I grow up in a southwest suburb of Chicago, things where quite normal among the manicured lawns the two storied upper middle class houses the neighborhood park district and my large Sicilian based family. I really didn’t have any direct family artistic influences except my Grandmothers sister my Auntie, who is an accomplished artist, a oil painter, she has a piece in the Smithsonian Washington D.C. and my late uncle on my mothers side ‘Polish’’ who did inks and carved wood.

  The story my mother has always recited to me was how my natural artistic talent was discovered in the kindergarten classroom. The Teacher said I would draw flowers in such detail, “every pedal, grass sheers, bees, trees and so on,’’ it was very noticeable this boy could draw. Quite natural for a child I loved cartoons.  I’m still addicted to the great cartoon character creators Fritz Feeling, Chuck Jones and Mel Blank and as a child I loved Jim Davis creator of Garfield the cat and Charles Shultz of Peanuts comics. My talent developed greatly from imitating these popular influences from television, cinema and newsprint. It strengthened my development as a drawer.

  In the 1980’s I drew a substantial amount of celebrity figures. Private teaching and attending a wide array of courses available in grade school and then high school gave me a heighten sense and appreciation for life in the arts. Entertainment and culture became apparent in my work as more time was spent enjoying the great outdoors as well as my entry into the urban environment. My art teachers introduced me to the classics, art I fell in love with, The Renaissances, French impressionism and the Dutch master’s. I had chosen some classics rounded with the nitclectic or contemporary artists such as Dali, Picasso, Max Earnest, and Eves Tanguy.

   The 80’s were certainly a pop art/vanguard decade. I found my art to portray these influences and I learned how to entertain viewers with color and harmony as well as a thoughtfully profound message. As the messages became more and more complex and meaningful, I found my works to resemble surrealistic styles with impressionistic colors; mediteraninian features illustrative figures and dramatic views.

  In the early 90’s I attended a highly praised art college,’ The American Academy of Art” Chicago Illinois, the enhancements I had acquired brought more media and business theory to my work. I was reluctant to apply myself as I was in high school but by the end of my years in art school my grades prevailed. The study of anatomy in art school made my figures more accurate and understood.

  Taking illustration class and acquiring knowledge of fine artist history, my compositions really took off in a compelling series of surrealistic themed paintings. It was then I really began wanting to become an innovative & original artist. ‘’Vince has a crystal clear vision’’ said my water color teacher Thomas Torlimkie who encourage me immensely. He introduced me to the works of Chicago’s famed artists Ed Paskie and Albert Albright. My art school was just across the street from the Art Institute/museum of Chicago. On Tuesdays “free day” I had full access in seeing the master artisans of the world. This time gave new meaning to me in becoming a gallery artist.

  Yet I was then an emerging artist, I had a number of pieces, so I began seeking galleries who would let me display my work. The seeking process began for the ‘’hard headed”, “always learning the hard way” artist. One thing that was apparent was my art wasn’t properly framed and being a emerging, struggling artist, I had to find alterative ways like making the frames from found wood stock or old and used frames. This practice has been used throughout history I’m sure, by struggling artists who became self-made custom framers. This was one of many skills I acquired in the 90s’on into the 2000’s.

  Now as my large, more complex painting projects carry on. Group gallery shows that I participate in, foretell the meaning of the artist’s community. We all have a wanting to express our own individual message. I’m finding a more flavorful edge in the artist community in South West Florida, Tampa bay area’. Many artists live and work here where inspiration is abundant. It is where I have produced some of my most important work. As I pull forward, I now finally find myself an established artist and I often ponder relationships of major cities nationally and hopefully someday Europe and Asia where art is revered more respectively.

  The life and times of an artesian is usually a bumpy trail. I know that hard work and progressiveness lives in my heart and soul. I have the longing to express my own personal message, as long as I can keep it fresh, I’ll keep working to it get across earth into your heart and soul.

                                                                            Artist Vince Plzak.