John Smith-Amato
John Smith-Amato is Founder and Director of Synchronicity Space. Established in 1988, Synchronicity Space, is an internationally recognized (501
C-3; not for profit) arts organization. Synchronicity’s mission: to produce, present and nurture theatre – both locally and internationally; promote, conceive and develop fine art exhibitions in local and international gallery venues by providing support and services for the development and promotion of emerging visual artists. Amato has initiated and developed programs for young playwrights and poets, writers, painters, actors and children’s theatre. He has collaborated with community and international organizations, creating programs to benefit the fiscal needs of developing and emerging artists, as well as educational institutions and sparsely funded arts programs that are designed to commingle differing cultures.
Prior to his founding of Synchronicity Space, Amato juggled three similar organizations serving as collaborator and developer, while
living and teaching abroad in Japan, Germany and France. These organizations are still actively presenting and exhibiting artists in the spirit in which they were established. He has extensive experience producing theatre, presenting and exhibiting fellow visual artists in the United States and abroad, while working with and collaborating in the development of theatre companies in supporting their artistic visions. During his 35 years as Director of Synchronicity, he has presented more than 400 theatre, dance, music and performance productions and exhibited more than 300 visual artists in New York and internationally.
Upon completing his Bachelors Degree in English & Arts Education & Administration, Amato pursued his Masters Degree in Comparative Literature at Columbia University, which included one year as an assistant to Lionel Trilling (1905 – 1975). Amato completed his post graduate studies in painting and drawing with Norman Raeben at his Carnegie Hall Studio in New York. Amato then received his MFA at L’Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts, Paris, France. Upon completion of his MFA he received his bachelor’s degree (Licence) in Adolescent Behavioral Cognitive Psychology with Francoise Dolto of the Sorbonne with a two year internship under Dr. Dolto at L’Institut de Rééducation des Tournelles, à Hautefeuille (later completing his LMSW at City College in 2006).
While living and working in Paris, he became involved in the “Theatre du Soleil,” first as an intern novice, but eventually in development and administrative liaise in Paris. Amato returned to NYC to exhibit his work with representation by Pierre Matisse Gallery in 1982-83, after which he headed for Berlin (Schöneberg district), where he set up shop again to promote a new and multicultural theatre. After almost two years, he headed for Japan to study and teach at Kyoto Daigaku – which lead to his founding of Gaijin Performance Center (theatre and art gallery; now known as The Kyoto Performance Art Center). Upon his return from Japan, he established Synchronicity Space as a not –for-profit (501C-3) arts organization, and has been it’s director ever since. Amato has taught painting and drawing for 35 years on both the undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as at Synchronicity Space.
Fast forward to the 2000s where John served as Art Therapist – or as he likes to refer to the practice art as therapy – at St. Christopher’s Inn/Graymoor, from 2005 – 2015. His process is designed to connect perception to behavior (with a clear focus on CBT and DBT, for issues related to OCD, ADHD, PTSD, Anxiety Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, as well as other Neuro and Bio-Chemical predispositions). The mission being to help the men develop, reinvent and reestablish innocence in their lives, and instill a sense of present in their awareness. Amato believes that by connecting perception to behavior, he can help patients develop coping mechanisms, making it possible to move forward with a healthier connectivity to their world. Recently, he has been teaching this methodology throughout the tri-state area at universities and colleges in a seminar format throughout New York State.
In 2017 Amato became the Executive Director of Paramount Hudson Valley Arts, bringing theatre, dance, classical music, fine art exhibitions and film to the community of upper Westchester, Putnam, Orange, Rockland and Dutchess counties. He currently presides over a private practice in NYC/Times Square for Broadway Professionals where he maintains a therapeutic presence for theatre professionals and works with veterans returning from the Middle East who are struggling with substance and alcohol dependency. In 2021 He became the Executive Director of the Cornell Arts Center in Kingston, NY and currently is Director of Engagement and Therapy at the Waveny Lifecare of New Canaan, CT.
Amato maintains his career as a visual artist – exhibiting his paintings internationally in galleries and museums. His work has become a part of Institutional, Co. private and museum collections worldwide. Notable exhibitions and collections are the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg, the Kyoto National Museum, Okazaki National Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, Pierre Matisse Gallery (NYC and Paris), and a permanent collection at L’Institut de Reeducation to mention a few.
