ALVARO CASTAGNET was born in Montevideo,
Uruguay (South America) and migrated to Australia in
1983.
His early interest in art was cultivated mainly by his
father, who, at a very young age, sent him to the
National School of Art in Montevideo and was taught
by Professor Esteban Garino.
He studied at the Fine Arts University, where Miguel
Angel Pareja was his oil painting tutor.
Two years after arriving in Australia, he was appointed
Art Director of Melbourne’s Latin American Festival.
Alvaro has traveled extensively throughout the USA,
Mexico, South America, Europe and Australia, which
he has found to broaden the vision, depth and subjects
of his work.
His experience in the field of teaching watercolors to
all levels of artists from beginners to advance is well
known and greatly appreciated because he manages to
inspire and lift the abilities of all who work with him.
He runs workshops all around the world, including
South America.
Alvaro Castagnet has an established reputation as a
dedicated artist. His works have been acquired by
private and corporate collectors worldwide, he has
been holding solo exhibitions in Australia since 1985,
and has won several prestigious national prizes,
including: twice, First Prize Alice Bale Award & First
Prize St. Kevin’s College.
In New York, during May 2003 he was awarded most
prestigious, “HIGH WINDS” award and medal, by the
most prestigious American Watercolor Society.
Making it the first ever Uruguayan to win it.
In April, 2007 he was awarded with "BUD AND
GRETCHEN MARBLE MEDAL again, by American
Watercolor Society in New York.
"Bronze Award", at the prestigious Camberwell Art
Show, in Melbourne, Australia.
Other regional awards are too numerous to menion.
He is a member of Old Watercolor Society and The
Victorian Artist Society, and most recently selected
AWS member, in New York, USA.
He has been invited to participate in the Cross-Century
Asian Pacific Watercolor Exhibition, 1997, 1998, and
1999, at Chung-Cheng Gallery, National Taiwan Arts
Education Institute.
In February 2000 he was invited to participate in the
auction / exhibition “The art of saving lives” at
Sotheby’s Australia.
His book, “Watercolor Painting With Passion” was
released in September 2000 with great success
throughout the world.
He also writes articles for the AUSTRALIAN ARTIST
MAGAZINE, THE ARTIST'S MAGAZINE,
WATERCOLOR MAGIC and a number of Dutch
magazines, and his work appeared in the premiere
issue of “INTERNATIONAL ARTIST” magazine, and
continues to do so regularly.
He is one of the 23 international artists that has
participated in the successful and recently released
(2003) book “The Watercolor Landscape Techniques
of 23 International Artists”.
He has been featured in “50 AUSTRALIAN ARTISTS”
book.
“Watercolor Painting With Passion” Video and DVD
has been released with great success.
He is currently working on his next book and a new
series of watercolor videos and DVD.
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Alvaro is an expressive painter, and portrays a strong,
impressive and colorful style with superb interpretation
of light effects, capturing the soul of the places he
paints.
He has been conducting yearly overseas workshops
with great success, since 1992 (U.K., Scotland, Italy,
France, Spain, U.S.A., Mexico, Australia, and South
America all over)
He is fluent in many languages, including: Spanish,
Italian, Portuguese and English.
He is now based in Montevideo, Uruguay, with his
wife , Ana Maria & their two boys, Gaston & Calvin.
Alvaro travels around the world painting and lecturing
the art of watercolor, judging shows and attending
exhibitions of his work.
Prestigious awards include:
1985 First Prize Spanish Art Society
1987 First Prize Watercolor, City of Malvern
1987 First Prize Watercolor, City of Brighton
1987 Best Artist Under 35, City of Brighton
1990 First Prize Watercolor, Glen Waverley Art Show
1991 First Prize Watercolour, Waverley Show
1991 First Prize Watercolor, City of Ringwood Art
Show
1992 First Prize Watercolor, Mornington Art Show
1992 First Prize Oil Burke Hall Art Show, Kew
1992 First Prize Watercolor, Glen Waverley Art Show
1992 First Prize Watercolor, Ringwood Art Show
1992 Honorable Award, Port Adelaide Art Show
1993 First Prize Watercolor, Mt Waverley Art Show
1993 First Prize Watercolor, Alice Bale Art Award
1994 2nd Price, Alice Bale Art Award
1994 First Price Watercolor, Mt Waverley Art Show
1994 Norwich Prize, Camberwell Art Show
1995 First Prize, Mornington Art Show
1995 First Prize, Waverley Art Show
1996 First Prize Watercolor, Box Hill Art Show
1997 First Prize Watercolor, ToorakCollege Art Show
1998 First Prize Watercolor, Box Hill Art Show
1998 First Prize Watercolor St. Kevin’s College Art
Show
1999 First Prize Watercolor, Box Hill Art Show
2000 First Prize Watercolor, Chelsea.
2001 First Prize Watercolor, St. Kevin’s College Art
Show
2001 First Prize Watercolor, Chelsea.
2003 High Winds Medal, American Watercolor Society
2004 Alfredo Guati Rojo Memorial Award, American
Watercolor Society
2004 Air Float Systems, Inc. Award, National
Watercolor Society
2005 First Prize Watercolor, Chelsea.
2007 Bud & Gretchen Merble Medal, American
Watercolor Society
2007 Bronze Award, Camberwell Art Show, Australia
2010 Shanghai Zhujiajiao International Watercolour
Biennial Award
Other awards include:
Highly CommendedSt. Kevin’s College
Highly CommendedRotary Club of VictorHarbor
Highly CommendedMt View Art Show (two)
Highly CommendedRotary Club of Waverley
Highly CommendedPreston Art Show
Highly CommendedRingwood Art Show
Highly CommendedWindsor and Newton Australian
Awards
Highly CommendedCamberwell Art Show (seven)
And many more...
A Collection of Alvaro’s work is held by:
Mitsubishi Australia
IBM Argentina
The City of Malvern
The City of Glen Waverley
Aerolineas Argentinas
Greenville Arms, New York…… and
by many art enthusiast around the world.
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