Meet Michigan-based Artist Daniel Cascardo

All images created by and provided courtesy of Daniel Cascardo.

DANIEL CASCARDO is an interdisciplinary visual and interactive artist living in Huntington Woods, Michigan. Visit his website at www.danielcascardo.com | email: dac@danielcascardo.com

CATHOLIC ARTIST CONNECTION: Where are you from originally, and what brought you to Michigan?

DANIEL CASCARDO: I was born and raised in Dearborn, Michigan. I lived in Chicago for nine years where I officially started my career as an artist. Chicago is also where I met my wife and where our eldest of three daughters was born. We moved to Metropolitan Detroit in 1997 to raise our children.

What do you see as your personal mission as a Catholic working in the arts?

I am an artist who is a practicing Catholic. My artistic mission is to use my talents to expand God's kingdom with peace, love and understanding for all people and all religions.

Where have you found support in the Church for your vocation as an artist?

I have found support in the Church through several commissions. My contacts with people who appreciate and respect my work has given me the support to sustain my vocation as an artist.

Where have you found support among your fellow artists for your Catholic faith?

I have not found much support among other Catholic artists. Maybe because of the solidarity of being an artist and our individual pursuits. I am hoping that through the CAC I will be able to inspire and support other artists as well as myself.

How can the Church be more welcoming to artists?

The Church can recognize the importance of art and the individual artists in their communities by engaging, collaborating and working with them.

How can the artistic world be more welcoming to artists of faith?

The artists of faith must be brave in their creative endeavors trusting in the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Institutions of faith should actively welcome and support the arts.

Where in the Detroit area do you regularly find spiritual fulfillment, and what is your daily spiritual practice?

I attend Holy Name Parish in Birmingham, Michigan. I have gone on weekend spiritual retreats at St. Paul of the Cross Retreat House in Detroit and have been a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and Shrine of the Little Flower Church in Royal Oak, Michigan. My spiritual fulfillment comes from my personal relationship with Christ.

My spiritual practice comes from daily reading of the Bible first thing in the morning. BiOY app (Bible In One Year) is a great app to walk you through the Bible with insight and commentary. I like reading spiritual books, listening to Christian music and attending retreats. I incorporate prayer in all my activities throughout the day by talking with God and LISTENING for His response.

Where in the Detroit area do you regularly find artistic fulfillment?

There are many museums and venues that showcase the arts in Metropolitan Detroit. I have been inspired by my visits to these institutions and I also have taught in several of them. I try to participate in lectures and workshops whenever possible. Most artists and institutions in the area are willing to help each other out.

I have not found a Catholic artist community in Detroit but I am inspired to find or create one. I hope that the Catholic artists in the area will be willing to help build an engaging artist community together.

What is your daily artistic practice?

I start my day by making a short list of things to do. I try to establish a balance between creating, communicating and marketing. I prioritize the work that has a deadline and I try to stay focused and present in the moment. I am not afraid of making mistakes as long as I learn from them. I realize that setbacks are temporary and that there will always be battles and blessings in my life and artistic practice. I truly enjoy creating new bodies of work or experimenting with different materials and processes.

Describe a recent day in which you were most completely living out your vocation as an artist.

I completely live out my vocation as an artist when I am commissioned to create an interactive mural. Inspiring and engaging hundreds of people during the process gives me a sense of joy and satisfaction. Creating original works and the reaction of having my artwork applied to fashion, home goods and accessories also makes me feel that I am living out my vocation as an artist.

How do you afford housing as an artist?

I operate out of my home office studio in the suburbs of Detroit to bring down my expenses. There are artist studio spaces that are less expensive depending on the size and neighborhoods. My advice to artists is to use whatever space they can get until their work and income outgrow the space.

How do you financially support yourself as an artist?

Being married and having a dual income household has helped to share the responsibilities of raising a family, paying the bills and affording a career as an artist. It is very difficult to make a full-time living as an artist. I have taught art classes and workshops through-out the span of my career that has helped me to sustain my practice. I have also treated my work as a business, using all the tools and resources available to promote my work and get jobs. I use mostly online resources in searching for jobs, constantly balancing between creating, marketing and sales.

The key is not to get discouraged or overwhelmed by the work it takes to be and artist. Keep planting the seeds that will possibly bring in a harvest days, months or even years in the future. If you stop planting (praying, marketing and creating) nothing with grow.

What other practical resources would you recommend to a Catholic artist living in the Detroit area?

There are many local and national resources available for artists. I used to hang out in coffee houses, bookstores and libraries for support and inspiration but found that the best way to grow and sustain my practice as an artist was to keep on creating, learning from my mistakes, asking a lot of questions, adapting to trends and technology and treating my work as a business.

Take a business course or dive into the free resources of the Small Business Association (SBA) or your local Chamber of Commerce. Look at what is working for other successful artists, volunteer and invest the time to learn who is your target market and what need are you trying to fill. These are things that were never taught in art school but are now being offered as more creatives are looking for solutions to sustain their artistic careers.

What are your top pieces of advice for Catholic artists post-graduation?

Take the time to soul SEARCH what your true passions, interests and abilities are and put them to the test. If you are willing to learn, struggle and go forward with your passion regardless of income or others opinions you will have what it takes to pursue your dreams. Ask God for the wisdom, knowledge and discernment to help you make those decisions.

TRUST that God has a plan for you, but it requires you to take action. Listen to your heart and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. There are no mistakes just lessons to be learned. Don't let fear stop you from trying new things and putting your work in front of people.

Be GRATEFUL for everything in your life. When you have a spirit of gratitude during the battles and blessings in your life you will find joy. One more piece of advice that I have had to learn many times. Be willing to let it go! Humble yourself and give your strongest pursuits and desires to God. By doing so you empty yourself of your pride and ego and open yourself to God's Will, which might not be what you had in mind, but it will be perfect for you.