Artist Filippo Giudice: was born in Comiso (Ragusa) on June 06 / 1946. He finished his studies at the State Institute of Art in Comiso, graduating in 1965. Primarily a sculptor, painter and artist, he is also a designer in the field of architecture, interior design and furniture. He works with ceramics, white stone used to construct the facades of the ancient baroque mansions of his land, asphalt stone, and volcanic stone of granite, in addition to iron, copper, bronze and glass. Giudice utilizes and blends a variety of materials with different techniques for the execution of his paintings, such as fossilized wood from leaves, siliceous sand, tuff dust and volcanic dust, which he mixes with asphalt, copper, bronze, acrylic, oil, sodium chloride, acids and special glazes. An extroverted and creative person with an innate propensity for new experiences, Filippo Giudice felt the need to move abroad to be able to better develop and challenge his own artistic ideas. In Monaco of Bavaria (Germany) Giudice worked as a window decorator and designer. But, he was drawn back to painting and sculpture, his first loves stemming from his early childhood experiences in the art workshops of the artists of Comiso. It was in this Bavarian city that, in 1966 he participated in an important exhibit of international art, placing third among an array of talent. Having returned to Sicily in 1969, he met his wife Maria during an exam for teacher certification in Palermo. They married the same year, becoming a couple brought together not only in life, but also in art. In 1994, the Italian government bestowed him with the title of Cavaliere al Merito because of his socio-cultural merits. In 1995 Filippo Giudice was named Artistic Director of Laocoonte Academy, and in 1996, he was appointed Illustrious Citizen of the Province of Ragusa.