Meet Gianna DiBartolomeo | Visual Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gianna DiBartolomeo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gianna, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
It’s taught me to enjoy the journey/process. It’s so easy to get caught up in reaching goals and hitting milestones; however, in the larger scheme of things, it’s the time between points and milestones where the grit and glamour of life happen.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
One of the aspects that I am most proud of about my work is that it connects people together. Although we all come from different walks of life, the experiences and feelings we share remind us that we are not so different from one another. Using specific materials, techniques, and vivid colors, I enjoy bringing new life to the commonly overlooked. And I enjoy watching the reactions of people who see the work for the first time—when their face lights up with a giant smile. My work is a defiant act of hope (on several levels). Firstly, it’s very easy to get caught up in the negativity that surrounds us. It takes a conscious effort to continually readjust one’s perspective. Secondly, a creative life isn’t easy. It’s A LOT of work (but worth it if you’re doing what you love!). You have to believe in your vision and have the hope that others will see it too. And lastly, making the work is its own process. You can plan all you want, but sometimes things work, or don’t work, or work in a way you didn’t even think possible. You must have the hope that the vision or concept will translate.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well, this would be a fortuitous visit as I have artwork up at Miami International Airport now through summer 2021. So, I’d start by telling them to check out Gate D31. I’m sure they’d want to check out Miami Beach, so I’d make sure we made time to take a tour of FIU’s Miami Beach Urban Studios (MBUS) on Lincoln Road. They have an impressive 3D printing lab and exhibition spaces that should not be missed. My “Beautifully Miami” project – a pixelated beach scene composed of Cafecito cups — is on view now. If we were lucky, there’d be an artist talk that MBUS hosts and after could try several food selections from Time Out Market. While Miami Beach is definitely a place to visit, I’d like to show my friend some things that are maybe lesser known –to give a taste of the different neighborhoods, each with their own flare. I’d be sure to do studio visits at Laundromat Art Space in Little Haiti. The artists there are always up to something new and the flavor is very local so it would be an authentic look at the Miami art scene. In Coral Gables we could check out their gallery night. It’s a really pretty area with galleries, shops, and restaurants. We could walk around, check out the art, and even catch an art film at the Coral Gables Art Cinema. In Coconut Grove, we could have an outdoor day and ride our bikes along the historic Commodore Trail. If we biked a little further, we could stop off at a hidden gem — the Deering Estate — and enjoy nature while also popping into the artist studios there. No trip would be complete without some shopping, so we’d definitely go to Dadeland Mall. We’d check out my I AM MIAMI mural on the second level (right above the Cheesecake Factory). Dadeland Mall has everything — shopping and dining — so this would be a whole day affair.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’m grateful for my family, who show me never-ending love and support in all my endeavors. I’m also grateful for my professors at Florida International University – many of whom I still talk to today like Dr. Jacek Kolasinki (@jacekjk) and Prof. Pip Brant (@brantpip). And last, but not least, my fellow artist friends who are a source of inspiration and support like Ana Garcia (@anagarciaphoto), Stephanie Hibbard (@steffihibbard), and Anna Goraczko (@artiswhyigetup).

Website: https://www.giannad.com
Instagram: @gdibartolomeo

Image Credits
-Francesco Casale. Courtesy MIA Galleries, Miami International Airport. -Ivan Santiago -Paul Perdomo