Today we’d like to introduce you to Leonardo Bello.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born an artist and a craftsman from a very artistic and musical family. I grew up drawing and playing music. My first instrument was the cuatro (Venezuelan folk guitar), later moved to guitar. Drawing is what comes natural to most kids. Later I moved to paint, photography and everything in between. Everything I know I learned on the field. I make picture frames for a living. It has been my profession for 15+ years, and I spend most of my time surrounded by art and music. One constant in my art process is the overlaying of images. I take elements and float them around in composition, similar to memories. My art also features everyday things. I aim to find beauty in the streets, art around the things around me, this led me to explore common use objects as the protagonists of my artistic expression, power wires, telephones, record players, windows, the laundromat, dogs and birds. I believe in beauty and pleasure, and the art world has taught me about substance, my profession has taught me about precision, and I am driven to deliver all these in everything I do.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has had its ups and downs. First I must say that I am a very lucky and blessed individual. Being born with talent and vocation and from a supportive family definitely has been a gift. Moving to a whole different country in the middle of your adolescence was a blessing in disguise. One mayor’s struggle was being illegal for over ten years. Made it going to college an impossibility, that’s why I said I learned everything I know on the field. Having to make a living in order to help my struggling single mom made it hard to work on my art, and this comes with all kind of emotional frustrations, even stopped pursuing art, but I couldn’t stay away from natural vocation, this led me to choose a trade, and framing was a natural way to earn money and stay surrounded by art, it also comes naturally to me, it became my profession being a family man is a blessing for me but is also time-consuming, managing time is still struggle. Anything worth doing will come with struggles and rewards.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My art is known for mixing and layering images. I make every layer on a separate sheet of Plexi and then I overlay them, which gives them a physical depth and is what gives my pieces their signature look. They also change with your point of view. I am proud to find beauty in the everyday world. The pieces are also meant to be decorative. I believe it HAS to look good on your wall! I also make picture frames for a living. I am proud to have framed some of all-time masters and some of the modern ones too! I love what I do and that makes me very lucky. It also gives access to the art world from a very special perspective. My art is 100% original. This is not to say I don’t have influences. However, this is the product of hard work and very personal vision. I believe the format and execution I use is unorthodox and not so widely used, hopefully, I will inspire more people and it will become a whole style!
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Family, health, work and freedom make me happy for everything that comes from those. But deeper, and more personally, starry skies make me happy because they provide me with perspective. Nature in general, makes me happy. It just does. All bodies of water are almost magical. Art still makes me happy, but since it is my profession, I look for other sources for satisfaction too. Outside arts and crafts, I like fishing because it puts me outdoors and is meditative. It gives you a different kind of sportsmanship and different respect for wild life. It may also be very rewarding.
Contact Info:
- Email: leonardobelloart@outlook.com
- Website: leonardobello.com
- Instagram: @leonardobelloart
- Facebook: @leonardo bello
Image Credits
@romulex at @miamiphotoprints.
