Meet Gregory Didyoung

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gregory Didyoung. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gregory below.

Gregory, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

My artwork is always evolving. Every piece I create, whether it’s a mural or sculpture, is better than the previous. I strive to keep honing my skill set so that each new work of art is better than the last. Repetition will lead to precision but I value innovation over perfection. My little birds made from cutlery are a perfect example. Each one builds upon the previous technique with the form and finish slightly improved. I never make two birds that are alike, I’m always trying to improve and alter each new sculpture. To me a craftsman is a perfectionist, while an artist works in innovation. It’s this constant improvement of not only my skills but originality in my art that fuels my creativity.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Didy.ART is derived from my family name Didyoung. I became an artist following a life-threatening injury I sustained downhill mountain biking. I was creating digital artwork that I would apply onto wood, dreaming of being an artist but never putting my work out in the public realm. in 2017 a double compound fracture on my right forearm and subsequent chronic bone infection nearly cost me my life. I asked friends to enter my artwork into a juried exhibit the day I went in for major surgery. I ended up winning best in show and it rocketed my artistic career. I went on to work with hospitals, mental health organizations, manufacturing and city government to create murals and sculptures throughout southeast Pennsylvania. My latest works use found metal items such as cutlery, tools and scrap metal. I assemble them into a new figurative compositions, mainly birds. I find birds to be inspiring, varied and accessible. Every spoon and fork in my sculptures was used and discarded, only to be re-imagined into a new work of art. These recycled items now tell a new story, a happy little chickadee or a perched bald eagle. Many who view my work don’t immediately recognize that my birds are created from recycled items because they are focused on the story it is telling and the feeling it evokes. That’s the meaning of art to me.

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?

As an artist you need to find a medium that excites you, nobody is born an artist. It takes repetition and revision to excel at anything and art is no different. Don’t be afraid to move around and try new things. The skills I learned as a digital artist helped me become a muralist. The skills I learned woodworking led right into my metal working. Don’t be afraid to fail, I used to cringe when I saw my early works but I don’t anymore, at that moment in time they were my best works. Ask yourself, did I do the best I could, is it true to your voice?

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?

Even if you are self-taught or learn most of your stuff from five minute online tutorials, the best thing you can do to further your area of expertise is to immerse yourself with people who share that similar interest. Yes online portals/forums can be a helpful tool but as an artist, I find hanging with artists face-to-face to be the best resource. Put yourself out there at exhibits, gallery walks, etc and ask questions from those who inspire you.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/didy.art_/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gregory.didyoung/