Before talking about this event I want to get personal. They say that every cloud has a silver lining. And that is very true for me.
2020 wasn’t probably the best year to remember. But I must admit it pushed me out of my comfort zone, in a way that I never believed would be possible.
I have a very eclectic background. Designer, marketer, and so on, but at the root, I am an artist. I studied fine art academy in Italy. Aside from my art career, I was pursuing a career as a Marketer, working full-time to promote my customer’s work. This pandemic made me think about how much things can be fragile and easy to come to an end. I had to talk to myself: If not now, when? When should be the right time to live off my art? To really put me in the game? That moment of crisis drove me to a personal revival as an artist; to a personal regrow.
What seemed like an impossible dream and goal to reach was finally a reality a few weeks ago. I decided that “tomorrow” should change to “today”. My “maybes” should be changing into an “it’s happening”.
I started painting at night, on weekends, and all the time I had available in order to make it happen. Honestly, it felt so good. Being able to see that not only was again satisfied with what I was doing but also see other people being so interested and supportive of my creations gave me the bust of confidence that I needed.
I believe that art can change the world for the better, that is my motto. Without living up to my fullest potential as an artist it would be a great disgrace to myself if I didn’t give it a try. My partner Stacy played a significant role in helping me make this decision to use my art to express my inner voice. And so she became my biggest influence and produced this magnificent Red Carpet event in my honor.
On Saturday, July 10, 2021, I had my first exhibition in America. This was a red carpet event to remember. I had over 150 people show up to see my art and experience my stories through my paintings.
I am honored to share that my art was extremely well-received with glowing reviews and the sale of my original watercolor portrait, Old Man Domenico. I shared the story of my inspiration behind this piece, which came from my grandfather who escaped the Army during World War II. My grandpa was so strong and as I painted his face and captured its weathered texture I recalled the fact that he had not only escaped but literally walked back to Italy from Russia!
I decided to create a collection of watercolors and especially portraits because through those techniques I could express and study the emotion of people. Conveying those emotions through art has always been my passion and to evoke strong emotions in the viewer.
This article was last updated on November 26, 2023 by Alex Righetto
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About the author
Alex Righetto
Alex Righetto is an Italian artist based in the US, known for his vibrant and bold paintings that reinterpret Italian and European history in a contemporary context. His work has been featured in various exhibitions and publications, including Vanity Fair and Vogue