The Role of An Artist in A New Technological Age, with Frank Lombardo

With headlines about plans to send people to Mars and other groundbreaking technological accomplishments, do you ever wonder, “What is the role of an artist in this new tech centric age?” This is one of many questions that my guest, Frank Lombardo ponders aloud with me in our conversation. Frank also opens up about how he became interested in art, what draws him to certain subjects, how he approaches galleries, and so much more! Frank has a fascinating perspective on the world and how artists bring out unique and valuable qualities to our society. I know artists like you are going to intrigued by our wide-ranging conversation.

The Role of An Artist

For so long, the role of an artist has been to help bring shape, image, and meaning to some of our culture’s most profound and mundane concepts. As we rapidly approach a new digital era that is starting to leave behind much of the old systems we’ve become accustomed to, what role can the artist hope to play in this radically new space? My guest, Frank Lombardo is at the point in his creative and personal journey where he has really started to consider this broader question. He hopes to see art continue to play a role in keeping our society grounded and rooted in the ways of poetry and aestheticism. Where do you think the role of the artist is heading?

Facing Setbacks and Pushing Forward

How do you respond when something you’ve poured your heart, soul, time, and resources into utterly fails? If you are anything like me, you can’t help but feel at the very least, that tinge of bitterness and disappointment. Is there anything to be learned or gained from these disappointments and setbacks that we all will inevitably face? Artist Frank Lombardo is no stranger to setbacks on his creative journey but he is convinced that there is something we can recover from encountering failure. In Frank’s case, he was able to come to a place where he could admit that he wasn’t getting where he wanted to go with a particular project. Once that happened, he was able to acknowledge what happened and move on, starting fresh with something new. What lessons can you learn from Frank’s story?

Approaching Galleries

One of the most difficult aspects of being an artist can be the process of promoting your work. Some artists take to it seemingly effortlessly, others find themselves constantly looking for ways to improve. Where do you land? My guest, Frank Lombardo shares his approach to promoting his work and holding himself to a preset plan. Frank’s goal is to approach one gallery or publication a day or do something that moves the ball forward for his artwork. This method really seems to motivate and keep Frank on track, what works for you? What can you take away from Frank’s approach?

On Colorblindness and Asking for Help

Is there an aspect of your workload that you need help with? It could be trouble with scheduling studio time or technical aspects of your art, or maybe for you, it comes down to promoting your artwork. What is holding you back from reaching out? In our conversation, Frank Lombardo was kind enough to discuss the topic of his colorblindness and how it has impacted the way he works in the studio. Frank says that after trying to overcome this difficulty with technology, he ultimately had to rely on help from others to better utilize his time in the studio. It was an honor to have someone as talented as Frank really open up about a sensitive subject. I am grateful for his candor and I hope you will find encouragement from his story.

Outline of This Episode

• [1:50] I introduce my guest, Frank Lombardo.
• [3:00] How did Frank move toward a career as an artist?
• [9:30] Frank describes his artwork.
• [11:00] Why is Frank drawn to the subject matter he chooses?
• [21:00] Frank’s strategy for approaching galleries.
• [25:30] What is Frank’s role in society as an artist?
• [29:30] Facing setbacks and pushing forward.
• [34:00] Negative feedback from one of Frank’s paintings.
• [38:30] Frank talks about his colorblindness and how it impacts his work.
• [49:30] What is Frank’s dream project?

Resources Mentioned on this episode

• http://www.francescolombardo.com/
• Friedrich Nietzsche
• Radiolab

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