We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gianna Militana. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gianna below.
Gianna, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
The impact my parents have had on me has been tremendous. They were the first people to show me that I am never alone. Growing up, they were always so supportive and encouraging in just about every way. I remember a time when I was super interested in nail art and artistic manicures, and I asked my dad if I could practice on his nails since they were bigger than mine. Selflessly, he said yes, and rocked a very messy-yet-cool tie-dye pattern on his thumbs. To this day, I’ll get my mom to join me when I do still life drawings, even though she firmly believes she has no artistic skill and doesn’t really do that sort of thing in my absence. There have definitely been times when I did wildly expressive things that tested their patience, such as when I gave myself stick-and-poke tattoos as a young teenager. That didn’t go over well at all, but their love for me never wavered. Fortunately for them, few other expressions of my self were so extreme after that. Generally speaking, as long as I am happy and following my dreams, they are all for it. They both always apologize for knowing nothing about the arts and not being able to help me navigate the art world, but they have helped me more than they could ever realize. They not only allowed me but even pushed me to explore my passion in the arts. When I was in college, I would share things I learned about art history or building compositions, or whatever it could have been, and they would always listen and learn and try to use the jargon with me in conversations. It’s so wholesome, having them learn so much and invest so much into my future even if they don’t quite understand it. My only other sibling, an older sister, went quite the opposite route and is in law school. My parents really got two ends of the spectrum, one child pursuing something wildly expressive and the other pursuing something more strict and rather stolid. They have never hesitated to encourage either of us, and have done everything they can to help us succeed. It is truly such a blessing to have such wonderful and loving parents. I am so lucky. The older I get, the more I realize that.
Gianna, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Gianna Militana, I am a multi media artist currently based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I create collage art, prints, books and so much more. Visual art has always been such an integral part of my life. I was fortunate to go to a high school where I had the individualized support I needed to dive in to the arts with one-on-one guidance with very few restrictions. We had the equipment to play with many types of media, and there was little competition for who could use what since the main recreational activity at my school was sports. This was my introduction to printmaking (which I would major in later in college), ceramics and fiber arts. My art teacher, who became one of my favorite humans ever, fostered my creativity and played an enormous role in my journey as an artist. She taught the importance of both finding your voice as an artist and the realities of being a lifelong artist (speaking about your work, connecting with the public and selling pieces for the first time). From my senior year of high school on and throughout college, I began doing small local art pop-ups here in Baton Rouge and I never wanted to stop.
Now, I mainly focus on collage art, prints and books. A great deal of my work is mixed media collage on paper or canvas. My favorite materials to mix are recycled paper products, oil pastels and acrylic paints, but I am open to using just about anything. I also create lots of relief prints and have a soft spot for intaglio printmaking. As for three dimensional work, I love to make books as well as ceramics. My degree is in printmaking and book arts, and I learned how exciting and versatile books can be in school. I mostly create books from upcycled materials, such as vintage beer coasters and old cigarette boxes.
I think what sets me apart from others is that I don’t take myself too seriously. I recognize myself as a strong force, but I emphasize the importance of play. I welcome experimentation, mistakes, learning experiences and I try not to overthink things. I’ve been told so many times that my art captures “childlike thinking” or seems like something a child might think up, and I take that as a great compliment. Children are fantastic teachers with boundless imagination, so it’s an honor to be compared to that. Don’t get me wrong, my art is riddled with meaning and I am proud of my formal training as an artist. But it’s thrilling to me that I can create art that speaks to people in a whimsical, nostalgic and personal way.
I’m most proud of my commitment to doing what I love. Growing up, so many voices echoed the sentiment that artists lacked financial security or that it was foolish to want to pursue a career in the arts. I think that prepared me to accept the road less traveled and to focus on the journey and my happiness rather than the destination and what others deemed acceptable. I do genuinely feel like I know who I am and what I want, and I’m so proud to say that I’m doing those things every day. I don’t have all of the details of my future worked out, but I don’t feel like I have to. I’m living a life I’ve always wanted and I’ve done things that a younger version of myself would only dream of. THAT makes me incredibly proud.
To my followers, or whoever consumes my art, I want you to know that I make art for all of us. It provides a platform for connection. If you find meaning in my work, think it’s aesthetically pleasing, the scribbles of crayon remind you of a young child or whatever you might like about my work, I consider that a success. I want to share my passion and make art feel accessible and inspiring. I want you to pick up some pencils and make something of your own. The driving force of my art is to play, express myself and find common ground with others.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
Hands down, the most rewarding part is the human connection. Seeing folks smile, laugh or start a conversation because of my artwork tells me that I’m doing the right thing. I make art privately, and it feels good to push myself and experiment and express myself, of course. I would go nuts if I wasn’t able to use any creative outlets to get my energy out. It’s very cathartic and in itself rewarding; to physically work out my thoughts and feelings and produce something visually stimulating. But to push that further, to take that very personal thing I’ve done and share it publicly, and have it build meaningful connections? That’s what it’s all about to me. It can be so intimidating to bare it all and share private parts of yourself with the world, but it’s always worth it. Even if one single person resonates with my art, it’s worth it. I’ve had loads of people smile and laugh at the silly elements of my art and it never fails to make my day. Sometimes people find a piece of my art that reminds them of a loved one, or an experience they’ve had, or any number of personal connections, and it’s such a magical feeling. The best is when someone tells me it inspires them to make their own art, or makes them want to use their hands too. It’s turning private, isolating experiences into something that builds human connection. Nothing is more rewarding.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
Show up for your community. The best way to support the small businesses and creatives in your community is to be there for them. I know this may seem like a given, but I definitely think it’s the most important thing. Being an active member in your community is the most effective way to foster its growth and make sure it thrives. That may mean showing up to pop-up markets to purchase locally grown or made goods, it could be donating or volunteering to help grassroots organizations expand, really any number of things. Even if you can’t make purchase or pay for a service from them, there’s plenty of ways to show your support. Boosting their content digitally and sharing your experience by word-of-mouth are great ways to boost that artist’s reach. Simply having a conversation with that person, expressing your interest and letting them know you like what they do is so fantastic for boosting morale and encouraging them to keep doing what they do. All of this stems from showing up ready to embrace and enjoy the unique offerings of small makers. It’s so rewarding to adjust to supporting small makers, too. You can make sweet traditions out of going to weekly farmers markets and make so many new friends by attending local events and meeting the people that make up your community. You can also be inspired by witnessing the stories and products you might find when you look for locally made. It’s a win-win for everyone and makes an enormous positive change.
Contact Info:
- Website: linktr.ee/artbygianna
- Instagram: gmilit1
Image Credits
First photo/personal photo credit goes to Ricky Aucoin