Antoni Ooto (b. 1946) is an American abstract expressionist artist and poet based in New York State. His work has been exhibited at galleries throughout the northeastern United States where he has received awards in printmaking, charcoal, pastel, oil and acrylic. His poetry has been published globally in journals, anthologies and online.
Antoni began his career as a stonemason in Rochester, New York in the 1960’s, apprenticing by day and attending Rochester Institute of Technology at night with a focus in photography. He began working in freehand with realistic graphite studies and later pastels, progressing from realism to abstract. Color, texture, and the application of materials became the major focus of his work. Using his mason’s trowel in a new context, Antoni developed the signature style of material application he employs to this day. The elemental energies of nature serve as primary subject matter and a central theme throughout his work.