Lamia Larkin: Please tell us more about yourself, your background, education and what you do as an artist.
Mia Travonatti: I earned my BFA and MFA from California State University Long Beach, majoring in Illustration. I’ve also studied in Paris at the Sorbonne, Parsons School of Design, in the studio of renowned French impressionist Monsieur Relange’, and in Italy and Greece numerous times with the California State University International Study programs with renowned international painters Dominick Cretara, Johnny Cariachi, and Demitri Mitsanas.
I’ve been creating art professionally for twenty years, and my work can be found in numerous private, institutional and corporate collections including those of Marriott Resorts and Harrah’s Casinos. I have exhibited extensively in the US, Italy, France and Greece, and have had work chosen for exhibition at the American Museum of Illustration in New York and by the Los Angeles Society of Illustrators for their annual juried exhibitions
As an Illustrator, I’ve created the art for over twenty books, eight of which I’ve also authored, and the covers for sixty plus young adult, children’s and art instructional books which have been published in over 20 countries. I’ve also worked on various editorial illustrations for trade and mass-market magazines, and projects for corporations including Lysol, Marriot, Toyota, Tomy Toys, Seagram’s, Martha Stewart and Bravo/NBC.
I also paint with glass…my stained glass mosaics weave my experience as a painter with my love of high renaissance glass mosaics. I have created numerous mosaics for restaurants, private residences, corporations and public works projects throughout the US over the last ten years. I have also taught painting at Laguna College of Art and Design in Laguna Beach, California for fourteen years, where my students and I have been responsible for the creation of five public murals.
Currently, I work as a fine art painter and the CEO and Founder of Mia Tavonatti Productions and Svelata Inc.
LL: Do you consider yourself an artist? If so what do you think classifies you as an artist?
MT: I certainly consider myself an artist and have for many years. All of my energy is dedicated to and spent on the creation of beauty through the vehicle of art, and I believe I have fulfilled all the requisites of earning the title artist, including educating myself, passing my wisdom on to other emerging artists and withstanding the lifelong discouragement that comes with this misunderstood life path.
LL: What is the difference (according to you) between Fine Art and Illustration? Is there any difference (to you) at all?
MT: The only difference between being an illustrator or a fine artist is when you get paid. One gets paid to create the work; the other creates the work and is paid after the fact. Historically, this division did not exist, not until the modernists who wanted to differentiate their non-representational work from all that came before them. If there were a difference, we would have to call Michelangelo, Leonardo, and all the others who came before modern art, illustrators and not artists as we commonly regard them as.
LL: Where do you get your daily inspiration from?
MT: I am not inspired to work. My work inspires me. I practice ritual in my painting and creating that helps me to sink into the work and reveal the flow of creativity that is always there waiting for me. If I am not working, all beautiful things inspire me, especially extraordinary light and great music, like epic soundtracks.
LL: Any artists in particular that inspire your work, or that you look up to?
MT: I love all the high Renaissance artists especially painters Michelangelo, Raphael, and Da Vinci. My favorite painter is John Singer Sargent, an American artist. Alphonse Mucha’s Slav epic, a series of 20 mural sized oil paintings on canvas are, in my opinion, the most beautiful and significant body of work created by a single artist since the Sistine Ceiling.
LL: Who are your target audience?
MT: My current work is dedicated to the creative spirit in everyone. My work typically appeals to people on a more emotional or spiritual, rather than intellectual level. I set no limits for my work and the people who experience it and I hope that, by making it more personal, it will become more universal and appeal to the heart in anyone who can recognize themselves in my story.
LL: How long does it take to create one of your paintings?
MT: The time it takes for me to create one painting depends on the size and complexity of the piece. The paintings in my current series Svelata, range from 100 hours for Emerge to 300 hours for Liberata, my largest 7′9″ x 10′2″ painting. The more I bring transparent layers of drapery, on figures, under water, the longer it takes!
LL: How would you describe your art to people?
MT: Big and wet. It is difficult to answer this question because they do not really fall into any one prefab genre. Many have described my work as spiritual, realistic without being realism and ethereal. One woman commented, “it is as if light is one of her colors”, which I thought was beautiful.
LL: What was it like being a part of the US Air Force Arts Program? What made you choose to become involved in that? Did it change your views on art, or your style or art?
MT: I did not decide, but was rather invited. As a member of the LA Society of Illustrators, and having had earned a reputation as a seasoned artist, it was to my surprise and excitement when one morning I entered my studio to find a message on my machine from the Pentagon, inviting me to participate in a series of missions as an artist for the Air Force, in the tradition of artists recording history with their paintings. Going on missions, hanging out of helicopters, and basically pitting my own endurance and sense of adventure against trained special ops teams, pilots and night vision goggles taught me more about myself than them, but I also walked away from my missions with a newfound understanding and respect for what it takes to do what they do. These experiences inspired my best work as a painter and communicator in order to honor them and return the favor of their heroism by serving them with my dedication.
LL: You lived in Italy for a while, did being around all of the classics inspire your artwork? Did your change or grow from that experience?
MT: Absolutely! I have been so fortunate to actually stand in Michelangelo’s footsteps…to know that he stood in exactly THAT spot to do his work…to see his notes written on the closet walls where he took his breaks…to explore a house that he lived in and see his and all the other’s work in person is incomparable to experiencing it second hand in books! Living outside your own culture also teaches you a wider world vision, temperance and compassion and I believe this is reflected in my work and my life. I aspire to mastering my craft as a form of powerful expression, as the Italian and Flemish masters did. Just living abroad stimulates your creative juices and inspires more moments of your day as you live in the midst of the history of art.
LL: Do you see your artwork changing styles or subjects in the future?
MT: To be honest, the future of my work is completely unknown to me. At this time, I find myself completely compelled to paint paintings of myself veiled in drapery in water. Something outside myself is dictating this and I can’t see past the current painting. Each one arrives at the perfect moment and serves as a messenger for my state of consciousness for that moment. I am content to surrender to this and just respond to whatever wants to get my attention. I have discovered, however, throughout the creation of Svelata, a deep love for collaboration with other artists, so I know that this will certainly factor more into my future and I want to create a more well rounded experience by incorporating multi-media and technology as a way to increase the visceral impact of my installations.
LL: Could you tell us about your foundation and how it got started?
MT: After unveiling my current series of paintings in two extraordinary exhibitions in Italy, I have returned and begun the creation of Svelata Inc., an organization that produces nomadic fine art tours for visionary artists who create work capable of inspiring transformation in people as a way of reconnecting humanity to its creative spark
Svelata is an organization dedicated to the creative expansion of humanity through nomadic exhibitions, documentaries and educational programs designed to reveal the true nature of creativity, and the transformative power of beauty…
As a non-profit organization, The Svelata Foundation is dedicated to infusing a significant portion of its proceeds from admissions and retail sales, generated from our tours, back into the system where young creators will be nurtured. This will be accomplished through our “From Kids to College” mentoring program, college scholarships, visionary grants, and building and improving art facilities in high schools, effectively raising the self-image and respect for “art class” beyond just being the “easy “A”! And like I’ve has been doing for years, Svelata will re-educate teachers, with presentations by guest speakers and modern technology, about the immense opportunities in the creative fields so that they can be more effective in helping their students plan for their creative futures.
LL: What made you decide to do this? And how has it helped you as an artist and as a person?
MT: Six years ago I started the Ted Tavonatti Memorial Scholarship fund, in memory of my lifelong artist and teacher father. Ever since then, my life has become increasingly more concerned with expanding society’s perception of creativity and the role it plays in all our lives. Like all artists, I had to survive what I call the: art gauntlet” in order to make a life as a creator, and I have realized that I if I can not change how people think about creativity, I will always have to mentor children, and give away scholarships and grants because the problem will never go away. I love to teach, and nothing inspires my own creativity more then to be surrounded by inspired, creative people. I believe we all have a mission in life, and that helping people to reconnect to their own spark, through the vehicle of art, is mine. And being a better person helps me to be a better painter.
LL: What is the “From Kids to College” program?
MT: Having been told over and over again that “they can’t make a living at art”, it is nearly impossible for the artistic dreams and aspirations of our children to survive into adulthood! With the Svelata business model, we have created a forum that effectively eliminates all the reasons NOT to pursue their dreams of being an artist, and sets an example they can look to when they are being told they couldn’t, shouldn’t or wouldn’t be able to become an artist. Our “From Kids to College” mentoring program is designed to maintain the creative sparks of children throughout their most formative years, and offers them an example to turn to when they are told it can’t be done.
LL: What does a typical day of work look like for you?
MT: Seeing as I am completely engrossed in the production of our first Svelata tour and fund raising, my life is more like that of a movie producer or CEO of a corporation than a single artist. Currently my days consist of filming, working with video editors, music producers, motion graphics and graphic designers, and many others. I am enjoying the collaboration with so many other talented artists daily. I hope to get back into the studio for some solo work soon, but for now, I eat, sleep and breathe Svelata!
LL: What are your favorite tools of the trade?
MT: Canvas, my computer and scaffolding. I use only oils to paint, unless I am doing an outdoor mural. I also love to create stained glass mosaic that look like my paintings.
LL: Could you tell us about your most recent project “Svelata”.
MT: Svelata means “unveiled” or “revealed” in Italian. Svelata’s first layer to be unveiled is a nomadic fine art exhibition in its own custom, portable 17,000 square foot tensile complex. This extraordinary fabric and aluminum nomadic museum will tour the US for fifteen months, stopping in each of five cities for two months, before going international! The 12,000 square foot main exhibition space houses a cutting-edge multi-media experience built around my most recent collection of twenty-two original oil paintings on canvas. In addition to the art, numerous special events are being planned in effort to include as many creators as possible in the Svelata Experience, including lectures, performances and demonstrations.
Another 5000 square feet of peripheral buildings house a large retail area with the trademarked Svelata product line, a youth exhibition space, the “Creation Station” where the full-length Svelata documentary, independent video submissions and children’s interactive animation zone can be found, admissions and operations.
In the future, Svelata tours will travel the world…becoming a tool for universal evolution through experience, education, and opportunity. We plan to open 20 tours in the first ten years along two routes, one for Masters and one for Emerging Artists every six months.
All Svelata projects, tours and the lives of the artists involved in them will be brought to the world with a series of documentaries. The cameras will follow the paths, choices, opposition, risks, sacrifices, loves, and losses, of these artists. We have already begun with the creation of a one-hour documentary that records the entire creation of Svelata.
LL: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to an artist that’s just starting out?
MT: As my mentor taught me, do what you love, learn to do it really well, and you will be successful in whatever you do.
LL: Any art shows coming up that we should know about?
MT: I currently have a solo exhibition at the Kwan Fong Gallery at Cal Lutheran University and then this event immediately after.
Svelata Foundation Fund/Consciousness Raiser
Sunday, November 22nd from 5-7 pm with a presentation at 6 pm.
Laguna College of Art + Design, 2222 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, CA
A one evening opening and exhibition in the LCAD gallery, of several of the SVELATA PAINTINGS before their national traveling installation opens in spring 2010. You will have the opportunity to view the paintings, meet the artist, be informed of and support the mission of the Svelata Foundation, and ask questions related to the project, artist, art, and creativity. And most importantly, you will enjoy an evening of art, beauty and purpose. The public is welcome and admission is free.
LL: Finally, where can we see your work?
MT: The Svelata paintings are not for sale and can only be seen in University and museum exhibitions other than special Svelata Foundation events like the one this Sunday at Laguna College of Art + Design. You can find the artwork from my Svelata series online at www.svelata.org until such time when we have additional events planned.
The mission of Svelata is to encourage and nurture creativity. In order to do so, people must participate in the creative process. Our intention with the web site was to create an experiential site that required the viewer’s participation and action to give them a sense of discovery and to have them affect change by allowing them to unveil the artwork by moving the mouse. You must move the mouse to discover the secrets that lie beyond the veil… this also requires more patience than the normal immediate gratification of other web sites, hopefully slowing you down and putting the viewer in a more peaceful state of mind to see the art and read about our project.
I wanted to create a site that would give a taste of the experience we will be producing with custom choreographed LED lighting, original soundtrack and live video inside our first tour designed around my 22 paintings from this series. The color white stands for spirit, and purity and is prevalent in my work, as is water. I also strive to create fluid sensuality in my paintings and I wanted the website to be an extension of this. Overall, I would describe the site as sensual, uplifting and refined.
Thursday…
If you live in Orange County, you’re probably no stranger to the gourmet “taco truck” phenomenon. You can get Korean barbecue, tapas, Greek food, tacos, Argentinian food, sweet baked goods and even crepes. But the most exciting part? A gourmet, Jewish deli on wheels, also known as 
Meet LINKS. They are a group of four talented musicians ready to rock your world. Besides having the best hair in the business, they also have great music. Their sound is described as “soul with a twist of blues and a shout of rock.” With two albums already under their belt, debut EP “Tip Your Jester” and recently released “Echo Dogs,” there’s no stopping them.The band members are Robbie Arnett (lead vocals/guitar), Robby Barnett (bass guitar), Curtis Marrero (drums), and Eric Frank (lead guitar). They took some time out to answer a few questions. Get on board, here comes LINKS!
Showcasing up and coming talents, RAW Natural Born Artists is on a mission to keep your community connected to local, independent artists in all creative disciplines. So what exactly is RAW Natural Born Artists? I’m glad you asked. It is a collective movement started by Southern California’s own Heidi Luerra. The RAW team assembles and promotes artists through their online community as well as through their monthly events. Their site features artists’ profiles, making it easier for you to get to know them and what they do. Hosting four cites which currently include Los Angeles, Fullerton, Santa Monica, and Long Beach, RAW is able to freely promote Southern Californian artists to a waiting audience.
A rare exhibit of drawings by Jeffrey Crussell illustrates the architecture of developer Joseph Eichler’s early 1960’s mid-century modern homes built in Orange, California. The exhibit will be displayed at Crussel Fine Arts, in Orange.
Fashion illustrator and graphic artist Aileen Holmes can be best described as a “Jill of all trades.” Having an entrepreneurial spirit, Holmes has a wide array of talents ranging from jewelry design to painting. Her whimsical illustrations are easily recognizable as her own. With her feminine aesthetic, Aileen tells us how fashion, vintage patterns, and living in Orange County have inspired her work.
Downtown Santa Ana is known in Orange County as the heart of the arts district. Home to such places as Grand Central, The Yost Theater and the Artist Village, you never run out of things to do. But this holiday season downtown Santa Ana is going to be a little different. Two art center graduates, Adam Voorhees and Shin Fujita have come together to develop special animation components for Project: Holiday Projection. Using the Spurgeon Building in downtown Santa Ana as a facade, high powered projectors will be spilling a spectacle of light and shadow to create animated illusions of 3D design. It’s a trend that has been sweeping Europe and is now making its very first appearance in Orange County.
