among his notable collectors are Madonna, Sylvester Stallone, and Swizz Beatz.