‘One-woman show’: International award-winning St. George artist inspires others by fulfilling her own dreams

Written by Jessi Bang
January 29, 2023

ST. GEORGE —From international art shows to her own clothing and home decor line, this local artist is teaching others to strike down their own inner critic. And she’s leading by example.

Colleen Gianatiempo poses inside her home art studio in St. George, Utah, Jan. 19, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Colleen Gianatiempo poses inside her home art studio in St. George, Utah, Jan. 19, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

“Not everyone is going to like your art,” artist Colleen Gianatiempo said. “You’re putting yourself out there, exposing yourself, because this is something that I created from my heart. And putting yourself out there can be scary for people.”

At a young age, Gianatiempo said she used lipstick to draw on walls and even cut up family photos to create art. Growing up as an Army brat led to many moves, which caused her to be extremely shy. Art became an “oasis” and safe space for her, allowing her to express herself and stay occupied.

At her father’s urging, Gianatiempo first earned a business degree, foregoing her dream of attending a fashion institute. She later added a degree in graphic design. And in 2017, pursuing her own dreams, she received a master of fine arts in painting and began exhibiting her work. 

“After I finished my degree, I felt like I had the tools and the training to master those tasks because it’s a big, bad world out there,” Gianatiempo said.

Colleen Gianatiempo's art studio encourages her creativity, St. George, Utah, Jan. 19, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Colleen Gianatiempo’s art studio encourages her creativity, St. George, Utah, Jan. 19, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

While Gianatiempo said earning recognition as an artist takes time, she began teaching art all over the San Francisco Bay Area. When COVID shut things down, she pivoted and began teaching art courses online. She currently teaches watercolor, color theory, composition, mixed media, gouache, drawing, print and more.

“It’s something I’m really passionate about,” Gianatiempo said about teaching. “Creating a safe space for them to get in touch with their creativity – that’s like my superpower – helping others get rid of fear and the inner critics.”

Gianatiempo is part of a collaborative art group called the Global Art Project (GAP), which consists of over 60 artists in 16 countries. The artists collaborate by sending each other fragmented pieces of art, which are then made into another piece of art. Each art piece goes into a frag album, which is showcased at shows all over the world.

She is also a part of Women out West (WOW), Professional Artists of Utah, which operates out of the Sears Art Museum, and sits on the board of the Southern Utah Art Guild. She’s had an artist showcase in Milan and an artist residency in Italy.

Colleen Gianatiempo poses next to her artwork in St. George, Utah, Jan. 19, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Colleen Gianatiempo poses next to her artwork in St. George, Utah, Jan. 19, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

As if all of that wasn’t enough, Gianatiempo said she teaches part-time at Utah Tech as an adjunct art professor, instructs in-person workshops all over the country and has her own clothing and home decor line, which features prints of her artwork.

“I teach and I exhibit my work worldwide,” she said. “One thing you do leads to another. It just kind of snowballs. I’m like a living, breathing, earning income artist. I’m not a starving artist. But I work hard.”

While she loves all forms of art, Gianatiempo said mixed media is her favorite. She runs all facets of her business by herself, including her website and marketing, and photographs her own artwork.

“It’s a lot of work, I’m not going to lie,” she said. “Running my own business with my hands in so many pockets. I’m a one-woman show. But it’s my passion. Every day I get to do this kind of work is my happy place.”

Shop artwork by Colleen Gianatiempo locally at Sunset Framer. To schedule a tour of her in-home art gallery and see available art, contact her on Instagram or Facebook.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessi Bang was born and raised in Utah and has a passion for nature and the great outdoors. She graduated from Kaplan University in California with a degree in criminal justice. She has extensive experience in marketing, content creation, photography and copywriting. You can find her showcasing outdoor adventures through her blog, “The Rambling Raccoon.” In her free time, she enjoys climbing mountains, trail running, working out and cuddling her two lovable pups.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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