| "I have no memories of not drawing. It was my
older brother, Mario, who taught me. My heroes were Raphael, Michelangelo
and Leonardo. I would try to copy their works. At the age of 9, I went to
Italy with my parents. Seeing the original masters' works touched something
deep within my soul. Perhaps it was then that I'd realized my destiny, a
life in art. That destiny became an exploration, a curiosity fueled by fate
and passion.
"As a young man, I'd often taken paths that were
ill-advised. The worst year of my life came in the jungles of Vietnam,
followed by many dark tunnels ' back in the world.'
"Through it all, art remained my source of communication,
expression and sanity. I profess an eternal gratitude to my mentor, Walter
Prochownik. He taught me the meaning of substance.
"The older I get, the more personal my art becomes. I live
and breathe art. Through helping others, I redeem something lost, something
that was precious to me.
"Creating art is like driving a car. You're always aware
as you cruise along, enjoying music, the weather or what have you. However,
when conditions call for it, a certain level of concentration is required.
Whether it's a downpour, fog or a blizzard, you must become more methodical
in your quest to reach a destination."
- Ralph Sirianni, Artist |
"I've been teaching Portrait and
Caricature since 1989. Community education classes are conducive to my style
and approach. I encourage an atmosphere of interaction, where students feel
comfortable discussing their work." |
