For several years, Yonkers has been making efforts to welcome artists and cultivate a strong arts community. One of the more prolific artists to call Yonkers home is Biagio (Gino) Civale, who was born in Italy in 1935, learned and developed his mixed media artistry in Europe and came to Yonkers about 45 years ago.
In addition to some works housed at his Lee Avenue studio in Yonkers, Civale”™s art is found in museums, galleries, private collections and public buildings such as Yonkers City Hall and the Bernice Spreckman Community Center on Midland Avenue in Yonkers. Artworks by Civale have been in exhibitions around the world, from China and Thailand to Germany and Denmark.
A few years ago, he estimated that he had created more than 9,000 pieces of art. In addition to being displayed for sale in galleries, his artworks are offered via internet sites. Civale”™s own website had been hacked and disabled several weeks ago but now has been restored at civale.org.
“When I came to Yonkers in about 1977, the art scene was not heavily populated. There were a few artists but there were not really art galleries,” the 87-year-old Civale told the Business Journals. “I came to live here from Europe and I adapted to the situation. The town is interesting with the view of the river, with a view of Manhattan in the distance. Yonkers is attractive; there are the hills, you have nice homes and trees and views, so it inspired some sort of serenity, tranquility.”
Civale said that slowly he began meeting other artists and eventually galleries started surviving and other artists began opening studios. Over the years, Civale has created his artworks in various media.
“I”™ve done wood carving, I”™ve done sculpture, I”™ve even learned bronze casting and I do oil paintings of course, watercolors, tempera, etchings, lithographs. I think that I”™m extremely diversified from a technology and techniques standpoint,” Civale said. “If you search my name on the internet, there will be many examples of my work. It gives enough of a taste to someone who is curious about what I have done and what I am doing.”
Civale urged young artists to try different media until they find the types of materials and techniques that are most satisfying.
“If I use watercolor and all of a sudden the transparency doesn”™t satisfy me, I”™ll want to go into oils, which have more of a body,” Civale said. “If you are someone who likes to draw, the drawings can be done by pencil or pen or you can etch with acid on a plate. I think the experience in different techniques is important to discover your own personality, and you might discover what you are good at. Sometimes one can be very good at one technique but not at another. One has to be honest with oneself. “
Civale said that he believes it is important for young people to be exposed to the arts in school.
“I”™m sorry to see that so many schools are cutting budgets,” Civale said. “Let”™s face it: how can a mind become sensitive to all that”™s around us unless you learn something about the arts created by thousands of artists before us?”
