Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiana Petrullo.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Creating imagery has been essential for me since I was small. I was born and raised on the edge of Los Angeles and attended Otis College of Art and Design – wishing to study photography but being swayed into a ‘more viable’ program for graphic design and advertising. The necessity to work full time and a looming mental health struggle interfered with the completion of my degree – but I never stopped photographing and despite the detour have gratefully ended up where I intended. I am fortunate to have naturally fostered relationships over the years with many incredible female creatives and business owners who have supported my work in all aspects. My visual output has expanded to glasswork more recently, which seems to have been the missing tangible piece.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
A tumultuous series of formative years affected my understanding of what steadying myself in life would be like and I was never infused with the notion that my passions could be a center point. For quite some time, I felt as though I was looking down a clouded path, and coping with the effects of strained mental health made it impossible to be a doer. A lot about my journey has felt unconventional, sometimes impossible, based on what I was shown to be attainable. A pivotal moment for me was when I gained strength to create without considering the pressures that exist around having the output be for anyone but myself.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I think that I am known to take on a lot of self-inflicted projects. Among other things, I am a film photographer and designer/creator of handmade glass objects. With all aspects of my work, I create to invoke feeling and encourage unfiltered expression. My glass creations are meant to be something to return to – for both admirations and thought provocation. The most fulfilling thing about my work has been an ongoing dialogue around mental health that I have embedded into my output using glass as a vessel for Transparency. I am proud of the connections that I have built through this concept and of the community of like-minded individuals who similarly value the importance of de-stigmatized discussion.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
When sharing creative work with others, you are sharing a part of yourself and I believe that it is critical to be devoted to what you are producing. I’ve always felt close to what’s in my mind and I think that my ability to follow my intuition has allowed my work to grow in a natural and honest way. It will always be closely tied to me and my evolving personality.
Pricing:
- Handmade glass homewares and jewelry range from $40 to $220.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tianapetrullo.com
- Email: inquiries@tianapetrullo.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/tianapetrullo
Image Credit:
All images by Tiana Petrullo.
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