Louis Ciavolella

Louis Ciavolella has had a long and successful career as an art director and graphic designer. He has operated CIAVO Design since 2005 and continues serving clients in the South Jersey region. His initial dream was to be an painter – he first entered William Paterson College (University) in Wayne, New Jersey as a fine art major, studying under James R. Ruban and focusing on abstract expressionism and surrealism. He transitioned toward commercial art & design as he left William Paterson for DuCret School of Art in Plainfield, New Jersey, where he graduated and began his career in advertising & marketing communications design. He received a strong art foundation at DuCret and studied with some wonderfully talented artists including Joseph William Dawley, Peter Caras, and William J. Senior, to name a few.

During his design career, Louis often yearned to return to his love of oil painting and finally began to do so in recent years. “I want to take the passion and expression that I first had at William Paterson and synthesize it with the representational skills I learned at DuCret – and meet somewhere in the middle,” Louis states. His love of color and texture dominate his recent works, particularly in his landscapes. He draws inspiration from the Gloucester County / South Jersey environment in which he lives, but also from the Catskill region of New York where he and his family often visit. “I’ve been working on capturing a spirit, a life in my landscapes by way of a more spontaneous approach than I used to use. It’s a bit less representational, but for me a bit more fun and exciting.”

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