ArtBEAT: Abstract Artist Gadi Veneziano

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The After Dark ArtBeat is alive and well with Gadi Veneziano. Two weeks ago, I had an online interview with this 31 year old abstract artist and poet to discuss his work, as well as the global reach of the MySpace community.

First, here is a brief background on Gadi. He considers himself a man of the world - born in Israel, living in Italy up until his teen years, eventually moving to the U. S., where he has lived in eight states, from Massachusettes to Alaska. Tiring of his "nomadic" ways, he has settled in San Diego County, California. He devotes his iife, full time, to his art. He is the owner of an art leasing business in Southern California, as well as a part owner of the San Diego Art Journal, an online magazine showcasing the Southern California Artist Community. He is a generous supporter of the ASCPA (Organization Against Animal Cruelty), as well as the National Humane Society, where he donates 20% of all of his art sales.

After reading his website and MySpace page, I've decided that his Artist Statement was a good place to start.

..........My greatest inspirations for my paintings come from my darkest memories, emotional pain, the many countries and cultures I have traveled to in my life, as well as my day to day life. If I have a vivid dream at 3am, I simply walk over to my studio, and start throwing paint around. I don't paint for other people. I paint for myself.

I paint to capture an emotion or feeling or memory so I can "let it go" and cleanse myself. It was not until August of 2007 that I decided to share my paintings with the world, and began to live my life as a full time professional artist.

Without my "differences", I would not be an artist today. Who I am has only added to my work. It is ALL of my work. My unique background and ability to speak and "paint" in 3 languages brings a unique touch to my work which I believe separates me from other artists, and perhaps any specific "art style". There is nothing more satisfying to me than to express my individuality on my canvas.

When I see people looking at my work, I feel they are looking into my soul without having to ask me deep questions directly. This makes me extremely happy ;and grateful for being the person I am.

Gadi Veneziano
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BP ~ At this moment, with what you are currently working on, what does your palette hold?

GV ~ Right now I am working on 2 pieces; one is 7 feet by 4 feet, the other 3 feet by 3 feet. Since im working on them both at the same time, my palette consists of the following:
....Large jars and bottles of acrylics of reds, yellows, black, and greens.
....Enamel paint in blue and white. Artist's blue tape (for sharp line painting).
....Heavy Molding Paste, Egg Shells, Crushed Glass, "Black Lava Gel",
....Tar gel (honey like consistency), and self leveling gel.
I do not have any brushes on my palette, I work with my hands only.

BP ~ Always?

GV ~ No, but 80% of the time, I only use my hands. I LOVE the feeling of paint and paste and gels on my bare hands. it allows me to feel VERY connected to what I am creating and it's almost like making love to the canvas. When I use brushes, it's either a 4"-5" giant brush for smooth long strokes, or a fine detailed 1/2 cm brush.

BP ~ Were you told that the client wanted a particular "feel" or "theme" for the pieces?

GV ~ This person is a good business friend of mine. He wanted me to paint what I see in him, my perception of his "theme, and feel". I dug deep inside and came up with his characteristics, some which I like and some which I dont, and conveyed them in my work with specific colors and movements. It is a "gravity technique" painting of mine.

BP ~ Can you describe this "technique"?

Then Gadi had me pull up his artbygadi.com website, to find his Gravity Paintings in the Gallery.
After telling him that I had, he said, "Let me ask you, when you paint, do you use a brush?"
My reply - "Most of the time, it depends what i'm trying to show."

GV ~ I use a brush to sign my name only on these paintings. Pull up "Heavenly Rains".
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GV ~ Ok, Gravity... paint flows by its viscosity, correct?

BP ~ Yes.

GV ~ Water solvent or oil solvent, or whatever solvent ratio with the pigment and binder determine the viscosity. Also, enamel paints and acrylic paints have different make ups and ratios of this, agreed?

BP ~ Yes.

GV ~ When you tilt a canvas in different angle degrees, the paint will "flow" at different speeds, so lets look at "Heavenly Rains". We have a Gold backhround, mixed with fiberous Gel medium first, using cue tips and coins I placed them with a little glue where the paint stops or goes around. Do you see this?

BP ~ Yes, I see the 'drag', if you will, of the coins.

GV ~ Since I used both enamel and acrylics on this piece, the viscosity of each dont "like one another", so they fight as to who gets to flow faster at a 10-15% angle. While holding the canvas with one hand at an angle, I poured yellow acrylic and green, as well as red enamel over that, on the top part of the canvas at a 10-15% angle. Earth's gravity took care of the rest.

The process can take several hours while the paint dries and the angle must be changed anywhere from 5 to 30 degrees to get the desired colors to mix. In a nut shell, that's the gravity technique.

BP ~ It also looks like it was folded or "squinched up" to show horizontal folds.

GV ~ Yes. Now that was a 10"x10" piece, lets look at a bigger one. Pull up "Overwhelmed", 30"x20".
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GV ~ While I used the same technique, the angles this time came from both sides of the canvas - right and left - almost "rocking" the canvas. This was a VERY tough piece to complete.

BP ~ Excuse my use of this word, but it looks so FLUID. There is an ease to it, it doesn't show your stress.

GV ~ Holding the canvas until the paint dries, pouring and repouring the paints, and consistently changing the angles is a big strain on the body and mind.

BP ~ but the work, looks almost effortless!

GV ~ The finished product "seems" fluid. yes. thats the idea. If it was so effortless, it wouldnt sell for so much! LOL
There is more to it, but it will give me a headache, such as the usage of different gel mediums, vinegar, and rubbing alcohol that play a role - the chemisty of it all fascinates me!

BP ~ with a tone of sarcasm... Of course! You have different rates of absorption, drying to the touch, it may get sticky... you are the person who controls his tools. The Master. (laughter) GADI THE MAGNIFICENT!!!

LOL's all around!
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BP ~ How do you fit your poems in all of this? Does the 'art' inspire your words, or are your words merely an extension of your artisitc expression on canvas?

GV ~ A good example. is a poem in my blog and artbygadi.com. titled "Cut" which goes with the painting of the same name.

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...............................Today I paint with fresh blood, still warm, dripping onto my hard pavement.

...................................................from the tips of my brushes, my trembling fingers.

......................................my canvas is now my decaying world, filled with false promises.

.........................................receiving bold strokes of the red juices of life itself, I cringe.

..................................false society, false friends make me shiver as I bring my hand closer.

.......................I cut and slash and tear. I color my world with pain and guilt, despair and shame.

........................Today I painted with fresh blood, now cold. Staining my world and releasing my pain..
....................................................................................................................................© GV
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BP ~ Did the poem dance in your head while you painted or what it an afterthought?

GV ~ Key word is "releasing".

BP ~ Yes, letting go is cathartic and cleansing, yet leaves you vulnerable.

GV ~ Exactly. So my poetry and my paintings sometimes go hand in hand, but not always.

BP ~ I've also noticed that your music selection on your MySpace page may be reflective of yourself, if not your art alone!

GV ~ The songs I picked for my playlist (the lyrics especially) do reflect in my paintings. "Mad World", "From the Depths", "What a Wonderful world", "Heaven", "True to myself", Breathe Me", and "Circle" by Miles Davis - a true inspiration!

BP ~ I find that the music and having read your poetry, makes for a better presentation of YOURSELF, if not for the artwork alone!
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............................................... ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
......................................................Rain Maker..............................................Mystic Sunset
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BP ~ Do you enjoy painting using the gravity technique?

GV ~ I do, It's very "freeing". I can always, and almost always, re-do -them and add many layers. Many paintings end-up being very heavy due to anywhere from 3 to 20 layers of paint.

BP ~ Ahhh, restless days and nights... i'll bet you paint all hours of the 24?

GV ~ No, just at night mostly. Usually from midnight to 6, then again in the afternoon when the paint is dry enough for more layers.

BP ~ I knew layers were KEY in your works!

GV ~ Sometimes I work on anywhere from 2 to 4 paintings at a time, but it confuses me, and I dont like NOT giving full attention to one. I just can't be still while the paint dries. There is more desire to create, so I must start new again adding many layers, like an onion.

BP ~ Each layer speaks, GADI to me, I'm just saying that i sense it and i think others do, too!

GV ~ I don't think that many do, but its nice to think they do (smilie emoticon), most people see just the surface.

BP ~ Why do you think it is they buy your paintings - they must see something?

GV ~ Who knows? Sometimes they share with me, sometimes they dont, most of the time they dont even ask what inspired me to paint it... I wish they did.

BP ~ Wow, this surprises me! I love being able to speak with the artist.

GV ~ Do you think the "I wish they did" is significant, like im crying out for others to delve and ask about my inner soul in my work?

BP ~ No, it doesn't sound like you are crying out in a dramatic, pathetic way. You sound sincere and human.

GV ~ I am just human. I NEVER thought of myself as Magnificent or Genius like Salvador Dali did!

BP ~ He had a wonderful marketing campaign throughout his career - BUY IT! I'M SAVIDOR DALI! I'M SURREALISM! He was educating people by telling them.

GV ~ He was "nutz", so egotistic!

BP ~ And wonderful, I just let that part of him slide!
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BP ~ Let me shift the topic here - you have told me that you sold 12 paintings through MySpace without "advertising" too much this past year. I think that's great! Did you expect any business to come of having a page there?

GV ~ I did not. I just wanted to network with other artists, galleries and such.., but made many non-art related friends along the way. Many animal lover friends for example, as well as mental health advocate friends. I stand very strong against animal cruelty and belong to a large group called "Artists for the ASCPA" I donate 20% of my sales to them and to the humane society. I also donate 10% to suicide prevention awareness organizations.

None of my clients saw the pieces "live" only on my site and/or MySpace page. I've sent paintings to Kansas, Alaska, Florida, Israel, New Zealand, and Russia. Crazy MySpace world done me well!

BP ~ I'm sure you can tell the genuine responses to your work, as opposed to the "canned" responses?

GV ~ "Canned"? Give me an example, please.

BP ~ For instance, i can tell when someone is just saying something nice about a poem that I wrote, so I view them as 'good people. Then out of nowhere, I connect with someone on a less superficial level, someone who really does understand or better, still, they point out something I did not see before!

GV ~ I understand completely. Let me share with you a short comment I got from an author/painter. It was one of the most genuine and beautiful comments ever.
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.............................."Hello from the desk of Ron McLarty , its a pleasure to be associated with such a fine artist.
..................Your work is very lyrical with such glorious flow, like a waterfall it changes with fluidity
..................with grand movement. A kaleidoscope of colour, a view of beauty."
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GV ~ It made me smile from ear to ear, although, I do not take compliments well.

BP ~ Neither do I!

GV ~ A thousand people can tell me beautiful things about my work, and even buy my work, but one person can shatter it!

but then GV added --
It's those new friends, who make the MySpace community, a small world!
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........................................................................................................Empty & Spinning
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For more information:
www.ArtbyGadi.com
www.OriginalArtforRent.com
www.SanDiegoArtJournal.com

www.myspace.com/GadiVeneziano
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--William Faulkner, in an interview with Paris Review, 1956,,,Stated It Very Clearly ~

"The aim of every artist is to arrest motion, which is life, by artificial means and hold it fixed so that a hundred years later, when a stranger looks at it, it moves again since it is life.... This is the artist's way of scribbling 'Kilroy was here' on the wall of the final and irrevocable oblivion through which he must someday pass."

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........................................................Gadi Veneziano truly works to the After Dark Beat!
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..............................................................................................................Peace,
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