“I actually had a situation where my mom had to come into the school because I was getting suspended for doing a Leonardo Da Vinci master copy.”

Imagine walking into a figure drawing class, a class that has a nude model posing for artists, and sitting off to the side is a little kid set up at an easel, his palette in front of him. You might be taken aback, not at the thought of some little boy sitting there, but that on the canvas is a pretty good rendering. To be honest, our guest Lucas Bononi admits that work he did then was not going to be hung up on the fridge in a place of honor. However, it was just the beginning for this artist to be surprising everyone with his work. 

“I actually had a situation where my mom had to come into the school because I was getting suspended for doing a Leonardo Da Vinci master copy,” remembers Lucas. “It was something that they just couldn’t perceive as being serious to a little kid.  And my mom just kind of said, he’s very serious about this.  How dare you try to suspend him? So, I ended up not getting suspended.”

Body of Work, Accolades

Lucas Bononi received his BFA in painting from the School of Fine Art at the Academy of Art University in 2016. His current body of work is an exploration of the ontology that exists between man and his surroundings. He often employs both traditional and contemporary methods to his artmaking and feeling both energies at work within him they tell his story.

Lucas has exhibited in numerous group and juried exhibitions across the U.S and internationally. He was awarded First Place in the Portrait Society of America’s Annual Members Competition, the Best in Show Award in the BoldBrush Painting Competition and the Purchase Prize, Best in Show for the Annual Exhibition held at SCNY, NY. In 2019 he was the cover artist for American Art Collector Magazine Sept and has been a featured artist in Fine Art Connoisseur, Southwest Art, American Artist and International Artist Magazine among other publications.

For a painter that sits down day in day out, eight hours day creating, it is no wonder his work can be found at the top of so many award and gallery lists. The work is very unique with a true believer in the art form at the brush. Currently, Lucas’ work can be found in galleries on both coasts with work now at Sugar Lift gallery in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York and an upcoming solo show.

You can view also check out his works on his Instagram.  

Follow us on Creative Mind / 
Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn / YouTube

Request information on Academy of Art University’s online education program through our admissions representatives. Don’t miss a beat earning your art and design degree.