A Few of OTTAVIO'S ARTWORKS.
Acuni dei miei Lavori Artistici.
I have always been in love with art, making things with my hands, especially making a painting, a drawing, a sculture, or simply capturing an image with my camera. Art, for me, has always been a chance, an opportunity, to express my emotions (feelings) and thoughts (ideas). It is also a fun and a suspended time, that makes me feel as I'm in another dimension. Art is an occasion that allows me to show reality, and hence motivate (me and others), to do something good and/or positive. All of these actions, in addition to the simple the act of holding a brush in my hands while painting- is a fun and rewarding experience, one that motivate me and  move/inspire me. It is an experience that transcends (goes over) reality- it feels as if I am in a different dimension (place) when I am making art. A dimension where I find my real self, a peaceful place, one where I often I feel closer to God, who is, after all the true Creator... the first Artist!
In this collection I present some works that I did as a young man, in my mid 20s, in the 1980s, except for a few others (the Doves in Space) and the photograph of the pink rose- they were accomplished recently (not too long ago).
In this post (article, essay) I also provide (give) explanations only for three pieces, numbers 7, 9 and 10, because these three have a special meaning and/or message. The rest of the art works shown here are simple and clear- there's no need of explanations- they're evident- our eyes can do that- figure out the meanings and/or purpose! 

 Image below: Me next to a mural, that I painted, next to my hose entrance, on 43rd Street in Astoria, a borogh of Queens in NY City. Circa 1981-82.

 

Sono sempre stato innamorato dell'arte, nel creare cose con le mie mani, e in particolare dipingere un quadro, fare un disegno, o semplicemente catturare un'immagine con la mia macchina fotografica- una cosa che facevo spesso.
L'arte, per me, è una possibilità, la possibilità di esprimere le mie emozioni, i miei sentimenti, pensieri e idee. L'arte e' un'attivita' divertente, che mi sospende nel tempo, mi fa' sentire di essere in un'altra dimensione. L'arte e' anche l'occasione che mi permette di mostrare la realta', e quindi motivare (sia me che gli altri) a fare qualcosa di buono e di positivo. Tutte questi azioni "d'arte"-  anche il semplice atto di mettermi un pennello tra le mani per pitturare- sino un'esperienza divertente e gratificante, che mi motivano e m'ispirano a fare e creare.
E 'un'esperienza che trascende (va oltre) la realtà- mi fa' sentire come se fossi in una dimensione diversa, in un'altro posto. Mi fa' sentire in una dimensione dove trovo me stesso, in un luogo di pace, quello in cui spesso mi sento più vicino a Dio- che è dopo tutto, il vero creatore ... il Primo Artista! 

In questa collezione vi presento alcuni lavori che ho fatto da giovane, da 20enne, negli anni 80- eccetto  il dipinto "Colombe nello Spazio" e la fotografia della rosa- questi invece sono lavori recenti.
Qui forniscio spiegazioni solo per tre lavori (numeri 7, 9 e 10), perche' perché questi tre hanno un significato e un messaggio speciale. Il resto dei lavori in questa collezione sono semplici, il loro significato, e evidente, e non hanno bisogno di spiegazioni- bastano i nostri occhi e le nostre emozioni per capirli!

  

1. Torretta. (the town where I was born and grew up, near Palermo, Sicily). Oil on canvas.
Torretta. Olio su tela.

 2. Spring in the Sky. Tempera colors on paper. 

 3. Opening day at my personal art exhibit at the Shreveport Library, in Shreveport Louisiana. 

Circa 1983.

Giorno dell'apertura della mia mostra personale a Shreveport, stato della Luisiana. 

4. A rose from the Central Park garden, in Schenectady NY.

Below, two pen and ink illustrations on paper, #5-6, Halloween.
Illustrazioni fatti a penna.

5.

 

6.  

  

7. The Man and the Machine. Oil on canvas.
L'uomo e la Macchina. Olio su tela.

This piece shows you the mind/imagination,  the innocence and simplicity (of thought), or better yet the naiveté of a teenager. 
I did this painting in June of 1976, my last year of high school in art class. I was living in New York City at the time, and I was concerned about violence and war.  
Let me explain the symbols. The human shadow, represents humanity (mankind, all the people on earth) which is trying to reach (grab, catch) for the weapons that the robot is carrying away from the shadow (humanity). The robot is carrying two weapons, a nightstick (a police bat) and a machine gun. The shadow (humanity) is trying to reach for them so that he/she can have power to manipulate, intimidate, destroy/kill and control. 

Q1. What do you think I tried to say in this piece? What do you think is the meaning of this image? 
Let me give you  several choices;

  

Q2. Do you think that the artist intent (intention/purpose/reason) in this painting, The man and the Machine, shows hope/peace for mankind? Or Do you think that it shows war, violence, hopelessness and despair instead?

A. Yes, this art work shows (represents, means) that humanity has still some hope since (because) the robot is taking away the weapons.

B. No, it shows (represents, means) that humanity has no hope, since (because) it is always trying to stick to war/violence, because the shadow (humanity) is reaching for the weapons. 

Q3. Do you think that technology (machines, computers, etc.) can save humanity from his stupidity?  By his stupidity I mean humanity's willingness to resort (use) of war, violence, greed,  lust for power and neglect of history. neglecting history means not considering and/or learning from the lessons/mistakes of the past, and thinking that history isn't important- that it has nothing to offer us.

8. New York's Central Park. Oil on canvas board.

9. Flowers for Jesus. Acrylics on canvas. Below, details.

This painting shows my appreciation/gratitude for what Jesus did for me, a poor sinner. He gave His life for me, for you, and for all of us. The Coke can and the 3 daisies are what I offer from the heart- that's what I could offer, what I had at that time. Yes, I like coke! But I do not abuse it! The inscription (writing) on the tile, under the coke can says: I am the Way, the Truth and the Life."

Let me explain the symbols.  The cross represents Jesus and His sacrifice. The 12 yellow/light balls emanating (coming out)  from the cross are the 12 apostles, Jesus' followers, his friends (during his ministry/mission that lasted 3 years and concluded with His death and resurrection). The coke can and flowers are my offering, my way of saying Thank you to Jesus, for his love for us. The lights traveling in space (or the sky) is my exuberance, my happiness/feelings toward God.

10. Pollution. Or Nature Crucified. Oil and collage on canvas.

I also accomplished (made, did) this collage painting in 1976, my last year in high school. At that time I was reading about ecological (environmental) problems in the Italian press. At that time I was not yet fully fluent in English because I had come from Italy, two years earlier, in 1974. This painting used to have a frame made of empty soda cans, to represent the excessive amount of garbage that we, our society produces. However, I took them off (the soda cans) later on because it was cumbersome, too hard to transport and some cans got lose too.
What do the symbols represent? The cut-out newspaper articles pasted on it talk about pollution problems. The meaning of the dead tree on the cross is evident (clear); mankind is crucifying nature, we are killing our environment; with our pollution, which is represented by most images on this work; the pieces of newspapers glued on it, the smokestacks (chimneys, the 3 big tubes/pipes on the factory's roof) that spew (spit out) poisons (unhealthy smoke) into the air, the soda cans (not seen here- because i took them off earlier), and finally the tree on the cross, which for me, as a Christian represents Christ's ultimate sacrifice (giving up his life for sinners, all of us). So my point/question/purpose/reason in this work is this;

WILL WE CRUCIFY NATURE? OR WILL WE HELP/RESCUE/SAVETHE ENVIRONMENT from our neglect, greed and stupidity? 
I believe that there is time left to amend (fix) our mistakes, and we apply (do) now THESE THINGS;
1. Do not throw trash everywhere! Instead put it in recycling bins/boxes!
2. Respect the environment, your neighbors and their property!
3. Implement (do, follow, apply) the 4Rs (recycling, reducing make less waste, re-use over and over and then recycle it! And finally refuse; say no to use-only-plastic, like bags, cups/lids, dishware, straws, bottles, etc). The 4Rs are basically a way of reducing our carbon footprint (the amount of pollution we create, or C02) or using less energy and/or products that pollute and/or harm/poison the earth and our bodies.
4. Not use pollutants (chemicals, garbage, poison,  and non-degradable (not destructible) products, such as plastics. 
5. Dry your clothes in the sun, instead of running the drier for hours. 
6. Turn water, lights and appliances off when not needed. We should educate and teach our children by modeling good example so they will be prone to respect the environment. We should use clean energy (solar and wind). And finally...
7. Let’s put more effort and be more serious about climate change. Let’s tell our government to take stronger/meaningful/effective actions at the next environmental global conference.

11. Seven Doves in Space. Acrylics on canvas.

12. Two Swans. Acrylics on canvas.

13. Eight Doves in Space. Acrylics on canvas.

Rights reserved by the author, Ottavio Lo Piccolo..