The Gift of Art

Here is a gift idea for you: bring someone to the sculpting party!!! Have fun together as you create your own piece. No experience necessary. Supplies, food and drinks are included. You need to sign up online: http://ivantirado.com/sculptingparty. I would like to stretch how much fun it is and all the benefits sculpting clay in such environment bring, but I’ll let the testimonials speak:


“The wine and art event with Dr. Ivan was very fun. It was a great way to relax after a work day, and I found myself lost in my sculpture, not thinking about or worrying about anything at all. A great release. This would be a great thing to do for a birthday party, or special event…learning a new skill, sipping wine, and becoming immersed in art and sculpture with friends. Dr. Ivan did a great job of teaching, but also allowing everyones own personality and design to be present.”

– Megan Micola


“Recently, I had the pleasure of attending Dr. Ivan Tirado’s Sculpture Class. I came to the lesson with some friends of varying artistic abilities. We were all able find our creative voice and enjoy the class regardless of our creative backgrounds. Many know Dr. Tirado is a gifted sculptor, but he is a masterful teacher as well. We learned about the proportions of the human form and how to use these new tools and techniques to explore them. No one felt the least bit intimidated on this adventure together with Dr. Ivan guiding the way! We all enjoyed this class and learned something new and are planning to set up another class soon.

– Michele Kelly


“Words cannot adequately express how much I appreciate Dr. Ivan Tirado, both as a teacher and as an inspiration. I had the good fortune to meet Dr. Ivan at a sculpture class where each participant created a torso.  His knowledge of the human body coupled with his encouraging teaching helped all of us to be successful!  Even if you had never touched clay before, his approach and techniques enabled all of us to walk away from his class with a piece we were proud of.”

– Leslie Alexander


“Oh what fun!  Dr. Ivan is a creative and talented artist with a flare of humor. He guides you through the entire process of sculpting and helps you make your own piece.  The best part is that you are completely in the moment, working with your hands. I would give five stars for one of these events!”

– Christina Roberts


 “I would like to take a moment to thank you for helping us pull off a surprise “sculpting” birthday party. We all had a blast and had something to show for the fun time we had. I must say, I truly thought my lump of clay had no hope! Ha ha Luckily, you know how to teach and guide a class of giddy mimosa drinking gals! We all left surprised at how well our “torso” turned out. Thank you so much!! Can’t wait to do it again!!!”

– Stephanie Pelizzari


“I would like to share my experience that I experienced with Dr. Ivan Tirado, an amazing sculptor and teacher. A specialist in his field. I attended an evening class. I had the most amazing experience! I had never sculpted anything in my life! It became beautiful and memorable evening of learning and being taught about the body! Dr. Tirado was very kind, patient & very knowledgeable! Without question I would highly recommend an evening discovering and participating in the Arts. I am very proud of my piece!! Thank you Dr. Tirado! I thank you for bringing light to my creative inside!!”

– Marisol Marty Valentin


“I recently began attending the BYOB sculpting class at the Milford Firehouse Gallery… and I can simply say money well spent! The atmosphere is relaxed and nonjudgmental… No matter your artistic skill level you are leaving with work of art.  Ivàn is patient and takes time to answer questions and guide each person.  You can immediately find a friend if you come alone; everyone is friendly and down to earth.”

– Jennifer Sandholm


 “The sculpting party was fantastic. Dr. Ivan is a very knowledgeable teacher and artist. He met you where you were at artistically and helped your work evolve. I went with a  group of people that varied in ability and he made everyone feel at ease. As an artist I would recommend going. It was so much fun!”

 – Brit

“Great! When can we do it again?! Totally enjoyed class and Instructions were clear and helpful; location was perfect. Couldn’t believe the finished piece. A nice escape from the norm!”
– Patty

“I thought it was an amazing class and was an awesome way to unwind the mind and not focus on anything else but the clay. Ivan was an awesome teacher who made you feel comfortable and made you feel like you knew what you were doing even if it was your first time sculpting. I would definitely recommend this to anyone and would absolutely love to do it again!”

– Kaity


I hope I can see you there and have some fun together. sign up online:

http://ivantirado.com/sculptingparty

If you want more information contact me.

Celebration is a State of Mind

Humans are often inclined to focus on “the bad things” instead of focusing on the good things. I know you have heard that before: “Be thankful just for being alive today!”. Well, you should! A bad attitude might make others around you wonder if they should be thankful that you are alive. Nevertheless, each day is a new opportunity to get it right. Looking back is just a way to learn to move forward and make it better.

show opening crowd

I know you know I’m going to write about the show opening we had last night. It was AMAZING!!!!!! We had a great turned out. Some pieces found a new home. People had fun. I had a lot of fun. So many beautiful conversations. The food was amazing. I couldn’t ask for a better show. I couldn’t be more thankful. I’m really honored and thankful for all who came. Of course, I took a selfie with everyone!

Photo Nov 22, 7 04 49 PM

After every show I celebrate the accomplishments and also take time to meditate in the results. I am thankful for everything because it helps me stay grounded. I believe in grace and the fact that I don’t deserve the blessings. Everything is useful to grow character and focus on improving each day. This the social cognitive theory principle of increasing self-efficacy beliefs. By committing to a goal individuals feel a sense of accomplishment which increases self-efficacy. Then the individual is confident to commit to another goal and continue the cycle.

Let’s focus on all the great things we have ahead of us to reach, beginning with what we have at hand today. Don’t forget to be thankful!

I’ll be updating the website with more pictures soon.

The Day Has Come!

You know what I am going to say. After months of planning and preparation, long hours and little sleep, the day is finally here. The show opens tonight! You are more than welcome to join me and witness the results of all this effort at 6:00 pm at The Gallery at Elemar, 2 Gibbs St., New Haven, CT.

the show

In November 2011 I had my first solo show. After that, each year I had a show. This year is different. The place is larger and the expectations are bigger. You can imagine my nerves. Yes, I get nervous and very excited at the same time. Each show is different and has its own expectations. However, this show is in a larger place, with a larger audience, and the expectations are higher than ever. I just want to see who comes.

While it is true we are not in control of our circumstances, it is also true that we are in control of how we react to our circumstances. For me each show is a celebration. I celebrate and enjoy each one no matter the outcome because I always feel the blessing of God, and the support of my family and friends. For me, that is the best case scenario. Everybody else who comes to celebrate is an extra blessing. It would be a great blessing if you could make it too. You won’t be disappointed. I know I won’t be.

How to Prepare for Your Show

Close your eyes and imagine your show. Live the moment. It is like a party. Envision how your art is displayed, how people move around to see your art, what they are eating and drinking, the background music… Visualize every detail. Now, lets prepare to show our work.

I prefer to take care of most aspects of my shows myself instead of putting it in the hands of other people. I do surround myself with people I trust to help me shape the scene and to alleviate my burden. Seek their advice, listen to their opinion, but most importantly understand their support. Make sure is people who can take care of things without prompting. Otherwise you will add unnecessary stress to yourself.

torsos invitation frontI want to share with you my experience and my process to present an art exhibit. I believe that “TORSOS” opening reception Saturday, November 22 is going to be by far, my largest yet. I am not an expert in how to organize an art exhibit but I’ve been learning and I hope to get better at it. I will appreciate your input and experience. On Saturday, I would love to shake your hand and probably give you a hug (I’m a hugger and not sorry for that). You can find the info about the show HERE.

How to prepare for your show? While there are many intricacies in presenting an art exhibit this checklist might help you get started. Before you decide you want to have an art exhibit you need to be ready with a few things.

  • Short biography
  • Artist Statement
  • Description of the show
  • 10-20 pieces to show.

Word of Advise: Make sure the amount of pieces fits the venue. You don’t want your show to look like a flea market.

  • Venue, Date and Time of the show.

I try to have this at least 3 months in advance. That time allows for you to prepare and promote properly.

  • Check the place and visualize your work there, the show, make the initial vision come to life.
  • Write a press release.

There are plenty of examples and templates online in how to write a press release. If you have someone to do it for you is fine. Some people charge to write press releases. I prefer to write it myself then ask other people to edit whatever necessary.

  • Design printed material: invitations, posters, postcards, etc.

Again, if you can’t do it yourself someone else can do it. I design my own printed material. It makes me feel closer to the show.

  • Promote! Promote! Promote! My mom would say: “Invite even the cat.”

Use your printed material, mailing lists, online media, social media, word of mouth, tell your friends to bring friends… anything that can being people to your show.

  • Decide on food and drinks

Keep it simple to the extent possible unless someone else wants to pay for it. You can also ask for sponsors or wine tastings to be present. The possibilities are endless and it all depends on your budget and preferences.

  • Set up ahead of time

Heads up! There will be a lot of stress on getting ready. Go over your plan and check every detail. Pretend you are a guest and go through all of it. Be flexible to changes that won’t change the overall look and feel of the show. There are things not deserving the stress.

Be ready to enjoy the people celebrating you and your work, make new connections, be ready to answer any questions that could be presented, and have fun. It is your party!

Artists are Communicators

There is misunderstood belief that artists have to be isolated from society instead of being connected to it. Some artists believe that art should speak on its own and if people don’t connect with their art there should be no need to provide explanations. As artists we speak through art, I agree. People should connect and find meaning in the content of an art piece on their own. However, we can provide insights in our source of inspiration, our creative process, our artistic influences, methods, and techniques. That gives us power to be communicators. Not everyone is educated in the arts. We have the power to be influential and an inspiration to others. If we decide to connect with people and share our knowledge and feelings (funny coming from a man) we can expand the power of communication of our art. Artists gave away this power to agents who turned the art into a market trade product with no substance of life behind it.

1378061_10150322435744956_1463205766_nIn Frames of Mind: Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Howard Gardner mentions interpersonal intelligence as the skill to connect with others. As in any field of practice, you can be successful and have all the skills but by not having interpersonal intelligence you might be closing doors to yourself. It is fine to let art speak by itself. It is a great experience. Nevertheless, it is not a license to be a contemptibly obnoxious person or a self-made social reject. Some artists need an ego-check. There is a very fine line between eccentric and just plain weird. If people can connect with you, they will connect with your art. It is time artists come out of obscurity and mingle with people and be more than a signature at the corner of the paint, to regain an influential social status and use our sensitivity to guide others and inspire future artists, and why not? Future clients as well.