We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Anthony Scarzafava a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Anthony, appreciate you joining us today. Do you feel you or your work has ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized? If so, tell us the story and how/why it happened and if there are any interesting learnings or insights you took from the experience?

My work, and art generally, is mischaracterized as a job, as a standard 9-5 workday, you get your check and your health coverage. That’s not what art is in this country or what it is, period. It’s more a calling or a crazy inner necessity that you can’t bottle up. And it it’s hard to fit that into society or to turn it into a job, into a living. 2-3% of painters make a living strictly from their work. The professors – professional artists – told us this in college. You are going to have to figure out a way to support yourself while you find yourself creatively. People think this is a job like a lawyer, doctor, engineer, and it isn’t. There is no cause and effect – just because you did 50 hours of work doesn’t mean you get 50 hours pay in return. It just doesn’t work that way. You will need a side job to pay the rent.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I grew up around people who were totally uninterested in art. They did not know what to make of me as I focused more and more on making art. So, I really didn’t have much in the way of support at home. I had parents who didn’t understand why I wanted to attend art school, but I did it anyway. And I think, as a result, I’ve always felt I was pushing back against some resistance that may be left over from my early years. I also, on some level, wanted to keep my work private and protect it from those I feared might undermine it. So I worked my day job and went home and painted. And it wasn’t until the last 10-15 years that I started sharing with my friends and coworkers that I am an artist. It took a long time for me to trust and believe that it was ok to share this with people. And happily, the response has been enormously positive.

I am most proud of the fact that in the face of early resistance, I kept going. I got myself into Pratt. And I kept painting while I had a full-time job and a family. I’ve been painting for 40 years. And through those years I got better and better. Anyone buying a piece of my work is getting the results of years of intense focus and hard work. 40 years of focus, diligence, and persistence is reflected in the work.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I loved Pratt and I am very proud of having attended, but I wish they had taught us not only how to make art, but also how to be artists, how to navigate the labyrinthine world of galleries and representation. That seems to have changed. There is an entire section of classes now focused on helping art students enter the art world. Plus, the art world itself has changed so much because of social media. There are more opportunities, and more space for more artists to show their work. There are so many more galleries now than when I was young.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

To me, making art slows the world down. It allows me to breathe. To contemplate. To slow walk so I see the world around me. I try to communicate that in a painting, to get it across to other people. I think the world goes way too fast. We don’t even know that we’re so lucky. We’re in this spectacular world with all this beauty in it. And we’re just rushing all the time: to get the kids, get to work, make dinner. Art allows me to breathe in the beauty of the world and ask ‘why are we here?’ We’re not here to punch a clock or get the oil changed. Life goes by in a blink and I don’t know if anyone sees it. It’s like a gallery experience. You go in, and it’s a big space with white walls and it’s quiet. It’s a religious experience. You sit in front of this work and it can change you. It will slow time for you so you can appreciate how unbelievable the world is. Art is one long epiphany after another. When I go to that place, for a moment I understand why I’m here and I am so happy. At a cellular level I feel like I am one with the universe. I don’t know if I get that across in my work. The goal is that someone who is rushing through the world stands in front of my work and gets a glimpse of what I’m feeling.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://anthonyscarzafava.com
• Instagram: anthonyscarzafava
• Facebook: Anthony Scarzafava
• Twitter: @ascarzafava

Image Credits

Frank Rocco Photography
@Frankroccophotography