We are so excited to be carrying the Naughty, yet Nice line of work by Mauro Baiocco. He first caught our eye when he participated in our May bazaar. We completely fell in love with his work and we were curious to learn more about him. Enjoy our little interview + be sure to check out our full stock of his paintings here. Meet him in person at this weekend’s Art Star Craft Bazaar. He is just as charming in person as his work (I know, how is it possible?!)
Art Star: Tell us a bit about your work. What inspires your imagery?
Mauro Baiocco: I paint silliness. I guess the best way to summarize my process is this: when i was a kid, there was a catch-all, make-no-sense TV line up every Saturday from 2:00-8:00pm called “Super Action Saturdays”. A typical programming will be something like “Plan 9 from Outter Space”, followed by “Spartacus”, “Motra vs. Godzilla” and “Valley of the Dolls” -I know! So awesome! By the end of it, I was so stimulated and exhausted I used to merge all the plots into one long movie and that’s how I remembered it: Hellen Lawson kicked Godzilla’s ass, married Spartacus and helped him liberate the world from zombie aliens (which would be a blockbuster by the way). I try to tap into that old way of seeing things when I’m painting.
AS: Are you formally trained? If so, where did you study?
MB: No formal training at all.
AS: You currently live/work in Brooklyn, correct? Where are you from originally?
MB: Yes, that’s correct. I have been in NYC for 15 years and in downtown Brooklyn since 2006. I’m originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
AS: What are some of your favorite places in NY to go for inspiration?
MB: Hands down the Metropolitan Museum. I have visited so much and still always find some amazing piece that i overlooked before and it blows my mind. And also I keep coming back to the dioramas in the American History Museum. If it is a nice day to be out, i’ll just walk around the city or sit in a park and people watch.
AS: Are you able to focus on your work full time?
MB: I have been painting silliness full time since 2008. Sometimes I even get to pay all my bills!
AS: What materials do you primarily work with?
MB: I enjoy working with bright colors in any shape or form, and I love using vintage photographs and antique frames in my work.
AS: Aside from Art Star, Where else do you show/sell your work?
MB: Right now I’m gearing up to open my booth in the Winter Village at Bryant Park starting October 21st till January 4th. It is a joint venture with a fellow artist friend and we decided to name our holiday shop “Gomez & Petrov” as a wink to our respective latin and Russian origins. Also, I will be participating in One Of A Kind Chicago from December 4th-7th. Busy times are a-coming!
AS: Who are some of your favorite artists?
MB: Oh God, so many I don’t know where to begin! Photography is really dear to my heart and I enjoy a really wide spectrum from Berenice Abbot to Ryan McGingley. I also have a soft spot for pop surrealism, so Gary Baseman, Mia Makila, Anne Faith Nichols, Camille Rose Garcia, Marion Peck, Elizabeth Mcgrath, Jose Rodolfo Loaiza Ontiveros, Alex Gross, the Clayton Brothers, Martha Rich, I mean I can go on and on…
Mauro’s first solo exhibition at Art Star will feature a charming array of “Naughty but Nice” animal portraits. Yeah they may look cute and innocent on the surface but these cuddly animals have issues. The show will feature an all new collection of acrylic and ink paintings of Mauro’s cynical and bitter cast of furry friends. We will be celebrating the opening all day long during shop hours. Come ready to day drink with us, as we’ll have a boozy beverage or two to offer guests! Can’t make the opening? No worries, the show will be up in our gallery space through November 22nd.
Art Star artist and regular blog contributor, Christie Sommers of 
If you have stopped by our shop on a Saturday this summer, chances are you met our employee, Julia! Well, she is not only a super awesome shop helper, she is also an incredibly talented illustrator. She will be bringing along a selection of her original works and prints for you to peruse and shop.
This print is of an original piece titled “Root” from Jen Corace’s solo exhibition at Art Star. It is an archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle 100% cotton rag paper. We use Silicon Fine Art Printing here in Philadelphia, so it is extremely high quality. It is a signed, limited edition of 100 and is $40. Buy it 
You’ll see there is a theme here. I have plants and nature on my brain. This print is by Minneapolis based artist, Amy Rice. Amy is a prolific artists whose work we’ve carried since we opened in 2004. She is one of our absolute favorites! Luckily for my wallet, Amy offers a line of affordable art prints like this one. She enjoys painting/printing on antique letters, journal entries, maps and even high end wallpaper, like this one. This is a hand set and hand pulled letterpress print. I just love it! $40 Buy it 
Another floral piece with a motivational phrase. I need it this time of year! I love Mai Autumn’s delicate watercolors, they are so beautiful! This one will also add a nice pop of color to any room! This piece is available in both 8×10 and 11×14, which are both standard frame sizes. Printed with archival inks on Canon Pro Luster Pape and $20/$35, depending on which size you choose. Buy it 
A daily reminder – ha! Plus, it makes me laugh a little b/c there are seriously bobby pins all over my house. In the oddest places too! For this reason, I think they are the bane of my husband’s existence. Just kidding. This is a screenprint by Bryan Sculthorpe of Yardsale Press, who I fondly refer to as “talls” because he is a giant and I am a midget. Just $15 – buy it 
My husband and I have already begun planning our camping trips! This reminds me that in a few months we’ll be sleeping under the stars. I. cannot. wait. This is an 11×17″ poster illustrated by Andrea Lauren of Paper Sparrow and it is printed with vegetable + soy based inks. $18. Buy it 
And finally, this gem. Because I love art with a sense of humor most of all. It is titled “Reflecting Pool of Shame”. It is a reproduction of an original painting on top of a photograph by Mauro Biaocco of Naughty + Nice. It was printed using archival ink and paper. Don’t lie, you’ve been there! $20 Buy it