Sharon DiGiulio

I like to hunt for the perfect components for my work. In the woods, at the flea market, at the beach, at a thrift shop, at a yard sale, on the ground, pretty much anywhere. Other times I look for the perfect item through my camera lens. It’s like a game I guess. I choose a theme and then off I go. It could be something made from wood and natural. It could be something vintage and have lace. It could be baby dolls. It could be something exotic from a different country.

Whatever I choose; that is my motivation for that particular hunt and gathering game. Once I have my items collected, I bring them back to my studio. I may create something right then and there. Or I may box these items up in a container and label them for a future project.

My Creative Process

My creative process is a little sporadic, I guess just because my life is sort of set up that way. I do have a full time job as the director of an art supply and workshop trade show called Art of the Carolinas. (Coming up November 14 – 17th, 2014 in Raleigh, North Carolina BTW!)

This takes up the majority of my time and my life pretty much revolves around this show and all the planning it involves. The great part is a lot of the planning is a creative process in itself, so I tend to pull inspiration from all the artists I encounter on a daily basis. This then feeds the creative machine. I begin to write lists and jot and draw in my sketch book to capture some of the ideas swarming through my head in hopes that I will someday have a free moment when I can get in the studio to make this thought a reality. It has to be a perfect storm to happen though: I have to have a couple of hours, I have to feel creative and in the mood and I have to want to create one of these many ideas or at least a portion of the overall idea.

Many times I go off on a tangent and create several things with one particular idea. For example – if I am experimenting with a new technique, I normally work in a series of 10 or more. This way I have several examples. Some are good, some are bad, and all are part of the learning procedure. And sometimes the “bad” ones are actually what I use down the road in a finished piece because of the “rawness” of the part. The other “parts” then move on to a different phase of the process.

Experimenting with Old and New Supplies

I love, love, love to experiment with new supplies or old supplies used in a new way. Maybe this is another “game” I play where I make the rules. There is no right or wrong. It’s just a big sandbox at this point, so I create and push the process however I want.

I may want to get some of my fabrics out one day. I will cut, sort, iron and sew parts and pieces together. I will mix and match, paint and maybe get some beads or metal out and add these for a little bling. I guess I sort of think about creating a focal point with these little gems I create. Sometimes they are actually used as a focal point in a collage piece and other times I will frame these smaller pieces up as the art piece themselves.

I like to incorporate lots of my photos and collections of papers: hand painted, vintage, stamps, maps; all kinds of ephemera for my painted collages; both acrylic collage and encaustic collage. Each of these different media allows me to use my vast assortment of treasures in my work with the hopes of sparking that connection with my viewers and collectors. I like to assemble memories and hopes and dreams in my pieces. Some of these come across blatantly clear, while others are offered mysteriously in another game of hide and seek. I like to put lots of information in a piece then conceal and reveal as I see fit.

Tricks of the Trade

Trained as a graphic designer for advertising, print and package design, I use some of the tricks of the trade in my artwork. I use composition, color and eye movement theory to make my design choices in the creative process and placement.
I know what I like and what pleases my eye. The difficult part is putting that on a canvas or substrate and making my idea pleasing to someone else’s eye. I used to worry about that all the time. Well, I guess I had to because I was designing for other people and they had to be pleased.

Being Authentic

Now I just work from inside out. I want to be me as an artist. Not anyone else. I want someone to see my work and know it’s mine and not anyone else’s. To me that’s what art is. It’s very personal. It reveals thoughts, ideas, conflicts, resolutions, hopes, dreams, and wonders – all of that stuff presented to others on a canvas. Some people will get it, others will walk on by. That’s it: Me on a canvas on your wall in your house. It won’t match your couch – I promise!

To see more of my work, visit www.DiGiulioStudios.com and for a look inside, check out my blog: www.sharondigiulio.blogspot.com. I share my love of art and creating it with my husband Joe DiGiulio, who is also an artist. Check out some of the free art videos from Sharon! Her DVDs are available through Jerry’s Artarama!

Free Lesson: Direct Image Transfers
Free Lesson: Stamping
Free Lesson: How to Transfer Images with Encaustic Painting
Free Lesson: How to Add Pastels to an Encaustic Painting

Author: Susan S. Miller, PhD, LPCS, NCC for LightedPathCoaching.org

Susan Miller, PhD, LPCS, NCC is a Psychotherapist, Certified Creativity Coach, Certified Kaizen-Muse™ Creativity Coach, Entrepreneur & Life Coach offers counseling, coaching & creativity workshops that light the path of your life journey through Lighted Path™ Coaching and Rosario Counseling & Associates.  Along with having 30+ years of counseling, coaching, and group facilitation experience, Susan is a life-time trained artist with a special interest in painting, mixed media and fabric art.