Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Will Suglia. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Will, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I think that taking a risk feels like something that is embedded into any type of creative pursuit. There are lots of opportunities to take risks at different scales, from studio experiments using new materials and processes to larger risks that come with sustaining a creative practice and life. Finding ways to justify taking risks comes down to how rewarding the end results are. The rewards of the risks also exist at different scales. It is rewarding to see research and practice pay off in studio projects, and for those projects to grow into opportunities to be in shows or other ways to grow a creative network.

After finishing graduate school, it was important for me to continue to have a place to make art. At the time it felt like a risk to take on the expense of renting a studio, but for material and scale purposes I really couldn’t create my work from home. With the work that I was able to make during the time in that studio space I was able to attain an artist in residence opportunity to travel to and teach at a university in India. That experience helped me to transition into a career path as an art educator back home. My initial risk of how to spend my time and money to finish some paintings feels worth the reward of adding to my creative practice.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a Boston based artist and educator. My practice ranges from painting and sculpture to curation and community event planning. I have always had a love for art and its versatile ability to present ideas, tell stories and bring communities together. I received my B.A in fine arts from Saint Anselm College, a Post-Baccalaureate in studio art from Brandies University, and M.F.A from Massachusetts College of Art and Design with a concentration in painting. My studio practice is shaped by the kinds of critical thinking practices I learned in school, and an investigation of visual language as it relates to form, material and image. I believe in the ability of art to teach and be the tool to engage a community in the exchanging of ideas and social engagement
As an educator I am committed to creating the best possible learning environment for all students regardless of their background. In my pursuit to create a learning environment where students are safe and comfortable to explore creative avenues, I incorporate idea-driven instruction where artists try to explore an idea, event, situation, or question through multiple media and visual strategies. My hope is that through paring an understanding of fundamental skills and formal qualities with purposeful thoughts, students can find exciting and significant voices in their work.
Outside of the classroom, I am driven and passionate about art in Boston, and participate in and organize events for members of an emerging artist community around the city. I enjoy the challenge of a life dedicated to art, and enjoy working with other artists and educators in a collaborative effort for greater effects.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Making sure that there is space for creatives. Being creative is important for growth in all kinds of productions and industries. I have always appreciated what can come from collaborations. Making connections between things like art and science, or art and education, or art and technology has done a lot to benefit creative ecosystems. It’s important for artists and creatives to have access to resources and support to accomplish their work.

Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

I have been more interested the intersection of art and technology in my own practice in recent years. The use of robotics and automated processes like 3d printing and laser cutters have been exciting and helpful even in my practice as a more traditional artist. In the past few of years NFTs have become popular for digital artists, and maybe not as prominent in the more mainstream artworld, but I think there is plenty of room for that change in the future. With the majority of images being consumed in digital formats and the growth of technologies for VR and AR , I can imagine artists finding ways to share all kinds of work with the world using new digital platforms.
Having an opportunity to put work into the world and make a fair compensation is great for artists. The fact that NFTs enable artists to earn royalties on secondary market sales is also a big shift.
As someone who embraces innovation and believes in the power of art to connect with people, I’m excited to see what the future of this technology looks like.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.willsugliaart.com/
• Instagram: @will.suglia