Meet Christopher Canullo | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christopher Canullo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christopher, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
I am inspired by individuals. Individuals who have their own perspectives. Individuals who created their own ideas. Individuals who build their own worlds. Individuals who follow their own paths. Individuals who shun convention and live by their own convictions. Individuality to me is the closest thing to freedom.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I make paintings. Typically on canvas, or murals. And I love it, though it’s never been easy. When I could no longer afford to go to college, my teachers told me I wasn’t talented enough to be successful and I should really try to get my degree. A big part of that pushed me forward. Not necessarily to prove them wrong, more it gave me a mentality that I was on my own and had to be my own support. In turn, it encouraged me to try every creative opportunity and source of revenue I could come across. That, I think, has taken me much farther in life and work than anything else. I’ve been exposed to so many opportunities through working doing window displays, hanging art, production design, set dressing, and job after job after job. One opportunity has always let to the next and helped me to build and create my own dialogue which is always present in any artists work.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
LA is a big city. It’s meant to be driven, not walked. The more time to spend here, stuck in traffic, looking out the window, the more you discover. Whenever anyone I know comes to town, I tell them, if you haven’t been to LA, you must at some point, visit Griffith Observatory. You will literally see the city. After that, LA is notorious for it’s stuck in time restaurants and bars. Have a martini at the Biltmore in downtown, a steak at Tailor’s in koreatown, a little of everything at Grand Central Market, and whatever they serve you at the Burgundy Room. If you still thirsty, go watch the fish swim behind the bar at El Cholo.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
When I was very young, I was working a construction job with a friend of mine who was a little older than me. I had never done that kind of work before and I kept telling him, “I don’t know how”. He said to me, “most of the people working here didn’t even finish highschool, if they can do it, you can”. I have never since that moment though there was anything I couldn’t do.

Website: christophercanullo.com
Instagram: christophercanullo