Rising Star James Massacci: “Diversity is needed for new thoughts and ideas, which, in turn, lead to change and enlightenment”

I believe that the multifaceted styles of art should be indicative of the many styles and ways to go about life. Diversity is needed for new thoughts and ideas, which, in turn, lead to change and enlightenment.

As a part of my series about pop culture’s rising stars, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing James Massacci. James’ paradoxical life has led to the creation of thought-provoking, diverse paintings for which he has become known. His art spans from the whimsical, yet head-tilting, modernization of antique photographs, remarkable paint-splattered portraits, and viral, controversial pieces that have resulted in death threats. James grew up beneath pallid skies that settled upon an anemic skyline of steel mills and abandoned buildings — once a birthplace of American dreams. The starkness of Warren, Ohio, didn’t breed or mold imaginations, and yet he somehow found a way out of that bleak landscape and onto a canvas full of color and line-crossing content. Now based in Florida, his work has been showcased in galleries across the country and purchased for private collections.