Michael Torquato deNicola (b. 1967, Pasadena, CA) | Painter, Designer and Filmmaker
An award winning professional surfer, artist and filmmaker Michel Torquato deNicola (aka Torquato) has been spreading his messages of love, acceptance, sustainability and hope across media formats and through his varied visual art projects.
His art style developed from his relationship to surfing and the world’s oceans. Starting to surf at age 12, by 19 Michael was on the US National team and turned pro after graduating collage. The first pro to finish a collage education. It was on the pro circuit that Michaels trademark visuals came together — an outgrowth oh his fluid surfing style, deNicola’s paintings contain the same fluidity in a layered collage of rhythms, patterns and forms.
Professional Experience
From the start, deNicola’s art and surfing were intertwined. In 1989, after turning pro, Michael began a series artistic design collaborations with major surfing brands including Quicksilver, O’Neil, Hot Tuna and BC Surfboards. By the late 90’s Mike’s fine art career received a major boost when he entered the Surf City USA Art Festival and won a juried award at the show. This opened the door to a new long term career in fine art with gallery shows and new collectors across the globe.
As his involvement in professional surf contests resided, Mike continued making fine art for gallery and museum shows and began producing television and film projects. He developed the Red Bull 5X game and TV series running from 2000-2005/6 seasons. In conjunction with this game, Mike developed his trademark character ‘Torquato’ and the now famous tag line, “Yes You Can.”
He also produced and art directed the award wining surfing documentary ‘The Westsiders’ and served as a produce on the acclaimed feature film ‘ Chapter & Verse’.
Exhibitions:
In addition to an extensive list of gallery shows in the US, Japan and Europe, including shows at the Amstel Gallery in Amsterdam and Florida, Chase Edwards Gallery in the Hamptons, Art Project Paia on Maui, The Misfit Gallery in La Jolla, and The Laguna Gallery of Contemporary Art; Michael’s art has also been exhibited in the Architecture and Design Museum, The Surfing Heritage Museum, and a sole exhibition of his Reef paintings at the Neutra Museum.
Publications:
His artwork has appeared in SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, MAXIM, SURFER, SURF EUROPE, WAVES, BLUE (Japan) and many other international publications.
In 2021 Mike published ‘The Book of Hope” based on his Hope Series of original mixed media on paper created during the first Covid lockdown.
Michael Torquato deNicola lives and works in Los Angeles. In addition to creating new artwork and designing consumer products, Michael is developing a new Game/TV Series titled T5, an updated version of his 5X Series.
Torquato Art Collections at FATHOM: Love More | Reef Paintings | Sun Spots | Hope Series | Torquato Boards