Jeanne Ciravolo
Jeanne Ciravolo’s artistic journey is deeply rooted in the stories of resilience and hardship she absorbed during her childhood in Miami, Florida. Growing up in a household rich with the voices of her Italian immigrant grandmother and female relatives, she listened as they shared their struggles in hushed tones over Pokeno games in the kitchen. These intimate moments became the foundation of her artistic inspiration, fueling her passion for creating mixed media paintings and altered domestic textiles that honor and amplify female experiences.
Her formal training in realist oil painting began at the Art Students’ League of New York, where she studied with Harvey Dinnerstein, mastering figure and portrait painting through direct observation. This foundation led to a career in commissioned private and judicial portraits, culminating in her recognition as a finalist in the 2006 International Portrait Competition hosted by the Portrait Society of America.
However, her artistic trajectory evolved significantly during her Master of Fine Arts studies at the University of Connecticut, where she was mentored by Deborah Dancy, Emerita Professor of Painting. Under Dancy’s guidance, Ciravolo embraced experimental processes, incorporating mixed media collage, printmaking, and stitching with thread. This shift allowed her to expand her visual language beyond realism, integrating layered textures and domestic materials to convey narratives of resistance and endurance.
Her work often explores themes of protest and advocacy, as seen in No to Impunity, a painting inspired by a passage from Roberto Bolaño’s novel 2666. The title references a sign held by a woman protesting violence against women, a sentiment that resonates throughout Ciravolo’s practice. The central figure in the painting confronts the viewer directly, serving as a powerful symbol of defiance against injustice, while the birdlike form on the left side of the canvas hints at the degradation of the natural world. This piece, along with the body of work she has produced since completing her MFA, underscores her commitment to highlighting female narratives, resilience, and acts of defiance through art.
Ciravolo’s current works continue this exploration, merging personal history with broader socio-political commentary. By repurposing domestic textiles and integrating unconventional materials, she constructs layered compositions that challenge traditional representations of women’s experiences. Her art serves as both a tribute and a call to action—an acknowledgment of the strength and struggles of women across generations.
