We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sal Cosenza. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sal below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Sal with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
This sounds drastic, but my work ethic is driven by an urge to get my ideas out there before I literally run out of time. This psychological race to “free” those ideas has been with me for a long time, and in a strange way, it’s a mindset that keeps me moving forward. That’s why I thought I’d spend this interview spotlighting my latest acrylic painting on view at Scottsdale’s Art One Gallery, “Monuscape Mystique,” and how this painting reflects that mindset.
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?
“Monuscape Mystique” represents everything I am as a painter right now. I wanted to craft an ambitious piece of escapist entertainment that’s ripe with symbolism, an acute attention to detail, and a sense of Surreal-tinged timelessness. The most exciting thing about creating it was getting into its endless rock textures and other details to a degree I previously haven’t. As the third in my series of “Monuscape” paintings, I think it’s a fitting final chapter from both a technical and conceptual standpoint.
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?
Three qualities that made this piece work were (1) Patience, (2) a Strong Concept, and (3) Trust in the Process. I consider it a miracle every time I complete a painting, since they take me so much time and require plenty of patience and concentration. As such, a strong concept is needed in order to maintain my inspiration as I race to the finish line. Without a strong concept, the project teeters. Lastly, trusting in the process means that mistakes can be made along the way, so long as I find a way to move past them. I think that embracing these three qualities can help any artist who’s tackling a massive painting or project of this nature.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
Through Art One Gallery, I’m fortunate to generally have clients who “get” me, meaning that they encourage my creative experimentation and have lots of tolerance for what I’m working on next. I tend to work in series, and my clients also tend to like that. Needless to say, I remain both grateful and pleasantly surprised that people love my paintings enough to buy them, so I guess I’m doing something right!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://artonegalleryinc.com/artist/sal-cosenza
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salcosenzaartdesign/
- Other: https://salcosenza.com/
Image Credits
“Monuscape Mystique” and Related Images © SAL COSENZA ART + DESIGN
