Meet Joseph Dulin- Didonato | Gallery and Commission Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joseph Dulin- Didonato and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joseph, how do you think about risk?
Risk is one of the most important parts of our lives and careers. Shaking things up can be intimating but I don’t want to wake up in 30 years or even tomorrow and wish I had taken that chance. Opportunity will only knock, its up to us to run out of that door. We can always stay home and fall into routines and have excuses why its better to do something later “I’ll do it when I have x amount of money” or “ill wait for the next offer”. The tough realization is that the window of opportunity is only open for a short period of time. We all have fears and insecurities but we also have passion and desire, which will outweigh the other is up to you.

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.
My current collection is an evolving idea based around concepts and technique put forth by the impressionists of the early 1900s. The main focus of my subjects seem to be women, but in fact, is
more about saturation, contrast, and color placement. My work deals with identity, portraiture,
figure, and psychology. No color I use is ever “straight out of the tube”. Using raw pigments and
other supplements, I turn basic acrylic paint into something much more. Each painting is a balance
between the of vulnerability and emotion with-in women juxtaposed to the inviting warmth of these
colors
Color is what ties our emotions to reality, We see a color and have a visceral reaction “I love it” or
“I hate it”. Colors can make us feel sad or happy. And they can remind us of moments we’ve had.
Without color, art means nothing. It is the most important choice in every painting, in our living
rooms, and the clothes we wear. Color is important. My paintings use color in the forefront of every
piece. Skin tones, light reflection and large color blocks for the background- give the viewer a
chance to be ingulfed in the emotion of the figure and to be immersed in its feeling. Only a few colors
are chosen to be represented in each work, so every one of the colors and emotion can be appreciated in its own space. Each piece expands on the subjects identity, sexuality, psychology and feelings
within the confines of the work.
I always did things right on the outside of “the norm” so I struggled because of that. But, through the struggles you find yourself. I was working in a place that I hated, the people I worked with were nice enough but I hated waking up early and driving into a job that seemed so gray and lifeless. sitting in a boring cubical, gaining weight and taking calls until I absolutely hated talking to anyone. Even though the pay was good, I decided to leave. I still didn’t know what I was going to do and to add to my ever looming feeling and thoughts of my future, my daughter had just born earlier that year.
To make ends meet I took a position with a major coffee company and worked part time while I followed my dream of producing music, Even though that would ultimately not be my life’s purpose.
I had always drawn, painted, sketched and doodled but, it was something I did in the background while I was doing other things, like when I should have been studying. It was always there. The only courses I excelled in were art courses. But, I was so fixated on music I found myself in California doing work for a producer and executive I always looked up to. One of my closest friends, Ian McDaniel, lives and produces in the LA area and through his network, I found myself hanging out with Ian and said producers new artist. I even made music for him. I thought this would be a new turning point for me, but, it wasn’t. It was another failure. I was ready to be done. I went back home- happy, I know it sounds odd but somewhere deep inside, I knew this wasn’t what I was going to do. Something deep down was always nagging at me. I found that same nagging sensation once again. Thinking of ways to get back on my feet. I began racking my mind of what I would do next, how would I do it, and when. Sometimes I fight with myself. Viscously. Wrestle with ideas until I submit or they do. But this time it was different. It came to me like a gentle lightning bolt. What had always been there? What always made people stop and say “that’s good”. My art. Painting and drawing would be my light in a dark tunnel. It always had been.
By the time Covid hit, I had already been seriously painting and working on myself again. I was painting with purpose and seemingly vision. I needed to leave the job I was at and do this full time. When the corona virus was in full swing, the coffee company I was working for offered some kind of severance package if we wanted to take it because they weren’t sure what was going to happen. For some reason I felt it was as good a time as any. If I wanted to leave they were offering me money to and no one was really certain when or if things would return to normal. I took the money and ran. The first year or two I struggled but still got a strong pull into this direction so I leaped. Small things would make me feel this was my purposes, small coincidences no one but me would recognize or even understand because they were so personal and synchronized.
I still didn’t know anyone in the art community and was annoyingly asking anyone I could if they knew anyone in the art world because I was and am an “outsider artist”.
Another really good friend of mine, who helped change my life for the better, was Jake Swope. Jake and I became friends initially because he was looking for local art. We clicked immediately. He also had a band who needed help with their production. What a coincidence, I would say “That’s what I used to do in a past life”.
For months we worked on music, I was still struggling to find connections in the local art community. I remember complaining about this one night after band practice and he said something to the extent of not knowing why he hadn’t thought of it before but they had a friend who was a curator, preparator, and an artist and she was moving back to Columbus.
That was the moment, I knew then. When you’re on the path of purpose, things will always find a way to work out.

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?
First we need to get something to eat. My favorite places to eat are Ampersand Asian Supper Club, The Old Mohawk, Thurman’s Café or Cap City. Next we Have to go to some of the art attraction, personally, I love the Columbus Museum of Art or one of the many galleries around the Short North and Franklinton, definitely stopping in at Parlor Suites. Depending on the time of year, I really enjoy Shakespeare in the Park in German Village, The Book Loft is always a go too and regular spot for me. I also really enjoy simple stuff like camping and fishing, so there is an abundance of that outside of Columbus.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I owe a lot of people for helping me get to this point but the ones who deserve the most credit would be Nick Stull, for taking me under his wing and showing me how to properly work on murals. Teaching me about functioning in the art community through relationships and taking opportunity when and how they come. Another person who deserve more credit than she gets is Maddy Beaumier. She was the very first person to get me into galleries, introducing me to any and everyone who could help me and always sending me in the right direction.

Instagram: @the_Outside_artist