Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Frank Ciulla. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Frank, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
As a portrait artist, I found my purpose when I was the guardian parent of my two nephews. I had been in the U.S. Navy before that, and I worked for the U.S.P.S. as a mail carrier. But When a family crisis hit, I decided to resign from working and become a stay-at-home guardian parent. During this time, I would spend hours drawing with my nephews and I would frequently get told by friends and family that I have a natural ability to draw. So I followed that thread until it became clear to me how much I actually loved art and how much I enjoy portrait painting.
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?
I am an oil painter focusing mainly on portraiture. I really enjoy the process of capturing the likeness and essence of another human being to the best of my ability. I’ve painted many other subjects as well, including animals, objects, and landscapes, but painting portraits is my true passion. I do take commissions and I’m happy to paint any subject in my realistic style.
I just recently joined the Portrait Society of America and I plan on competing in their international portrait painting competition in April of 2024! I’ve also been a part of a fine arts festival where I included my self-portrait, and I’m hoping to be accepted into a veteran art show in Raleigh, NC for veterans day.
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?
A quality that was most impactful for my journey so far has been persistence. There were many times that I’ve wanted to quit painting and art all together, and being persistent has helped me to see that I could develop and make it so much farther than I ever believed that I could. Another quality or skill that I developed was not seeking reassurance from every external source that I could find. The more I sought reassurance from others, the more I realized that I was insecure and had a huge lack of confidence. I also believe that self-discipline played a huge factor in my journey. I spent countless hours teaching myself how to draw and how to use oil paints properly.
So my advice for someone new to an artistic journey would be, try not to care TOO much about what others think of your work. Focus on yourself as best you can and hone your craft. Find your artistic style and unique expression by just practicing and studying. I found my style after 3 years of painting and I was only able to do that by drawing, painting, practicing, and studying. The world needs all of our unique voices and the sooner we all find them, the better the world will be.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
My wife, Caitlin, has helped me the most. She’s supported my artistic endeavors from the very beginning and she’s helped me through all of my roadblocks. She pushes me to be a better artist and she also pushes me to be a lot more social than I’d like to be. She helps me express myself authentically and she’s helped me narrow down exactly what my artistic style and subject matter should be. We’ve had many disagreements along the way, but she by far has been the biggest supporter that I’ve been blessed with.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: frank_john_ciulla_iii
- Facebook: Frank John Ciulla III
- Linkedin: Frank Ciulla
Image Credits
Caitlin Antje
