Welcome to Black Belladonna Arts!

Artist Statement:


Joy Tagliavia-Mizzoni - Artist

I have been creating a full body of work since the beginning of the year. Prior to this, I was an avid doodler; always scribbling here and there. Not prolific originally, my significant other exclaimed passionately about some older “doodles” and watercolors. He made such a huge deal over them and exclaimed enthusiastically that I was a “virtuoso artist!” He made me feel so good about what I considered insignificant drawings on notepaper that I thought maybe I’ll try drawing or painting something more concrete and my ‘women’ took over my studio.

This was the beginning of over 40 finished pieces in the course of six months and the start of my art career.

My art embodies the essence of “women” — sometimes happy; sometimes sad but always strong. I see myself expressing women through a beautiful cornucopia of colors.

I started experimenting with color as a way to mentally take ownership of my time. It was symbolic to me of creating something solely for my own benefit. Partially because I had been working in a structured, colorless atmosphere for the past four years that when I sat down to draw or paint I realized I could free myself and paint faces green if I wanted too. It was a way to reclaim my freedom from spending the past 8 hours doing something exactly how someone else wanted. Art is my time to what I want, how I want. There are no rules in art. My art is a complete anarchy of color.

I decided to pursue art full time because I found myself continually adapting to another person instead of expressing myself. As an artist, I aim for total expression through me when sitting down before a canvas.

I started by using Marilyn Monroe and Bridget Bardot, the epitome of the 40’s and 50’s starlet imagery; the perfect ‘women’ just as the basic guide for facial features. Then, I shut down the computer and let the faces become their own unique image. Instead of pushing control over the features I allow the mistakes, if you want to call them that, to take over the face. Like birthing a new being. Some don’t make it but all are born.