Nick Mancuso

"My interest in painting came about through sheer chance by an accidental encounter one dark and rainy night with an old Impala driven by drunken teenagers somewhere on the outskirts of Pittsburgh around 1986 right after I shot my series Stingray. A sudden blow to the head and a recovery period in Pt Dume California and an essay by Henry Miller entitled "Paint as you like and Die Happy" and something triggered in me.


I began to do watercolors, almost in a fury of activity. My friend and mentor, the Austrian painter Ferdinand Melichar announced to me one day that I was a "a painter." He taught me the basics of the craft -how to stretch canvas, how to gesso -how to mix color and I began to paint first in oil (which I love) and then in other mediums including, alkyds seaweed, dye, gouache, spaghetti and rags. I scratched and punched the paintings into existence, building a long "running studio" where I could run towards the canvas. I used everything from brushes to sticks. For me it a primitive dance, somewhat like my acting.


I have no idea what I'm doing and don't care to know. I just enjoy it. Art is far too holy an experience and too connected to the corporate boardroom. For me it is neither holy nor corporate. It is visceral, expressionistic, therapeutic and Dionysian. There are mythic references in my works and religious overtones, Christian as well as pagan. I haven't a clue what I'm doing and I hope I never will. There's great quote by Fred Astaire which says it all. Astaire said "I don't dance to express myself... I don't dance to make a point... I just dance..." Well when I paint... I just paint..."