Visiting Artist Spotlight. Spring - 2024 - Don Kania
ARTIST BIO - Born to a typical American blue-collar family in Chicago, IL. In 1966 I spent most of my early childhood in school or outdoors, as most American’s in my age group, we had no computers and we only stayed inside on Saturday morning to watch cartoons on the TV. In high school I was more excited about my creative classes than academics. Classes in Art, Woodworking, machine shop and auto shop are where I excelled. After High school I followed my parents plans and enrolled in school to study computer science. “Bored to death” (That only lasted 3 months) I dropped out. I then convinced his parents to allow me to enroll at Ray College of Design in Chicago and study commercial photography and design. After classes one day I almost met Andy Warhol at a book signing, but after waiting over 2 hours I assumed Mr. Warhol was a no show and left only to find out he did show up 30 minutes later. “That was a once in a lifetime event that I missed and that could have altered my life course, “Do not pass up opportunities that you might regret later in life.” Patience is a virtue! Upon completion of the photography course, I moved from freelance photographer assistant jobs to 30 years as a professional photographer in the competitive yet abundant advertising/catalog photography business in Chicago. Not realizing I inadvertently abandoned my interest in Art and a creative life. I still created photography related art and paintings but never pursued sharing them with others and the art world. Then a pandemic hit the world and photography came to a halt for me. The pandemic then like millions of others brought death to my heart when both my parents succumbed to the virus. “That was the most heartbreaking moment in my life.” After months of stagnation my wife encouraged me to pursue an art career. And with those words came a turning point. “Because after 30 years of photographing consumer crap I had to rethink what is creative and what is ART to me”. During the beginning of this transition, I saw an interview with Artist Mark Bradford on YouTube and that was a lightbulb moment. “I was overwhelmed with what he was creating, it was mesmerizing”! After that I watched every video I could find about Mark and other artists. I started to revisit every Museum and Art Gallery I could, to find and reteach myself- what ART meant to me. Since then, I have dedicated every day to creating and exploring what Art means to me. - Don Kania