Angelo Quabba was born in 1952 in Bione, a small village at the foothills of the Alps in northern Italy.
His journey as a painter began at the age of twelve when his uncle gifted him a set of oil paints. From that moment, he developed an insatiable desire to explore nature and learn everything he could about painting. Angelo would spend hours in the countryside, studying the forms and colours of the lush mountain scenery surrounding his home.
Painting has always been more than a skill for Angelo—it is a lifelong passion, a continuous journey of discovery. In 1977, he held his first solo exhibition in Salò, on the shores of Lake Garda in Lombardy. This was followed by successful exhibitions in Brescia and Milan.
In 1982, he arrived in Australia and settled in North East Victoria. “I found a new horizon of light, colour, open spaces, and a vibrant blue sky.”
His paintings reflect a deep zest for life, capturing a rich diversity of subjects—from vast landscapes and dramatic still lifes to intimate scenes, portraits, and figurative studies. Angelo’s oil paintings are instantly recognisable for their distinctive joie de vivre—each piece brimming with vitality and spontaneity.
With collections in both Europe and Australia and more than 80 awards won over the past 30 years, Angelo remains committed to artistic growth. He constantly seeks new ways to interpret his subjects, refining his craft with every brushstroke.
He is a master of the alla prima technique, or first fall of the brush—a direct wet-on-wet painting style that requires no preliminary sketches or underdrawings. His bold, expressive brushstrokes bring both sensitivity and freshness to his work. Each flickering volley of colour is inventive, kinetic, and full of warmth, creating a cohesive light rarely seen in traditional art.
Angelo is not bound by rigid detail; instead, his impressionistic approach embraces the pure, sensory beauty of his subjects. His mastery lies in the effortless balance of luminous hues and subtle contrasts, capturing not just what is seen, but what is felt.
