June 5 - The Heart Of the Matter

Today is a cold and windy day. One would imagine that even the most disciplined artist might find it difficult to get out of bed to climb up onto a scaffolding.

"The weather has forced us to take some distance from the piece today. It is too windy to climb so high and it is freezing cold. I will use this time to reflect and work on some drawings to prepare for tommorow. It's hard to not get up there though."

The change of plans opened the door of oppurtunity to hang out with Carltio. In the lobby of the Germain Hotel, we flipped through art books and he shared some of the artists that have influenced him.

A lot of people have found a similarity between Carlito's work and the great painter Wassily Kindinsky. "I think people need references because art is so abstract. I'm not consciously influenced by Kindinsky but I've seen so many paintings from him that maybe it is an unconscious influence."

Other great artists that he holds in high regard are, Jean-Micheal Basquiat, and of course, Picasso. "He has so much to offer to my world."

The natural reation I had listening to him was that he too has so much to offer to our world. He is willing to give himself wholeheartedly, and offers his gifts for all to enjoy. The man is as cool as the artist and that's a refreshing reality.

June 4 - The "X" Factor

Everyday a new layer of Carlito's vision is added onto the canvas and as so, a new thought is invoked in the viewer. Conversations are being sparked on the Oasis terrace and all around. People are talking.

Once you get passed the "wow" factor, you quickly turn to the "how" factor. How does this artist work on this immense scale with such precision? The technical side is as impressive as the artistic side and Carlito's style is not a conventional one. As most artists would use a grid and paint in each one individually, and draw an outline beforehand, Carlito uses an unimprovised freehand approach. On the first day, Carlito painted an “X” across the canvas which was thought of at that very moment. Since then, this has been his point of center. In addition to this, one must remember that the scaffolding gives very little room to maneuver. “Not being able to step back and see what I’ve added because of the conditions is probably one of the most difficult things for me so I use my sense of intuition a lot to guide me.”

This is more than another artist painting a mural. This is the upgrade to the everyday. If this event would not impress upon one and inspire new thoughts and ideas of pushing oneself beyond the limits, then Carlito would not be suspended fifty feet from the ground on a temperamental stage.

Are we thinking outside of the box yet? Come and check out the magnificence of this event...It's for your own good!

June 3 - Here Comes the Rain Again...

On day three of Carlito's painting, nature is taking its course. The clouds in the sky are moving in. I ask the artist if the weather will affect his work. "I will use the elements as a positive force and allow it to become part of the art."
I asked him what his inspiration was today. "It came to me in a dream last night - this morning is all about the kyte woman (Dalceggio uses the “y” in place of the “i”). The women are becoming kytes because there is elevation, like a big manifestation of love somewhere."

Drawing inspiration from the L'Oréal Paris summer collection of sultry earth tones and pink hues, Carlito has incorporated similar shades onto his canvas. "I'm still open to new colours but I see more metallic tones, such as pearl. As well, we are going to get into sun set pinks.”

As the clouds approach and thicken from above, the rain begins to take over the city and the day falls dark. Even the most committed artist knows when he must surrender to the mother of all mothers. As Carlito gracefully bows out for the day, the storm sets in and we set off.

June 2 - Opposites Attract

It was a day of sunshine for the first official weekend of the festival, and the mood in the air was relaxed and joyful. On the terrace of the Oasis, the L'Oréal Paris make-up artists continue to work their magic creating beautiful faces and hair for clients and of course, the lovely L'Oréal hostesses.

The colours and spirit of the canvas have already begun to surface and as onlookers stop in intrigue to witness the vivid details thus far, the overall comments of the public are encouraging and appreciative. For Carlito, he is finding the inspiration of the people and the natural elements totally engaging and as a result, is transfering this energy onto the canvas. "This painting is very inspired by the total eclipse of the moon because I think that beauty is the gathering of opposites like Yin/Yang and when they meet at one point to become one. My canvas is right now very representative of the sun and the moon."

As the light of dusk took place and reflected against the yellow and gold hues of the canvas, a magnificent glow came about and it seemed as if the sun itself was actually taking its own place to be a part of Carlito's art.

June 1 - The First Layer

Applause and cheers began yesterday evening on the terrace of the Oasis, as Carlito Dalceggio painted his first layer on the canvas: In red, the word L-O-V-E. Maybe this is the artist's first words to his viewers, or perhaps it is the foundation to begin this journey of art and inspiration. Whatever the reason, the energy of the artist has been amplified into what promises to have beautiful results.

Anik Gagnon, Brand Communications Manager, L'Oréal Paris was at hand yesterday and I had a chance to sit down and chat with her. When asked, how did L'Oréal become involved in a festival of arts and creativity? Gagnon answered, "When we decided to activate ourselves in the Luminato Festival, we asked ourselves what can we do? The answer came very quickly given our title sponsorship for L'Oreal Fashion Week, that we support beauty, artistry and fashion whether they be fashion designers or make-up and hair. But this goes further in saying that L'Oréal supports all things related to beauty which extends into art and creativity." On choosing Carlito as their focused artist, Gagnon responded, "We were looking for someone who shares the same passion as we do and we immediately thought of a painter, since our definitions of beauty are similar but our means of expressions are different. For L'Oréal, the canvas is the face and hair, while for the painter, it is a canvas of paper and other materials. When choosing an artist, the choice was obvious for us. Carlito is a very special person and is an artist with a strong personality. We respect and share a similar vision with him which is based on diversity and innovation. We never felt that we had to dictate a direction to him since we are so confident that we are both inspired by the same values."

May 31 – At the Oasis

Tonight I am standing in the middle of the L’Oréal Paris Oasis, in plain view of the immense 51’X34’ canvas on the side of the Germain Hotel. The security ropes have been put up and double checked, and the scaffolding stands idle on the pavement.

It’s hard not to anticipate excitement when you actually see for yourself the grandeur of the task at hand. Tomorrow evening the first brush strokes will begin as what will be Carlito Dalceggio’s live installation art, presented by L’Oréal Paris as part of the 10-day Luminato Festival. Quite frankly, as I stand here this evening, I realize how remarkable it will be.

For the next ten days, the entire city of Toronto will dive into a creative paradise. We invite you to join us on the Oasis rooftop terrace, and with various mediums traditional and modern provided, share your inspirations with the artist and interpretations of the art installation and of the festival as a whole. While here, have a cocktail and get some touch ups and tips from the L’Oréal Paris make-up team...and above all, get a front seat of an unprecedented event.

Not in Toronto? Your comments are equally appreciated. Stay updated on this event and others by coming back to this blog everyday until the end of the festival.

May 30 - Art Imitating Life

For Carlito Dalceggio, his approach to art embodies a two-fold premise. “Art is the fusion of intuition and science – intuition is alive but has no depth, science is flat and has no soul.” The first stage of painting for the artist is seen as the scientific part, in other words, the physical tools needed to create such as, a canvas, brush and paints. The moment the brush makes contact, intuition takes over and for Carlito, the wonder of painting is the opportunity it creates to reach another level, and not just for him but for his viewers. “My art is not linear invoking different perceptions depending on who is looking.”

In life, Carlito’s experiences have brought him to realize that it is important to set limits in order to develop a stronger focus. I don’t doubt that this approach works since his reputation precedes him as a very accomplished artist. With that said, he still thinks that life is about taking risks and pushing oneself past limits to the infinite ends of discovery. For ten days from June 1st to the 10th, Carlito will once again push those limits at the Luminato Festival, and as he puts it, “I take all my wisdom and layers of experience and the weight of it all, and at the moment of painting, I abandon it and take off into a journey of heightened stimulation.”

Carlito, we wait in anticipation to take this ride with you.

May 28 – Creativity Can be Endless

In a book entitled, The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women: A Portable Mentor, Gail McMeekin writes “Creative women are innovators - they manifest the new. They dare to believe in their insights, to intuit the next step, and to take risks, even if it means getting lost or being wrong. You too can participate in creative expression and share your personal talents. You are an original; therefore, your inspirations are original as well.”

Creativity begins with something that appeals to us and comes as simple as in the form of an idea. More often than not, we think that creativity is synonymous with being artistic such as, a painter, a dancer or a musician. If we are none of those, then we abandon our impulses. I think however, that creativity is something that you love to do and you personalize it with your signature – your personal style. More importantly though, how do you respond to an inspiration when it calls on you? If you choose to embrace your feeling and follow it, then you essentially unleash energy to it and your own creativity will be born.

As women, we owe it to ourselves to wake the sometimes dormant sides of our spirits so that our creativity can soar. When we find the time in an otherwise chaotic lifestyle to recognize our creativity, we are lead into a beautiful phase of self-expression, involvement and fulfillment.

I can go on about this subject but I think that Maya Angelou sums it up best, “We need to remember that we are all created creative and can invent new scenarios as frequently as they are needed.”

I invite you to share your stories of creativity and even inspire the next woman to unleash hers.