Robert Todonai

Robert Todonai was born April 11, 1963 in Port Augusta, South Australia. Recognized early for his artistic talents, he was encouraged by his parents to pursue drawing and painting. After completing his schooling, he joined the artists of the Science-Art Research Center at Berri while studying applied mathematics, where he became known for his mastery of narrative impressionism, portraits, and science-art abstracts. His style was also influenced by the work of the Australian Heidelberg School.
As a narrative impressionist, Todonai creates art that tells the story of a fleeting moment. He describes these captured moments as “as fleeting and transitory as a ray of light coming through the clouds in the distance,” there for just an instant before vanishing. He enjoys creating figurative works and landscapes based on places he has visited, seen in photos, or imagined, and has painted en plein air across Australia. He prefers to paint quickly, believing that less labored works better capture the immediacy he seeks.
Todonai’s work has been exhibited at the Pacific Design Centre in Hollywood and the Dyansen Galleries on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The Thalians of Hollywood awarded him a Decree of Artistic Excellence and a Star in their Walk of Fame. In 2010, he was designated an artist-representative of the Florentine New Renaissance Project in Italy. He is represented by Park West Gallery and his work appears in private and institutional collections worldwide.