We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rita Vicari. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rita below.
Rita , appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
Unlike many other artists that I know, my artistic career didn’t start from a big desire to become an artist and it was never really what I had in mind for myself. When I met my husband and decided to move out of my country to be with him, I was left with no family and friends around me. I spoke no other language apart from my native and struggled to find what to do. It was really hard. I had a really successful career as a dancer and a choreographer prior to that and I left all of that and had to start my life from point zero. Somehow I remembered that I liked drawing and bought a set of paints to try. Long story short it took me 2 years doing paintings and I liked it in general. But it was the loneliest job (hobby at that point) probably in the world. I set in my studio for hours and just worked on artwork. I had no community, no projects with other artists. no interactions. When we moved to the United States, I already started speaking good English and took a year long online program where I learned about my voice as an artist, techniques, business parts of it. Here I am today – 3 years after I graduated this program, living the dream. I had one phrase in my mind for years “”You didn’t come this far just to come this far”. I was doing it with all my passion and dedication and found a community I need, connections with other creatives, doing amazing projects, exhibitions and most of all painting with the storngest feeling that art can change people’s lives.
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
I am an artist. Like I always say, I wasn’t supposed to be one (laughing). Life led me to switch paths and careers and after some serious fighting I accepted that this is a better if not the best path than I would have chosen for myself. I always loved creating as it had always been my way to talk to the world. Never was good at explaining things. It was always easier to show. Then there was an obstacle of not having enough skills to show and say everything I wanted to say with my art. So I decided to take an Online art program that taught me everything I needed to know at that point and I started perfecting my skills every day. I work very hard to be as authentic as I could be. My journey started with the question “What do people buy nowadays?” and that was a wrong path to take. I realized that I will never be able to please everybody. So I started doing what was dear to my heart, my dreams and visions of this world. And I see the best response so far about this kind of work. I think my artwork takes people back to the state when they thought they could do anything in this world. It takes them to dreamy worlds and stories that fill their lives and inspires them to live vivid, colorful life. I want to bring that peace that so many of us don’t have because of every day life, mundane days when people lose their connection to their inner self.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative for me is connection with people. Both other creatives and art collectors. I like that artists is a huge community and we all support each other. I haven’t experienced a competitive side of artistic journey. I love that we all share tips and things that worked with others and just supporting each other. And connecting with art buyers is another much deeper level. When you see how art you create causes tears because it brings back memories or inspires people to change their lives for the better or finally start following their dreams – this is the most rewarding effect that every artist wants.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
Like many creatives I know I really wanted to build my social media, gain a lot of followers and such. And, of course, I tried everything – advertising, flooding with new posts, promotions. But honestly it didn’t work. At all. Then I decided if this doesn’t work, I can at least start treating my social media (Instagram in particular) like a journal where I was posting for myself basically. Just so I could document my art journey and see growth of me as an artist. And then things started to pick up. I started gaining desirable attention and following. I think people just want to be invited to your life and process. They just want to see how you create your magic and become a part of it. And of course I always try to get better at my skill level, ideas, photography. And it makes me happy that some people genuinely think of my art as inspiring and want to live with it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ri-inc.gallery/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ri.inc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ri.inc.art