The longtime Dimond district painter has depicted the city’s residents and other images for decades.
Longtime Oakland artist Michael Manente says “It was the best opening I’ve ever had” about the Piedmont Center for the Arts and attendance at his recent exhibit there. “I generally sell urban landscape, but this time I sold 10 paintings, mostly of the Oakland trails with filtered light coming through the redwoods.” One such example is his “Sequoia Bayview Trail,” above, from 2021 in Manente's new book “Oakland and Other Places.
Having painted sky-high, large-format advertisements while working for former West Coast billboard company Foster & Kleiser and images of iconic figures such as Reggie Jackson, Christie Brinkley and the “Marlboro” man after founding his own Masterpiece Sign Painting company, Manente now works most often on canvases tacked to his studio wall.
A young bride posing for a wedding photographer in the Parisian district of Montmartre captured his attention and resulted in a portrait. Eventually earning a bachelor of fine arts degree at Ohio University and a master of arts at Kent State University, Manente and his wife, Cindy Manente, moved to the Bay Area in 1978. His wife was a school teacher in the Diocese of Oakland’s Catholic schools while Manente in 1991 established and operated his sign painting company. Together, they are the parents of three adult sons.
“In my work an aging building painted with a soft edge is often juxtaposed by something sharply modern, like an automobile or a glass building. He already has one portrait identified. His favorite bartender has the throwback-push-forward contrast he recognizes as dynamic. Her Jean Harlow-style platinum blond hair, dramatic makeup, lengthened eyelashes and multiple tattoos bring him to say, “She’ll be terrific up there, larger than life.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Oakland Tech boys rally, girls dominate, as both win Oakland Section titlesOakland Section basketball championships: Oakland Tech girls rout Oakland, Bulldog boys rally past Wildcats
Read more »
CIF NorCal basketball roundup: Granada boys beat St. Ignatius at buzzerOakland Tech, Oakland boys, Carondelet, Notre Dame-San Jose girls advance to NorCal semifinals on Saturday.
Read more »
The 10 most expensive homes that reported sold in Alameda, Piedmont and Oakland the week of Feb. 19A house in Piedmont that sold for $6.2 million tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Alameda, Piedmont and Oakland in the past week.
Read more »
The 10 most expensive homes reported sold in Alameda, Piedmont and Oakland in the week of Feb. 12A house in Piedmont that sold for $9.7 million tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Alameda, Piedmont and Oakland in the past week.
Read more »
Piedmont to vote March 5 on raising, lengthening city services taxCity officials say Measure F’s increased revenues and expansion from four to 12 years are needed for planned expenses.
Read more »
Piedmont seeks volunteers for recreation panel and several othersSpring activities will require staffing. Apply by March 15 for a dozen openings on various city commissions and committees.
Read more »