Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dom Draven ( Ventolora ). We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Dom, we are so deeply grateful to you for opening up about your journey with mental health in the hops that it can help someone who might be going through something similar. Can you talk to us about your mental health journey and how you overcame or persisted despite any issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
Mental health has been a lifelong struggle for me, but it became especially challenging after I was severely injured while operating at a house fire in the FDNY. This happened about five years into my artistic journey, and it profoundly changed my relationship with art. What started as sculpting figurines evolved into something much deeper—a tool for healing.
Mentally and psychologically, I was in a dark place, and my art became an external expression of what I was feeling inside. It was no longer confined by the rigidity of figure sculpture; instead, it became a raw, cathartic process that allowed me to process emotions in a way words never could
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Hello, my name is Dominic Ventolora, also known as Dom Draven. I’m a 10-year veteran firefighter with the FDNY, and I have a deep passion for both my job and creating art. Over time, I found myself becoming enamored with sculpture, which has become an incredibly important and therapeutic part of my life .
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I think these three qualities are key to anyone perusing any artistic endeavor .
1 . Do not compare yourself to other artist .
2. Never be satisfied with your work and always look to improve or innovate .
3. Be ready to take criticism and try and use it to your advantage
Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?
I think it’s important for an artist to understand their strengths and opportunities. I believe that one of the most important things as an artist is to be able to target your weak points and to polish those weak points . You want to be able to metaphorically sharpen every blade in your tool kit . The biggest problem is identifying what it is . My biggest issue when I first starting is that I would get lost in the details of my sculptures and start working on smaller detailed areas instead of the overall form and silhouette / pose . I would want to finish as soon as possible . One of my favorite artist Tom Kubler described it to me as building castles on sand . I now take my time , sculpture is a marathon, not a sprint .
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Domdraven.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dom_draven_art?igsh=MTV3M2FvbzNjNHVlYw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Other: https://linktr.ee/domdraven?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=2105ff0c-d180-4006-8449-38e57b222216
Image Credits
@nerdyheartphotography
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