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

Hi Hugo, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Since I was a child, I’ve always felt the need to draw, write, tell a story somehow. When I was in elementary school, my friends and I would create mini stories on paper strips, almost like what we call storyboards now. I would also create all kinds of characters, paint, and explore different mediums, like tempera, watercolor, charcoal, etc.

I’ll never forget one of the episodes of the sitcom Bewitched, which I watched as a child, when Darrin (Samantha’s husband), who worked in advertising, was doing a creative presentation to a client. His presentation consisted of a concept that featured drawings of cartoony insects. When I saw that, I remember thinking, “Hey, I can do that!” So, I figured advertising would be a good career for me. I was about 9 to 10 years old at the time. So now I have been working in advertising for about 30 years.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I paint because I have to tell a story. My painting started as a hobby, but now it has become a responsibility. I feel it is my duty to tell these stories about my culture through my paintings. I have so much to say and show, and I never stop thinking about what the next story will be. I’m painting even when I’m not painting! The process never stops — the planning, sketching, etc. It’s very exciting and fun, but at the same time, it’s a type of therapy to overcome my fears and insecurities.

Because I take my painting very seriously, I want to be as accurate as possible in bringing a story to life. What I love the most is the creative license I have when I’m working on a painting. I’m creating a world that’s built by bringing together pieces of my memories and imagination.

Painting, for me, is a combination of all the emotions it’s possible to feel: excitement, frustration, love, pride, fear, anxiety, happiness, all combined together on a canvas. I love that painting is just you and the canvas, like writing is just you and a blank page. I love the solitude of these type of art projects. No opinions. No arguments. No compromising. Whatever you think or feel goes.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
One of my favorites is Shuckers in North Bay Village. Also, Versailles has delicious dinner. To be honest, I don’t go out that much, and I like to stick with my classics. South Beach is a must, although I don’t go there myself. But for somebody who has never seen it before, I imagine it would be exciting.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My Mother. She always gave me love and great support when I was growing up. She never questioned my decision of coming to the US with a one-way ticket when I was 19 years old. She deserves all my recognition and appreciation.

I don’t think I’ve ever had a mentor or somebody that “showed me the ropes.” I’ve made a lot of wrong decisions, which were like “mentors” of their own kind because I learned from them. I can also thank all the artists, musicians, and creative visionaries that have inspired me. I love to watch documentaries and interviews of people I admire, mostly artists.

I have a family I love very much, my wife and kids. I’m thankful for their constant support even when my painting takes me away from them for many hours. They understand. And they always have my back.

Website: hugocolor.com
Instagram: hugorezzoli
Facebook: Hugo Orezzoli Art

Image Credits
Camila La Torre