Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Racanelli.
Hi Mike, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I grew up drawing and entering every elementary school art fair. For my 8th birthday, I was gifted a Commodore 64, which led to computer science and an excitement for technology. I began playing music as a teenager, went to college for graphic design, then film, and finally encompassed everything I’ve learned as a creative director. It’s been a path with many pivots and starts and lots of trial and error, but the through line is an insatiable curiosity and compulsion for problem-solving.
Alright, 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?
In the creative industries, there’s no such thing as a smooth road. If you reduce anything you do to its core, it’s all just problem-solving. Whether that’s a real-world problem, like designing an artificial limb, or an ethereal one, like conveying heartbreak through song. The greatest struggle I regularly face (and most likely any other creator) is translating what I see or feel in my mind into reality. As technology has advanced, this has become easier and easier to do, and as a child of the 80s, it is continually wild to me the things we have access to that I could have only dreamed of as an 8-year-old.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m an artist and creative professional. I’ve spent nearly 20 years in creative industries, have worked as a creative in every sector, from retail to government. I’m an Emmy® award-winning producer, writer, published photographer, painter, musician, and probably a few other things. I’ve gotten back into learning some coding and teaching myself industrial design — I’m working right now towards machining my first table lamp design.
I started painting to help with anxiety in 2021 and had my first opening in Los Angeles in late 2022. Ironically, I’ve always wanted to tackle painting, but the idea of it gave me anxiety. Painting has been one of my great loves since that point. I’m planning another exhibition in Salt Lake City sometime this year, and hope to also open in Chicago, Kansas City, New York City, and Toronto.
Aside from painting and my next opening, I have an apparel company called ALIVE Los Angeles, and release new pieces a few times a year, including hoodies, t-shirts, and skateboard decks. It began as a piece of art and evolved into an entire project. I’m learning Python and designing a few apps and service ideas I’ve had kicking around. I’m learning CAD and designing a few lifestyle products through my design studio, Studio454. Brighton Park Media is my production company, and I do a lot of creative consulting and design projects through that. Every day is a different adventure.
For years, I heard advice like “need to be laser-focused” or “concentrate on one thing”, but that’s just not how my brain works. My strength lies in my curiosity about everything and how I can communicate and problem-solve. Once I stopped trying to work against and pigeonhole myself, I not only felt more fulfilled but began working from a more authentic and enthusiastic place. Growing up with a lot of big ideas and very little resources forced me to be extremely creative and learn how to do most things myself. Understanding all of the working processes in a project has also allowed me to work better with a team, and that’s a huge asset.
Any big plans?
Last year, I grew weary of the toxicity and vapidness of social media and removed myself completely. Instead, I’ve gone down the road of re-learning how to code and spent some months designing a minimalist social media site that I’d like to use — one that accentuates the positive aspects and dumps the negatives. That should be going live in the next few weeks. I taught myself a CAD program recently and designed my first table lamp, machined from aluminum. I’m currently working with a local machine shop to get the parts milled. I’ve also started to be inspired by the late 90s/early-aughts internet nostalgia and started writing a jungle music album I’ll release at some point, inspired by PS1-era video games. Finally, I’m planning another art exhibition in Salt Lake City for 2024, and hope to also open in Chicago, Kansas City, New York, and some others. There are never a shortage of ideas in my head I’d like to tackle.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mikeracanelli.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mikeracanelliart
