April 27, 2011

Artist talk at Toronto School of Art with Nicholas DiGenova


Nicholas starts out the evening by introducing early childhood work. Each work contained some sort of monster or chimera.
Durring his stay at OCAD He posted stickers around toronto to get his name out visually. Further into His studies after changeing over from sculpture to, drawing and painting He began to see a direction. His goal being to make money off his work as soon as possible. Talking to anyone and whomever he could.
Actively looked for submision oportunities, he then got some work in a book. Which then was bouht by a guy in NYC who had connections to a gallery. All this lead to being represented by Le Gallery in Toronto.
From haveing His work for free to being sold in a gallery seemed unfair if the same work was sold,again Nicholas looked at his roots and changed directon. Anime being one of the sources with the outlines distinct in his current work.
He atempted to recreate a "factory" by only working on the drawings and makeing refrences for an asisstant to use, as they laid down colour which was premixed. Audience member asked about "happy accidents" , Nicholas relplied that almost all of his work consists of accidents. No wasted material, any "accident" becomes part of the work.

Through some events on his trip to Barcelona He found an old taxadermy Museum near his residence. From the visit he began to draw the animals in pen and ink. He was trying to "create eco systems". Grouping creatures wih like habitats together, although all of these are still chimeras.

~Tips for Artists~
1. Try to have something for everyone even if they can't afford the main works (stickers, books,t-shirts) or cheep peices. If your work can go along side "products".

2.Mailing list. Add everyone. Maybe have a draw for a product, give their e-mail and can send to them.

3. Publications. Magazines,blogs, etc. Helps people to see you work.

4.Promote shows! Put flyers everywhere (Nicholas put hem in art magazines, NOW magazine, and even made posters the size of NOW magazine and replaced each mag in free bins with it).

5.Tatoo image for free of a work. with exchange of a photo of the finished work. Send out high resolution image.

6. Get studio! leave a mess and spread out.
7.Internet. Website and Blog!

8.Work at it. Keep at the work, don't quit! Make a schedule. Be driven to create your work!

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