Following a stint in the US Armed Forces, he went back to being a student, taking advantage of the VA’s educational benefits. Two years later, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Design from California State University. For the next 20 years, he worked as a Designer in various industries, all the while following his passion for art and painting.

In 1990, he made a career change to Fine Art and never regretted it. While in Upstate New York, Argandoña began teaching watercolor painting to adults and exhibited his paintings at mall shows and outdoor venues in New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia, but it was not until he moved to Sarasota that his new art career blossomed beyond his expectations.

The large snowbird and international audience became the bulk of his large clientele. Noticing the absence of prints of popular tourist locations, he painted a few images of Siesta Key locations, which completely sold out at a local outdoor venue. This success fueled his enthusiasm, and the artist began painting images of tourist locations from Anna Maria to Boca Grande. In addition to painting and exhibiting his art, Argandoña also offered classes and workshops at Sarasota area art centers.

When COVID arrived and many art centers temporarily closed, the artist taught himself the technicalities of online classes, and he began teaching students across the US, but he still yearns for the personal teaching form of the classroom.

In 1992, Augusto Argandoña‘s art was featured in North Light Magazine; in 2016 and 2017, his art was featured in Gulf Coast Living Magazine; in 2021, his art was also featured in Plein Air Magazine. He also received the honor of being named Master Artist by the Florida Suncoast Watercolor Society. He also received the honor of being included in American Watercolor.

The artist’s original paintings and prints are part of private, corporate, and public collections throughout North America and Europe. His paintings have won Best of Show, First Place, and other awards at shows in New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Florida. Argandoña studios are located in Sarasota, FL, and Hilton Head Island, SC.

For the artist, all of this was once a dream… now he is living his dream.

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