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

Hi Joe, thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

Since I was a child, (decades and decades ago), I will always remember my Ukranian grandmother creating interesting crafts and DIY home projects. As naive as it all was, she was somehow able to hook me into helping her while simultaneously, helping me to foster my own creativity. I learned how to use my art as a tool in every school project that I had to complete. I can still remember art projects that I created in my kindergarten class. By the time I got to high school, it was pretty clear that my love for art was recognized by my classmates and my teachers. I remember being selected as “most artistic” in my senior year. That same year, it was in a regularly scheduled guidance meeting that my counselor asked me what I wanted to study in college. I remember saying that I wasn’t really sure. With even more clarity, I remember him saying, ” well you’re obviously very good in art, and you’re a very like-able kid, have you ever thought of becoming an art teacher?” It was during that brief, ten minute exchange that my life was about to find its direction. I went on to become an art educator with a career lasting thirty-six wonderful years. From twenty-two years at the elementary level, to thirteen years at the high school , and two semesters working with international students. It was an amazing and extremely rewarding journey.

Since retirement, I was able to shift my energy to work on my own artistic development. I now have the time for some private teaching, while focusing more on my studio time and exhibiting my work internationally.

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.

When I first retired, a colleague of mine suggested that I start investigating New York City galleries as potential conduits into the art world. At that time, I had never really thought of that avenue since I had spent most of my energy teaching and inspiring my students. I did, however, reach out to one random gallery in Chelsea, New York City. Three months later they accepted and represented me for one year. During my first interview there, the curator and gallery director asked me if I painted every day. I sort of hesitated and she told me point blank, “you have to paint every day!” That day, I made her a promise, and a promise to myself that I would indeed, do that. A promise that I’ve kept for almost fifteen years..

I felt joyous and honored to have had that experience, but I did learn that the art world is a business. I am not a businessman. I am an artist! I love to create art for me and to share it in different venues with whoever is interested in seeing it.

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

Developing my art on a daily basis, I have become very prolific to say the least. I honor other artists whose ambition it is to sell their work, but that is not MY goal. I create art because I have to. I know the it might sound trite but for me, it’s like breathing~ I HAVE to do it.
I am currently reorganizing and relocating over eleven hundred paintings from my attic and garage to a local storage unit. Not as easy a task as I first imagined, but I am feeling determined, energized and accomplished. This process is forcing me to revisit the last fifteen years of my work. I have been able to trace my development from one year to the next. This too, has been a most rewarding adventure.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

As the number of pieces in my portfolio began to increase at a rather steady and rapid rate, I have been imagining a proposed project which I call, “THE AMOA PROJECT” ~ A Mile Of Art. Although I haven’t brought it to fruition, yet, I am imagining that I would plan an event whereby I could find a location or venue where I would place every painting and etching that I have created, side-by-side, for at least a mile. Although this idea isn’t exactly my driving force to create, it’s been a fun idea to imagine.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.joelamattina.com
• Instagram: @joelamattina
• Facebook: Joe LaMattina