I’m intrigued by what we can’t see — the unknown and spaces that we can only imagine. I delve into those subjects every time I make something, and drawing is the catalyst for that.
As a part of our series about “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became An Artist” I had the pleasure of interviewing Jim D’Amato.
Jim D’Amato is an American artist. His work has been exhibited internationally in galleries, alternative spaces, and museum stores. He’s currently in the two-person exhibition Reverberation with Chellis Baird at High Line Nine Galleries in New York.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
I grew up making art. I was drawing constantly from the time I was a child which continues today. It was my escape from reality then and it still is now.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
There was never a specific moment that I decided to be an artist — it’s always just been who I am. But in my first year of art school I decided to pursue my own work instead of a career in illustration or design which was a critical decision for me.
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
I met the legendary artist Chuck Close about a decade ago. I introduced myself and gave him one of my cards (which had an image of my work on it). After looking at it in silence for a few minutes Chuck looked me, smiled and said “keep the faith Jim.” It was a great moment.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I’m currently in a two-person exhibition called Reverberation with Chellis Baird at High Line Nine Galleries. It’s curated by Josh Campbell and is up until 2/11/23. It’s been extremely exciting to see it come to life.
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
I’ve been extremely lucky to connect with many interesting people in the art world. My friendship with the artist Jack Whitten stands out. Our meeting changed the trajectory of my life and career. It’s also been an honor to know and have my work collected by Agnes Gund. She’s dedicated her entire life to contemporary art which is inspiring.
Where do you draw inspiration from? Can you share a story about that?
I’m intrigued by what we can’t see — the unknown and spaces that we can only imagine. I delve into those subjects every time I make something, and drawing is the catalyst for that.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
In my own way yes. If what I do inspires other artists and creative people I think I’m making a contribution.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each?
#1 — Have a good foundation
#2 — Have patience / think long term
#3 — Collaborate more
#4 — Enjoy the moment
#5 — Keep learning
I’m not sure if there’s one specific story that I can share that embodies all of those lessons, but I definitely learned them all the hard way. As Jackson Pollock once said “it’s not a living — it’s a life.”
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I’d just make my work on a greater and wider scale and hope it inspires others to do the same.
We have been blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she just might see this.
It’d be great to sit down with Joe Rogan. He cares very much about freedom and exploring new ideas.
What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?
@Jim_damato on Instagram
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!
Jim D’Amato: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became An Artist was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.