Art Brokerage: For sculptor/ painter/ photographer Roberto Santo, art became a way of life when, at age16, he embarked upon an apprenticeship with Robert Peak, the celebrated illustrator... and his father (Santo was his mother's maiden name). Any illusions he may have had about not following in his sire's footsteps were dispelled as he embraced his innate talent. He went on to hone it in his native city, at New York's Art Students League and The New School of Art. Santo subsequently attended the University of Oregon, earning a prestigious Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. He then continued his studies at Los Angeles' Art Center College of Design. By the early 90s, Santo began to realize his current ''modern Renaissance man'' reputation, as his attention shifted to painting and then sculpture. In 1996, he moved his family to Italy, first to Florence and then to Chianti. Two years later, they moved to the Italian medieval village of Pietrasanta on Tuscany's northern coast, a town that has nurtured artists since the late 15th century when Michelangelo began utilizing the marble from its neighboring quarries. In the tradition of the great artists of the Renaissance, Santo is passionate about the human form. Like Michelangelo and Bernini, he has devoted himself to its exploration in bronze and marble, often working in monumental size. Embracing the time-honored tradition of figurative sculpture, Santo believes that his art celebrates the past while allowing it to transcend into the present. His approach is unique, as he often leaves evidence of the actual casting process in his finished work. He insists on hand- crafting every piece, while so many other artists of his caliber depend on a corps of assistants.