About

About Us

Our work is based upon a simple idea – articulated nicely by Robert Henri – which is this: art is the province of every human being. This thought is central to all our projects. Each of us has the capacity to create, to feel profoundly, and to express who we are.

Our goal is to encourage the enjoyment of art and we do this through painting exhibitions and painting workshops. From April thru October, every year, you can visit our art gallery in Bellagio where you can see some of Jerry Fresia’s work, which includes oil paintings and pastels of Lake Como, Italy, and its environs. Here you can discover one of the best examples of contemporary Impressionist paintings created en plein air (in the open air). And if you wish to learn the craft of painting – the authentic Impressionist painting method – you can join one of our painting workshops in Bellagio or Florida.

FRESIA art gallery opened in 2011 in the town of Menaggio, located on the west side of Lake Como, Italy. In 2013, we relocated to Bellagio, which is known as “The Pearl of Lake Como” and the most visited town on the lake. The current location is a short walk from the ferry dock and next to the luxurious Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni.

Plein-air Painter, Teacher & Writer

Jerry Fresia received a PhD in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and has taught at numerous US colleges and universities. He left academia in 1989 and settled in San Francisco to pursue a career in painting. In San Francisco he was an exhibitor and Executive Director of two outdoor art exhibition groups. He has written extensively on both art and the political-economy of the US.

Gallery Director

Conchitina Miguel received a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the University of San Francisco. Prior to moving to Lake Como, she worked at a subsidiary of Bank of New York and at State Street Bank in San Francisco, CA. An art enthusiast and painter, she is drawn to the “new painting” of the fin de siècle Paris such as Morisot and Whistler as well as contemporary painters such as Diebenkorn and Truphemus. Conchitina is also an avid cook who is passionate about Mediterranean-vegetarian cooking.

Highlights

20 years in business on Lake Como
1700+ paintings sold to art buyers in 35+ countries
Painting workshops attended by painters from 37 countries spanning 5 continents
In the art collection of 2 billionaires, one of whom is a hedge fund manager and one of the "Top 200 Art Collectors Worldwide" (ARTnews)
Recognized as Master Artist by American Impressionist Society, a US-based organization with 2,000+ active members.
Chosen as one of the "Master Painters of The World" by International Artist Magazine, a worldwide publication.