Janet Pirozzi Riolo
Colored pencil, my old childhood friend. From when I was a very young child, a pencil was put in my hand. My father, an artist himself, did not want me to have coloring books but instead tucked a blank sketchbook under my arm and said “create your own coloring book” I’ve been creating that coloring book for most of my life. I have worked both on staff and freelance for many different fashion houses, screen print companies, and designers - until motherhood called, but my art never stopped - it just became about children’s art projects and PTA flyers. One day I stumbled upon a local art center offering a class in colored pencil - now 20 years later I was reintroduced to colored pencil. Realism, surrealism, abstraction, pop art, impressionism - with colored pencil I could do it all! Colored pencil can be considered a technique many do differently - I have developed my own style and have gone on to teach it. I sketch out my piece, do an underpainting in watercolor, then fill in different amounts of detail to achieve the visual outcome I want. Colored pencil, my old friend. How lucky I am to have you - with my sketchbook tucked under my arm, Life is Good.
Check out Janet’s website HERE
