Rosi Maria Di Meglio is a visual artist and a dedicated mother of six children. Born in Vancouver and now living and working in Montreal, Rosi graduated with distinction from Concordia University 2021 with double majors in Painting/Drawing and Art Education. While pursuing her studies and managing a full household at the same time, she believes that her hard work ethic and dedication have opened doors for her that may not have happened if she was not as persistent.
YES: When did you start your artistic journey and what were some of your goals when you started?
Rosi Maria Di Meglio: “Some of my main goals when signing up to YES were learning how to market myself as an artist; such as writing an artist statement, representing myself on social media, also meeting other artists who were working towards the same goals.
My biggest challenges were carving out time to take classes, attend the workshops and give myself the time to learn. I think understanding what being a professional artist really means in the art world was the biggest eye-opener for me. Learning these fundamental elements helped me dedicate my time to taking those workshops and sometimes taking them twice to really grasp the information.”
YES: What was the problem you were experiencing before you came into YES?
Rosi Maria Di Meglio: “I am my biggest demon “Who wants to hear from a middle-aged woman, what do I have to contribute to the art world, and my work is so personal that I don’t think anyone will like it. These are the voices in my head and the challenges I face. Eventually, those voices become characters in my paintings which vibrate while I work.”
YES: What did you find as a result of using our services? What was the best thing about it?
Rosi Maria Di Meglio: “During my journey, YES has helped me to stay focused and accountable to my goals. Meeting with my coach to discuss my accomplishments is encouraging and helps me realize all that I have accomplished since my last coaching session. Speaking to my coach is always exciting and encouraging; it really inspires me to push through and continue to submit to artist calls, and it helps me believe in myself and my art. I have set new goals for my future and plan on working towards those goals with YES!”
YES: What stage are you at now? What have been your greatest achievements?
Rosi Maria Di Meglio: “I believe I am at a stage where I can offer advice to artists who are at the beginning stages as I was. I believe that I am also still learning how I can move forward and succeed in my career goals.
I have been blessed with the good fortune of being awarded two major grants which have allowed me to explore my passions in printmaking and painting. I recently was awarded a grant from the CALQ (Conseils des Arts et Lettres du Quebec) which gave me the opportunity to travel to the Canary Islands and study under a master printmaker Alfonso Crujere and learn the Electro-Etching process. In 2021, I was awarded in an Explore and Create Grant from CCA (Canadian Council for the Arts) to continue to explore my Beyond Paper Canvas creation. This is an idea I have been working on since 2018, while exploring materials in my studio I created a recipe to make sustainable canvas support for 2D art creation.”
YES: What is next for Rosi Maria Di Meglio?
Rosi Maria Di Meglio: “I would like to be internationally represented. Right now, I am represented by Corkin Gallery which represents me nationally. Some of my goals for the future would be to gain representation by a gallery in Europe and New York, to be exhibited in a museum, to win the Sobey Award, and to be accepted into more residency programs.”