Carmelo was born in 1939 in the small town of Francofonte on the Island of Sicily.
He came to North America in the early 70's, spending some time in New York and Montreal before finally settling in Vancouver where he owned and operated a number of successful Pastry shops and restaurants. He slowly but surely began to appreciate the strong connections between his two great passions, food and art.
"I use fruit as a metaphore of sensuality in much the same way that Morandi used his bottles, Cezanne his beloved Mont-Ste-Victoire, and Pollock his paint. All are endless sources of inspiration. Each piece of fruit is individual in colour, shape and texture, and that is what I strive to achieve with each painting. A unique work of art, a total visual and sensory experience for the viewer".
Sortino is totally self taught, with his vibrant larger than life luscious paintings he proves that life is indeed a veritable feast for the eyes.
Studios in West Vancouver, Canada, California and Sicily.