We were lucky to catch up with Chloe Marrazzo recently and have shared our conversation below.
Chloe, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?
Anticipating a person’s needs and being prepared for anything is something I learned in hospitality. Let your clients have fun and relax and offer ways to elevate the experience.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
During my high school years, I had a teacher, Michael Yentzen, who played a crucial role in shaping my artistic journey. He was the instructor for the AP photography course in Georgetown at both high schools. He provided his students with the opportunity to attend an artist-based College Fair. Despite having a limited portfolio, I participated in the fair by presenting my first two paintings and a few photos from the UIL contest. To my surprise, the best feedback I received was for a painting of a cow that I had not been very proud of. I thought it wasn’t a good painting because It didn’t take much time, and it didn’t feel difficult enough. This was a significant realization that as an artist, it doesn’t always have to feel like a struggle. Pay attention to the things that come easily to you because you can’t force your style. Through this college fair feedback, I learned about finding my style and voice. This created a deeper curiosity and hunger for just making more art.
Soon after, I attended the Art Institute of Austin. Two years into my graphic and web design degree, I was feeling accomplished with all I learned and my completed projects. However, I was thrown a curveball that took my creative professional journey on a completely new path.
At first, I felt hopeless and unsure of the future. I was watching as sections of the school were rented out to other businesses and more of my classes were being put online. Eventually, the school closed, changed the signs, and announced the relocation to Basdrop. Being a full-time in-person student, I worked and couldn’t make that new daily commute. Not giving up on my dream to be the first college graduate in my family. I did research into transferring my credits elsewhere but I learned that my credits were not accepted anywhere. I accrued 80 useless credits and 20 thousand in college debt. Still searching for a next step I was accepted into Texas Tech, which I was considering the possibility until discovering that the degree I wanted, wasn’t available. I accepted that I was no longer a student in the eyes of the Department of Education, but that didn’t end my hunger and desire to be a professional artist.
The end of the institute marked the beginning of personal creativity. To fill my lonely time at home I created and painted nonstop. To the point where maybe it wasn’t so healthy. I didn’t leave the house other than to leave for my job which didn’t fulfill me. But my inspiration to continue and paint stemmed from The last course I took at the institute. Color fundamentals, as basic as it sounds, completely changed my perspective on painting. I became very passionate and shifted my focus from graphic design to painting. I spent a lot of time practicing and experimenting and eventually became a part-time painting instructor. After a year of instructing, I decided to take a risk and offer my services for events and group painting.
This leads me to where I am today, working a separate job to support me as well, but I’ve learned that my experiences in hospitality can fit together with painting to create a unique event experience. 512 Color City Studio is a creative event company that was founded on the desire to provide a supportive and inclusive space for anyone to enjoy and create. My goal is to make painting accessible to everyone, regardless of their skill level, and to encourage personal creativity and fun. I believe that everyone has artistic potential, this space where people can feel comfortable expressing themselves through painting. The best part of my job is when everyone holds up their artwork with pride and shares what they’ve created. It’s an amazing feeling, whether you’re an experienced painter or just starting out. Let me provide you with a stress-free and enjoyable experience where you can unleash your creativity.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
I am always busy working on paintings and thinking of new ideas. Although I feel fulfilled with my art, sometimes I miss human connection. I often go to the park to paint, but being around other people who are also interested in art and creating together feels different. You can be alone in your thoughts yet physically able to interact, pick each other’s brains, and learn something from one another. I have always enjoyed creating with others, but unfortunately, not many people want to get together to make art. That’s why it’s important to me to provide accessible painting in a group environment, prioritizing fun and learning. That’s also why I enjoy teaching others how to paint and sharing the things I’ve learned through lots of trial and error.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
I think one of the most wonderful ways to support artists is by spreading the word about their work on social media! It’s super simple to share a post and it doesn’t take much time, yet it can make a world of difference to an artist. I’ve noticed that it’s not often that I see someone share an artist’s work, even if they are interested in or enjoy what the artist does. So, let’s change that and start sharing more of their amazing work! Additionally, another easy way to show support is by taking a moment to check out an artist’s portfolio or website. I guarantee you’ll find some amazing work that you’ll love!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://artistichlo.com/
- Instagram: chlojo.co
- Youtube: ColorCityStudio512
- Other: tiktok @iskateandipaint333