Artwork by Bill Bateman at Rustico Cooking Studio in NYC

It's been almost 2 years since we closed our cooking school on West 39th street in Manhattan after 15 years to focus on our cooking tours to Italy. It was an a beautiful space that we, and hopefully many of you reading this post,  will remember fondly: The open kitchens on two floors with top-of-the-line Wolf ranges and ovens, Subzero refrigerators and wine storage units, and spacious dining rooms.

One of the elements that made our space truly special was the unique artwork on the walls:  every piece was by artist Bill Bateman. We've known Bill since the late 90s and we share a love for Italian food, Italy,  and (in the case of Dino) absurd humor and the music of Frank Zappa. The bathroom signs he painted (pictured below) made people chuckle in recognition...

You can see some of the oil paintings in the same graphic style that graced the walls of our cooking school, as well as many other styles and media (including some truly arresting photography) on Bill's website.

Animations by Dino Based on Bill's Art

Bill Bateman's unique circular painting Mayan Souvenir Wheel, after being on display for more than a decade at our school in New York City, now has a prominent spot in our home.  Bill suggested that we should give it a clockwise turn every other month! Dino decided go further and designed some short animations derived from it. You can see some of them here, and take a moment to visit Bill's website  to see more of his amazing art.