Name: Starting From Scratch: Self-Taught Artists Share Their Secrets
Start: 2026-04-21T18:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-04-21T19:30:00-04:00
Location: Somerville Public Library

Starting From Scratch: Self-Taught Artists Share Their Secrets

Local self-taught artists will share their stories about how they bootstrapped their way from scratch to where they are now.
About this Event

Join us for a lively and inspiring panel discussion featuring local artists Liv Cappello (painter), Hiroshi Minato (jewelry artist), and Allison Tanenhaus (glitch media artist). They are recent recipients of the Somerville Arts Council Visual Art Fellowship. None of them have formal art education, but have learned how to successfully navigate the art world.

If you are relatively new to creating artwork and interested in showcasing your work beyond your immediate circle, this event will be perfect for you. Also, anyone interested in local artists' stories is welcome.

Please come, learn something new, and meet like-minded locals.

It is FREE and open to the public, but spots are limited! RSVP is highly encouraged.

Light refreshments will be provided.

This program is supported in part by a grant from the Somerville Arts Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Schedule:

6:00–6:20pm Doors open & networking

6:20–7:00pm Panel discussion (including talks by each artist)

7:00–7:20pm Q&A for the audience

7:20–7:30pm Wrap-up and announcements

Moderator and Panelists:

Liv Cappello (moderator & panelist | @livcappello_artist | livcappello.com )

Liv Cappello is a self-taught artist based in Somerville, MA, working in oil painting and silkscreen printmaking. Her work explores place, community, and memory, drawing from family photos and neighborhood scenes to examine how personal histories shift and become shared. She has exhibited throughout New England, including with the Cambridge Art Association, Concord Center for the Arts, and the New Hampshire Art Association.

Hiroshi Minato (panelist | @hiroshiminatojewelry | hiroshiminatojewelry.com)

Hiroshi Minato is a men's contemporary aluminum jewelry artist living in Somerville, MA. Some of his initial pieces caught the eye of a professional in the industry, which led to his official debut in 2014. His work has been featured by various media, including The Boston Globe Magazine. Currently, Minato's work is carried by local retailers, including the Fuller Craft Museum Shop (Brockton, MA) and the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum Store (Lincoln, MA).

Allison Tanenhaus (panelist | @atanenhaus | allisontanenhaus.com)

Allison Tanenhaus (she/her) specializes in immersive op art and anachronistic tech mashups. Her work has been showcased in 26 countries via public art, galleries, dance parties, music videos, performances, and guerrilla street art. Highlights include Boston Cyberarts, SaveArtSpace, and her traveling shows “GlitchKraft” and “Haus Party.” Here in Somerville, she volunteers with SAC, SOS, and New Alliance Gallery.