By Lydia Graves

Imagine standing before a canvas where every stroke pulses with energy, where colors don’t just form shapes but also evoke deep emotion. This is the magic of Semadar, an artist whose work doesn’t just capture moments but transforms them into timeless masterpieces. Born in Italy and shaped by classical art traditions, Semadar’s journey into the world of art began long before she picked up her first paintbrush. Her story is one of passion, discovery, and an unrelenting drive to create art that will resonate for centuries.

A Childhood Vision

As a child, Semadar’s imagination knew no bounds. “When I was a child, my teachers saw something in me,” she recalls. “At six, I was already building tiny villages from clay and dreaming of a life filled with art.” It wasn’t just play; it was the beginning.

However, a pivotal school trip to Athens at age 14 reshaped her artistic destiny. Standing before ancient ruins and masterpieces that had endured millennia, Semadar felt a deep, almost magnetic pull to art that was beautiful and eternal. “Seeing those works, I realized I wanted to create something that would last, something people would remember for centuries,” she says, her voice tinged with the same reverence she felt standing before those ancient masterpieces.

The Artistic Language

What sets Semadar’s work apart is the evolution of her own visual language—a blend of classical techniques and modern exploration. She didn’t simply adopt the style of old masters; she reinterpreted their legacy through a lens of emotion and philosophical depth. After studying at the prestigious Academie Arts & Beaux-Arts and earning honors, she began to create pieces admired for their technique paired with their ability to provoke a visceral emotional response.

The technique that defines Semadar’s work is neo-pointillism, an evolution of the pointillist style that allows her to manipulate color, light, and texture in groundbreaking ways. “It’s more than just dots on a canvas,” she explains. “It’s about creating a dynamic conversation between color, form, and emotion. My art speaks to the soul.”

In her hands, color isn’t just a tool for aesthetic beauty—it’s a force that carries meaning, energy, and power. Her works shimmer with intensity, pulling viewers into a world where contrast and harmony coexist, and the lines between abstraction and reality blur. It’s a unique balance challenging traditional definitions of realism, expressionism, and even abstraction.

Innovation and Spotlights: LA Art Show

The LA Art Show is a space where Semadar’s innovative approach to art finds resonance with a global audience. “The LA Art Show is a favorite of mine,” she says, not only because of its prestigious roster of international artists but because of the personal connections she’s made through it. Amongst the exhibits, she first encountered representatives from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a partnership that continues to inspire her work in meaningful ways.

The LA Art Show is a stage where some of the most famous artists of the past, like Picasso and Monet, are showcased alongside contemporary talent, making it an exciting convergence of the old and new. “To exhibit alongside artists whose work I’ve admired for years—there’s no greater honor,” Semadar reflects. It’s a testament to the fusion of historical reverence and bold innovation that defines her career.

Photo Courtesy: Santina Semadar Panetta / Pancetta

Shaping the Mold

When Semadar speaks about her artistic influences, it’s clear her vision isn’t confined to the realm of visual art alone. While the works of Seurat, Chagall, and Monet are strong influences, she also draws inspiration from the ideas of philosophers like Gaston Bachelard, whose writings on the poetics of space have profoundly shaped her understanding of art. “Art is not just about what you see—it’s about what you feel, what you imagine, what you experience. Bachelard’s ideas on space and imagination have deeply influenced how I approach my work,” she shares.

Semadar’s influences are a fusion of visual artistry and intellectual inquiry, and it’s this blend that allows her to create pieces that resonate on multiple levels. Whether through the structure of a painting or the feeling it evokes, Semadar’s art transcends mere representation—it invites the viewer into a dialogue, an experience, a moment in time.

Hardening the Clay

Semadar’s goal isn’t just to create art that hangs on walls; it’s to create art that endures. Her pieces don’t simply decorate spaces—they engage with viewers, challenging them to see the world in new ways. “I want to create something that isn’t just a fleeting trend,” she says. “I want to create something that will stand the test of time, something that makes people stop and think years from now.”

As she prepares for her upcoming exhibition at the LA Art Show, one thing is clear: Semadar is more than an artist—she’s a creator of legacy. Each stroke of paint, each choice of color, each detail is a piece of a larger story—a story of an artist whose work will live on, pushing the boundaries of what art can do and what it can mean for generations to come.

For Semadar, the future is filled with endless possibilities, each one unfolding on the canvas. And for the rest of us, it’s a journey we’ll be lucky to witness.

Published by Liana P.