Lorraine D’Uva: ITALY: A mixed media journey

Lorraine D’Uva, Polla, Salerno: The Home of my Ancestors, 2018, Acrylic paint and painted paper, 24 x 36

Artist’s Statement:

ITALY: A Mixed Media Journey is a group of artworks based on my personal experiences throughout the beautiful cities and small towns of Italy. My paintings Polla, Salerno: The Home of My Ancestors and Via Chuise, In the Beginning, represent the hometown of my Grandfather. I have collaged in pictures of family, book inscriptions, and landmarks into both of these paintings. The bold, bright colors of my floral and landscape paintings symbolize the joy I feel when I am in Italy.

My mixed media artwork is created with acrylic paint, hand-painted paper, and sometimes personal photos. I combine a variety of techniques for my collage papers such as image manipulation in photoshop with paint applied to printouts and hand-painted textural papers using gel plate printing, stamps, and stencils.
I also explore my paintings in a nostalgic, personal way, by starting with my own reference photo and then evolving the dynamics of the painting, with the use of paper and ephemera. By layering different shapes, forms, and textures I aim to create a visually stimulating personal representation of my experience.
I have been a graphic designer for over 30 years working primarily in the cosmetic and fashion industry on product packaging, point of sale materials, web design, and photography art direction. I started painting 10 years ago, taking evening classes at a variety of local art schools/studios. My work gradually evolved into collage as I realized I wanted to bridge the gap between painting and graphic design. I currently work in a small NYC branding agency by day and paint/collage by night.