We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jo Mangieri. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jo below.

Alright, Jo thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

You spend your life chasing the dream… or what your head tells you the dream is. You spend years trying to find yourself. Working endless hours trying to fulfill that thing in your soul that is missing. The real dream is what you feel deep within your bones. The thing that makes you feel whole. The thing that you go to sleep thinking about and wake up with on your mind. Then one day you wake up and realize, you were chasing the wrong dream.

I always treated art as more of a hobby. It was something I would do when I could fit it in my scheduled. Eventually due to working many long hours in the corporate world and “life” getting in the way, I lost my passion for art. While losing my creative side, I also lost a huge part of myself. I knew something was missing from my life, as did those who know me best.

After a series of bad events in a very short time frame; I unexpectedly lost my father, had a failed marriage, had to sell my home, my mother fell ill and I was terminated from my job the day before my mother passed, I needed an outlet. I needed a way to find myself again and take time to heal.

My mother used to sit and watch me paint or draw. She never said much, she just sat quietly and watched. The days leading up to her passing she said even less, but one thing she did say to me was, “JoJo do art.” After her passing I took a sabbatical from the corporate world and finally picked up my paint brush again. Something awakened in my soul. The real DREAM came back alive! Mother’s always know best!

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 create art with a variety of mediums, everything from acrylic paintings, to charcoal, to plaster. I focus most of my time creating personal commissions for collectors. My clients have a vision, a story, something in their mind that they want but can’t put it together on their own, or they just can’t find that perfect piece to complete their home. I take their vision and create a one-of-a kind piece for them that only they will have to cherish. I want my collectors to see the world through an artist’s eyes.

My latest work has been large scale 3D plaster art. I have fallen in love with the form and function of plaster. The time spent on each piece becomes intimate. I actually cried after I delivered my last 52′ x 62″ piece. This piece was named “Finding Serenity” because it did just that. It cleared my mind and let me be alone with the art and my music. It gave me solace in an otherwise chaotic world. These 3D plaster pieces are typically mono-toned because the way light and shadows hit them, there is no need to add depth in additional colors. They are soft and masculine at the same time.

I also do custom art work for interior designers, live painting art events, and donate pieces to charity auctions.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is seeing the collector’s face the first time they see their piece. I am always a complete nervous wreck thinking “what if they don’t like it?” Its a serene moment when I see them smile or tear up because we were able to make their vision come to life. Being able to create art is a true gift that I almost gave up on in my life. I now see the appreciation people have for those who can do something with their hands and imagination that not everyone can do. I have been blessed.

I also find it rewarding hearing from people that my art has inspired them in some way. I was a little reluctant to post videos of my creative process on social media at first, but now I do it because of the number of people who have reached out to say, “my kids love watching your videos” or “you have inspired me to start painting again.” I want people to see that your 40’s is not too old to start again! And for kids, don’t give up on your dream! We are all given a gift, its up to us to find out what it is and share it with others.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I literally lost everything that meant something to me in less than a year and a half time span; my parents, my marriage, my home, my career. I had no choice but to start over. If it had not been for my sisters’ support, my two dogs and finding my passion in art again, I don’t know where I would be today. I spent many nights alone with my paint brush, my music, and a lot of tears, but I made it through stronger than ever.

When you go through any type of loss, it puts things in perspective. Chasing the big career and the financial gains are not worth giving up your real passion and spending time with those you love. As they say, you can’t get back time once it has past.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jomangieri.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/just_jo_artist/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoMangieriFineArtist
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jomangieri/

Image Credits
Let Me Be Candid Photography, Tracy Houston