Los Angeles based figurative painter Manny Cosentino was born in New York City in 1958. Working primarily in oils, he paints figure compositions, portraits, still lives and urban landscapes. He completed his formal training in art at UCLA with honors (MFA 1983.) Cosentino considers himself a “classical” realist because he looks at Art History, especially the art of Western Europe and the Renaissance to find precedents for many of his works.

Cosentino has exhibited his work locally and nationally. In 2022 he participated in Brand 50; 50th Annual National Juried Exhibition of Works on Paper, at the Brand Library and Art Center in Glendale, CA. In 2018, he showed a portrait in Italianitá; Italian Diaspora Artists Examine Identity, at the Italian American Museum in Los Angeles, CA. In 2005 his work was featured in The Painted Image: Works by Emanuel Cosentino, Domenic Cretara, Joe Forkan, Samantha Minear and Erin Palmer, at Biola University in La Mirada, CA. In 2000, he was included in Representing L.A.: Pictorial Currents in Southern California Art, a large comprehensive exhibit that took place over a two-year period at the Frye Art Museum in Seattle, WA, the Art Museum of South Texas in Corpus Christie, TX, and the Laguna Art Museum in Laguna Beach CA.

The artist has garnered many awards and citations. In 2024, he placed as a Finalist in the Portrait Society of America’s Members Only Competition, (non-commissioned portrait.) In 2017, he was presented with the Sharon D. Lund Master Teaching Artist Award by Ryman Arts. In 2012, he received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from the Congress of the United States House of Representatives for his contribution to the Los Angeles Metro neighborhood poster series.

Cosentino taught painting and drawing for many years at various institutions in and around southern California. He also worked as one of the lead stained-glass painters at the Judson Stained-Glass Studios in Los Angeles from 2009 to 2015. His stained-glass painting can be seen on many of the windows for the Church of Our Savior at the Caruso Catholic center, USC, completed by Judson in 2012.

In addition to art, Cosentino loves opera and singing. He studied voice for many years with Louise Caselotti, contralto, and former opera singer. Caselotti’s sister was Adriana Caselotti, voice of Walt Disney’s Snow White, and her most famous pupil was Maria Callas (who studied with Louise in New York City from 1946-47.)