John Colao was born in Paterson New Jersey. Upon completing his studies at Boston University, he moved to New York and studied fine art at NYU, inspired by the masters of photography, he began a career as a photographer. Traveling extensively, Colao sojourned in Big Sur before moving to Los Angeles in the 1980’s, continuing to shoot advertising, editorial and portrait assignments. His work has appeared in Vogue, Interview, Traveler, Los Angeles Magazine, New York Times, LA Times Magazines, to name a few. His documentary film project, “Memphis is in Egypt: A Portrait of Charles Lloyd” profiles the great jazz tenor saxophonist and his quartet, filmed on tour. The film premiered at the Santa Barbara Film Festival. Colao has exhibited in several group shows in New York, Italy, and California.

His portraits of William Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg were included in the William S. Burroughs Retrospective exhibited at the Robert Berman Gallery at Bergamot Station. His photographs were included in the Robert Berman Gallery’s 25th year anniversary exhibit in 2004, and in the Berman /Turner Projects inaugural group show in the spring of 2005. His current work, images of seascapes and deserts reflects a personal sense of the ethereal balance of light and color, exploring the phenomenon of perception. The embodiment of extended space gives these images their impact. .

Colao is the recipient of a 2005 International Photo Award for fine art.

Colao lives and works in his studio in Venice Ca.




SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2006
Red House Gallery Venice CA
Berman / Turner Gallery Santa Monica CA
2005
International Photo Award IPA: Fine Art
FOA 11 Director ‘s Guild DGA West Hollywood CA
Berman / Turner Gallery Santa Monica CA
2004
Robert Berman Gallery CA
25tTh Anniversary Exhibit
FOA 10 Director’s Guild DGA West Hollywood CA
2003
Thomas Lavin Gallery West Hollywood CA
1996
Santa Barbara Film Festival Santa Barbara CA
Robert Berman Gallery Santa Monica CA
1995
200 Mildred Venice CA
1980
New York University New York


STATEMENT
This current work in progress of seascapes / landscapes, reflects a personal sense of synchronicity between light, color, shape…searching for the abstract, that sometimes appears in our worlds. The untitled: Salton Sea is such an image which manifests the illusion, “as above, so below.”

The untitled: Salton Sea 1999, received an International Photo Award (IPA) In 2005 for fine art.