Today we’d like to introduce you to Angelo Cane.
Hi Angelo, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
As a child, I was always drawing. As most children do, I started with crayons and later changed to colored pencils. My parents didn’t know where it came from because no one else in my family is artistic. I tried to replicate things I liked such animals and nature scenes, and later added sports figures, rock and roll images, logos, etc. I loved the game of hockey and was particularly drawn to the artwork on goalie masks, photos of goalies making spectacular saves, and the colorful uniforms. The first rock and roll band I listened to was KISS. I thought their makeup, costumes, logo, and band imagery was so cool. I drew many of these images and hung them on the walls of the stairwell leading up to my bedroom upstairs. It was like very own art gallery and I liked when family and friends came over and looked at all the pieces and commented on them. I continued drawing and later added a little bit of painting as I made my way through my school years.
When it came to having to decide on a career path, I chose the Art Institute of Pittsburgh in hopes I could begin a career in the advertising industry. I studied visual communications and learned graphic design and illustration skills. When I graduated it was during the time when desktop publishing was beginning to boom and I found my way into the publishing industry as a Graphic Designer and Art Director for various trade publications. In addition, I was doing my own freelance graphic design projects for a number of clients. I enjoyed the process of using the computer technology to create but always had it in my mind to return to traditional art.
In 1999 my wife started an interior design company and I would help her when I wasn’t working my regular job. Her company grew rapidly by word of mouth. She could walk into a room and see the finished space in her head – it was amazing to see her have a vision and totally transform a room. One day she said to me, “a client has an idea for a painting she wants in her master bedroom and I told her you would do it.” I replied, “you said what?! I haven’t touched a paintbrush since high school!”. She said, “it will be fine, I know you can do it.” It was a bit of a struggle at first but I completed the painting and the client loved it. That was the moment that started me painting, and we’ve been incorporating my art in clients’ homes ever since. In 2005 I joined her in the interior decorating business full-time.
Years ago, when Bikes, Beans & Bordeaux (also known as B3), a local cycling-themed café, opened and were featuring local artists, I asked if I could participate. Owners Jen and Darrell Cunningham said I could as long as I included some cycling pieces. I had very little knowledge about the sport and had no idea what to do for cycling paintings, so I did some research online and thought that capturing the motion, intensity, and colors of a race would be a good place to start. The first abstract cycling painting I created was titled “Race Day”, and as I was in the process of hanging it on the wall at B3, a voice from behind me said, “hey that’s really cool – I’d like to buy it.” That was the beginning of my cycling painting journey and I’ve sold many pieces over the years. When the café expanded, I was offered a permanent spot as a featured artist, and I’m still there today.
I use acrylics on canvas, hardboard, or paper. I like the easy cleanup and versatility of acrylics. As far as a style, I’m kind of a chameleon. Unlike most artists who have a distinct style or paint a certain subject matter, I’m just as comfortable doing a loose abstract as I am doing a detailed portrait. I enjoy the creative process and it’s really rewarding when someone connects with one of my paintings enough to want it in their home or office.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There is almost always a struggle of some sort. On the personal side, I’ve had internal battles in the past about whether I needed to develop a definitive style in order to be more successful. Creative blocks creep up from time to time and I have to work my way through them. Also, like many artists, figuring out how to value and price my art was a struggle, but I’ve gotten better at it. On the technical side, it’s rare when I have an idea in my head that translates easily to canvas. I have wasted plenty of paint working on an abstract composition or trying to get colors or details in a commission piece to look the way I want. Sometimes a work in progress looks good to me one day, and the next day I wake up and hate it and start over. I have ruined some nice paintings. More than a few times my wife has walked into my studio and said “what happened to that nice painting you were working on!?”, or “STOP – I love it just the way it is.” Being my own worst critic and bit of a perfectionist, knowing when to stop working on a piece and consider it finished is a big hurdle. Also, since I’m not a full-time artist, finding time to paint with everything else going on with our decorating business and daily life can be challenging.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I think my versatility is what sets me apart from others and is also what I’m most proud of. I like being able to produce a variety of different looks. It especially helps since my wife and I decorate so many homes that have different aesthetics. I’m able to create a piece of art that specifically fits the design of the space. I’m a self-taught artist so I’ve surprised myself with some of the paintings I’ve done. Hearing from cyclists that a painting really conveys their sport when I really don’t know anything about it makes me feel good. Seeing a client’s eyes light up after I’ve presented them with a portrait of their favorite pet and nailed their pet’s expression is so satisfying. Some of the abstract pieces that have come out of nowhere or resulted from me taking out my frustrations by splattering or smearing paint make for a fun story. One of my personal favorites is a still-life commission I did years ago consisting of silver household items – it was only the second time I attempted to paint silver and it came out way better than I expected. I actually own the piece now and it’s hanging in my home studio.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I think this applies to anyone – you have to be willing to try new things and be ok making mistakes or not getting desired results the first time. You won’t get anywhere in life by being afraid or not stepping out of your box. I used to say “I don’t know…”, “I’m not comfortable with that…”. Now if it’s something new to me, I just say “I’ll give it a go.” If my wife didn’t force me to try that first painting years ago, we wouldn’t be having this discussion now.
Contact Info:
- Website: angelocane.com
- Instagram: @angelocaneart
Image Credits
Angelo Cane
