Building a Life in Art, One Piece at a Time
Growing up in New York in a strong Italian family, I was groomed to be an artist from the start. Sure, I went to a dedicated art school as a kid, but honestly, my real education came at home — with my dad.
My father was a master carpenter, a serious antique collector, and a vintage car guy. But one of his wildest and most inspiring projects was transforming part of our home into an old-school diner packed with all the recycled treasures he’d collected. People used to travel from all over just to photograph it. The space was always evolving. It was alive. My dad and I were constantly together — digging through flea markets, salvaging pieces, finding creative ways to build something new. That experience shaped everything about the way I see and make art.
Just like him, I’ve never been content sticking to one thing. I work across a bunch of mediums, always pushing myself to keep things fresh — not just for the people who follow my work, but for myself. If you’ve been around, you’ve probably seen my murals around the country or stumbled onto one of my drawings in a favorite bar, shop, or cafe. I leave little pieces of myself everywhere.
When the internet started shifting everything, a lot of artists fought it. I saw it as a new canvas. I launched The Late Night Drawing Show on Periscope, letting people tune in live and throw out random ideas for me to draw on the spot. It wasn't scripted. It wasn't polished. It was real — the same way I like to work. I wanted people to see the process, not just the end product. And I wanted them to be part of it.
I’ve never been the type to follow a straight path. I dropped out of school at 16. I hustled jobs, hustled my art, and kept it moving. There were good days, bad days, and everything in between. But no matter what, I always poured myself into the work. Like I always say:
"It’s like a car battery; you can’t move forward without the positive and negative charges. That’s just what it is, because that’s what life is: Good and Shiddy."
If you want to keep up with what I’m working on, you can follow me on IG and Periscope @goodandshiddy. You can also check out my Essentials here.
Thanks for riding with me.
