I met Cecelia Comito the very first time I walked into Artworks Studio, located downtown on Adams Street in Carroll, IA. I was not only blown away by the store, but instantly envious of the studio space in the back, and as an added bonus got to meet another one of my people. It’s such an amazing feeling, meeting one of your people, when you just feel a connection, an energy, an understanding. You know they are one of your tribe, cut from the same fabric, and thousands of other metaphors that describe the way you just click with each other. Comito is definitely one of my people.
Comito describes herself as a mixed
media artist. She creates her artwork with a variety of items and mediums. “My current art passion is creating paintings
that celebrate the beauty of Iowa and the Midwest,” Comito said, “Particularly
the nostalgia of growing up in a small town in the 1970s. My paintings reflect
that time – laundry on the clothesline, hollyhocks in Grandma’s garden, pink
peonies, poppies, bright wildflowers, bikes abandoned in the front lawn. I also love painting old houses and barns,
and of course, pigs, cows, chickens, and birds.”
“Life was so different then. I grew up with benign neglect – and it was amazing. As long as I told Mom where I was going, who I was going to be with, and came home at the designated time, it was all cool.“
After graduating from college and law school, Comito moved East and lived in large, urban cities (Philadelphia, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.) for many years. “After nearly 30 years, I moved back to Iowa to join my sister Laura’s studio, Artworks Studio in Carroll,” Comito said. “Jury is still out on that decision – but it has been great for my art and self-esteem as an artist.”
Her favorite medium to use is mixed media, which gives her the freedom to use whatever materials she wants! “It lets me play with all sorts of media, including gelli plate printing, watercolor, acrylic, pencil, pastel – you name it, I can work it into a mixed media painting,” she said. “I also like using papers or other items that would have ended up in the land fill – like old book pages, magazines, handwritten letters, etc. I use the backside of copies that would have otherwise been sent to the recycle bin for my gelli printing. I love finding pads of old ledger paper or receipt books. Some of my favorite papers are from an old Carroll County Abstract Book from the early 1900s.”
Comito does more than just create her own art, she also teaches a variety of classes at Artworks Studio! “I have taught acrylic painting, fused glass, mixed media collage, and watercolor. I have done one-on-one classes, where someone wants to learn more about acrylics or watercolor.” It makes sense that she’s a mixed media artist when she has experience working with so many different mediums!
I love asking artists what their favorite tool is for making art – to date, I’ve not had anyone mention the same thing twice! Comito’s answer? “I love the color shaper. What an amazing, handy little tool. It’s great for smoothing down papers onto a canvas or board, applying paint, making marks. So glad I discovered this handy little tool.”
I also always ask “what’s an issue or
stumbling block you’ve encountered?” because let’s be honest, each artist’s
journey is unique. Comito’s answer is one I struggle with as well. “I suffer
from imposter syndrome,” she said. “I am not a trained artist. I never went to
art school. I took classes here and there,
worked with some amazing artists like Laura Comito, Ed Hinkley (Chicago
artist), and Kellie Day (Colorado artist).
I worry about whether I am “original” enough or have “important” things
to say in my art. You see so much about
the tortured, starving artist – and I am not that person.”
“I also worry that I am too old to
embark on an art career – I started dabbling in art after my mother died when I
was in my late 30s. Twenty years later,
I am still dabbling.” Nonsense! Anyone, at any age, can be an artist! Bob Ross
believed it and I do too. There’s been a number of artists who have become
famous (not that fame is the only measure of success) for their artwork in
their 50s, 60s, 70s, and even 100s!
“So often, people come into the Studio and say, “I wish I could paint or draw, but I can’t even draw a straight line.” Guess what? I can’t either – that’s what rulers are for. Drawing is like learning to read, play the piano, dance, play a sport, write, cook or do math. Just like you had no idea how to do a plie before your fist ballet lesson, you have to learn the techniques that go with art. When I signed up for that first basic drawing class I had no formal experience with drawing – I just wanted to learn the basics and see if it was something I wanted to pursue.”
“Finally, once you embark on a
creative endeavor, don’t listen to anyone who starts out their comments on your
art with “I don’t like…” or “Your [perspective, colors, shadows] are wrong…” or
any other negative comment. I don’t care
how long the person has been studying art, there is always something positive
to say about every work of art.” Absolutely! There’s a big difference between
constructive criticism and figuratively tearing a piece apart.
“I recently participated in an art
show in which half of the paintings submitted received some sort of ribbon and
every artist, except for me, received a ribbon of some sort. My three mixed media paintings – the only
ones in show – received no recognition from the “distinguished” judge – a
retired art teacher from Drake. As I listened to his comments on the 24
paintings that received ribbons, I realized that he had nothing to offer me. The
judge was of the school that mixed media is not “real” art. My paintings bring me joy and that is all
that matters.”
My favorite thing about art is that it
is subjective. Everyone is an expert in what kind of art appeals to them. The
downside to that? Art is subjective! Not every type of art appeals to everyone.
That doesn’t mean, however, that it’s not still “real” or valid art.
When I asked Comito if she had any
advice for artists starting out, she crossed out the word “artists” before
answering. So, any advice for anyone starting out?
“I have always had the desire to be creative. But I was so good at so many left brain activities (little confession here: I’m a recovering attorney), so I never pursued art. When I finally decided to take the plunge, my sister, Melanie, who is an incredible artist when she isn’t being a doctor, suggested I take a basic drawing class to get a sense of line, perspective, composition, the basics. With that foundation, painting would not be frustrating. It was great advice and I signed up for a 8-week adult drawing class at the Chicago Art Institute. For me, given my left brain, analytical tendencies, I needed a weekly class commitment to motivate me to draw. If left to my own devices I would not have kept at it.”
“All this is a long way of saying,
when you decide you want to pursue a creative outlet – drawing, painting, mixed
media, weaving, etc. – make a commitment to yourself to use your medium of
choice on some regular basis – whether it’s every day, once or twice a week,
whatever. Art is like exercising or
eating healthy – you have to make it a part of your routine or it won’t
happen.“
“Finally, embrace who you are. If you are a methodical, analytical person, you can still be creative and pursue art. You’re just going to go at it differently from someone who is less organized. If you want to see a study in contrasts of artists and approaches, just stop by Artworks Studio and watch Laura and I work in the Studio. (By the way, Laura is the real artist; I’m just a dabbler.)“
Comito just completed a solo show at the Bakery on Broadway in Audubon. “Being selected to show my paintings at the Audubon bakery was amazing. I met so many interesting people and sold lots of paintings! The Bakery is an amazing place. They serve coffee drinks, baked goods, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, plus have a quirky little retail space in front. It is worth a visit.” Comito is scheduled for an exhibition of her artwork at Arts on Grand in Spencer from May-June 2024!
In addition to seeing Comito’s artwork (and meeting her in person!) at Artworks Studio in Carroll, IA, she has paintings available at Arts on Grand in Spencer. You can view her art online at http://www.ceceliacomitoart.com or on social media on Facebook and Instagram.
