We were lucky to catch up with Giana Paolino recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Giana thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

The arts played a major role in my childhood; painting and playing the violin. I grew up watching my maternal grandfather carve molds of his designs at the kitchen table for Monet, Trifari, and Corocraft, costume jewelry manufacturers at the time. My maternal grandmother, Nonna, was an oil painter and sculptor. She studied in Rockport, Massachusetts with Foster Caddell and Antonio Cirino and became a member of the prestigious Providence Art Club. I was probably around 10 years old when she set up an easel and my own palette of oil paints so that I could work next to her in her home studio. I enjoyed accompanying her to many art shows and exhibitions over the years. I couldn’t wait until her booth was set up; only then would I be free to wander through the outdoor aisles of the varied work of the other participating artists. As children, my sister, Julianne of https://www.instagram.com/sweetnonnaconfections/, and I created a family newsletter. She was the writer and I the illustrator. On Saturdays, I took art classes at the local museum in town and the RISD museum. Continuing to share this passion with Nonna, we often sat on the couch together after dinner drawing faces from the newspaper. We discussed things I learned in my high school advanced art classes and her latest painting plein air adventure. Concurrently, I played the violin. Beginning in the 5th grade, it led to being a member of school orchestras, All State orchestras, Chopin Club, and music camp. Most importantly, I loved being a violinist in The Young Peoples Symphony of RI where I became concertmistress senior year. So, it was a natural progression to pursue the arts in some way. I decided to major in studio art with a concentration in art history at Boston College. I did, however, play violin in the pit orchestras for college musicals and was “the” Fiddler on the Roof!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

After college, I worked as an illustrator for a small-town newspaper. I had a hand painted clothing business and painted murals and home decor items for homes in New England. I showed my acrylic paintings in restaurants, coffee shops and boutiques. By this time my “day job” as a corporate travel agent allowed me to travel a bit and view art history in other countries.

I am the mom of three talented 3 children who kept my love of music alive in our home. In fact, my son Andrew Cusanelli is a professional drummer in Nashville: https://www.instagram.com/andrew_cus/ and www.highwaynatives.com. Attempting to keep my creative side in tune while they were growing up, I volunteered to design a monthly, 12-foot, window display at their grammar school. Searching for a way to make art that could be worn, I came up with domino jewelry. Each bracelet consisted of seven, hand drawn tiles of a specific theme. I made paintings when I had time and taught myself HTML to create my own website.

When my kids were older, I went back to work as the manager of a Wholistic Health Center. There I incorporated my art in a monthly newsletter that I designed and edited. Three years later, I became an administrative assistant in the Pediatric Gastroenterology department at Yale. I was asked to create a logo and produce the monthly newsletter for the department. In addition to helping with the decor when the attorney I worked for as a legal assistant expanded to a larger space, I designed a website and logo for the firm. Apart from these jobs, at home I designed greeting cards that included florals and European scenes, participated in some art fairs, and created a shop in Red Bubble: https://www.redbubble.com/people/GianaLouise/shop

Today, I live in the south. I remain a painter, habitually keep a sketchbook and am always on the lookout for new venue opportunities. This Christmas I made and sold hand painted ornaments and am doing some commission work. I am happy that I have always found a way to use my creative side in my day-to-day life, regardless of the actual job title.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I have considered myself to be a fine artist and attempted to stay true to that concept which in some ways hindered my creativity. My art school, in the early 80’s, didn’t teach the fundamentals. There were rules: don’t use the color black, don’t outline anything, paint big- – really big. As I continue to practice and study, I have discovered over the years that there are no rules. As a representational artist who paints landscapes, florals, scenes, etc. one must master the basics; Line, Shape, Form, Color, Value, Texture, and Space. Become competent at drawing. Then, anything goes! Better art is created once one is free from the constraints.

The other lesson is that one should keep making art daily. Something will appear when art is being produced consistently, You have to practice with many different mediums, papers, subject matter, techniques to figure out what works and how things work. It’s going to vary from artist to artist. For example, when cooking for a long time you know that when a recipe calls for one cup of sugar you can use 3/4 of a cup because it has worked for you before. You must innately now how your tools will work for you.

Lastly, not every painting or drawing is going to be a masterpiece. This is true for every artist. Don’t be fooled by the reels on Instagram!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Degas said, “Art is not what you see. But what you make others see.” True. In addition, being an artist allows me to see what others don’t see. It never leaves me. It entertains me. I can picture projects in my head before I fall asleep. I enjoy a trip to Home Goods as much as a trip to the ocean. I see interesting and beautiful shapes and colors everywhere and all the time. Decorating a room, cooking, getting dressed, combing your daughter’s hair are all be works of art. I’m grateful that I can appreciate the smallest detail of God’s creations.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gianalp_art/?hl=en
• Other: https://www.redbubble.com/people/GianaLouise/shop#profile