⚡⚡⚡what a flashback⚡⚡⚡My first media appearance for my abstract paintings was during art school in Grand Rapids, MI. I went to Kendall College of Art & Design; known for prestigious & disciplined courses.
This was a special moment to be recognized in the news for my encaustic painting but the steps to get to this achievement. Whew, I was pushing my limits in a career as a creative but still fighting to win acceptance from my peers. I floated in advanced painting classes without a portfolio because I knocked down doors to prove my skills as an artist — I didn’t give up; non stop emails and phone calls;; I wanted to be there. I was attending Ferris State as a fulltime student in engineering & still taking courses at art school – twice a week for three hours each of studio time during winter. And you know Michigan — snow happens 9 months of the year.. a 45 mile drive would sometimes take 3 hours.. and my 8am class felt like a blink of an eye. These were the hardest moments of my life to balance a full-schedule of classes + art credits + driving to the city and still working 25 hours on site as a supervisor in the Mac lab.
I finished two years at Kendall College of Art & Design with discipline and persistence as a skilled artist.
This photo was a monumental moment as a first year art-student in advanced painting classes.. and I later submitted this encaustic piece in Art Prize; world’s largest art competition with cash price over $250K – I didn’t place top 100 but it didn’t matter; this smile was worth a million dollars and my swag was much cooler when I was a young one in the city.
Thank you Metro Times Detroit for capturing this photo – which led to many doors opening and my art career just starting.. #lifeofmissydi @missydi
Melissa DiVietri – Abstract Artist
