Rob DiTeodoro’s First Solo Show Is June 28 At Corner Art Collective
by Melissa Jacobs
Lead photo by R.W. Lesmeister
Rob DiTeodoro stood at the prestigious Chester County Art Association surrounded by art and people – and he paused. It was a mental pause more than anything, but DiTeodoro took a deep breath and realized that this – the pop-up art event he was doing at CCAA with Joshua Ruggeri for their Corner Art Collective gallery – was a full circle moment. “It wasn’t so long ago that I couldn’t get any galleries to show my work,” DiTeodoro said. “And then there we were, at the Chester County Art Association. It was wild.”
Wild may seem like an apt description of DiTeodoro’s exuberantly colored graphic art – and the success of Corner Art Collective which, since it opened in the summer of 2023, has packed crowds into its group art shows. Located at the corner of Matlack and Magnolia Streets in West Chester, the gallery’s red steps have acted as a creative red carpet for local artists seeking opportunities to show their work in the region’s competitive, cloistered gallery scene. “Our superpower is inclusivity, not exclusivity,” Ruggeri said. “All ages, all backgrounds, all kinds of people and all kinds of art are welcome here.”
Corner Art Collective’s disruption of the conventional gallery system was embraced by artists who quickly adapted to its unconventional operations. The gallery holds open calls for artists to submit work for shows, sometimes around themes and sometimes not. Unlike traditional galleries that host month-long shows, CAC’s shows can last a few days, or any amount of time. On June 29, Corner Art Collective will host “Non-Duality,” a one-day solo show featuring DiTeodoro’s art. “I’ve never done a solo show – ever,” DiTeodoro said, “and I have a ton of work to share.”
DiTeodoro estimated that 30 new pieces of work will be displayed, among them a triptych he created with his woodworker brother. Three feet tall and two feet wide, the triptych has LED lights and DiTeodoro’s artwork. “It will be in the back room, which will have blackout curtains to show off the LED lights,” he said. “It’s a crazy, trippy box. I can’t wait for people to see it.”
Trippy and wild are suitable adjectives for DiTeodoro’s art, but not all facets of his life. He is very disciplined about his painting; his creative clock goes off early every morning. He’s also a very active father raising four young kids with his wife Laura at their home in Landenberg. “They are the center of my life and I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said.
That center was missing for part of his life. After growing up in West Chester and graduating from East High School in 2002, he enrolled in Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport. There, he studied graphic art and advertising, but only for one year. “I’d been drawing my whole life and I loved art, but I didn’t take that program seriously,” he said. “It was clear that I was going to wash out.”
In 2004, DiTeodoro enlisted in the Marine Corps. In 2005, he was deployed to Iraq and served as a field radio operator during the invasion of Fallujah. DiTeodoro stayed in Fallujah for a year, during which he saw heavy combat while traveling with different convoys. “It was rough there and for a long time after I came home,” he said. “I’m proud of having served in the Marines, but I saw horrible things and that spun me into a dark place.”
Heavy drinking, fights, a car crash; DiTeodoro had classic symptoms of PTSD. But art still called to him, so he enrolled in West Chester University’s graphic design program. There, he got traditional training in color theory, oil painting, and perspective. “But when I was at Penn Tech and West Chester, I wasn’t making art for myself. I was making what the school required,” he said. “My influences are ‘Ren & Stimpy’ and Garbage Pail Kids. That doesn’t fly in art school.”
Still, DiTeodoro had determination, talent and a strong work ethic. He also found a mentor: John Baker, one of Chester County’s most respected artists and teachers. Baker became DiTeodoro’s academic advisor at West Chester University. “Rob exhibited a dedication and passion for learning,” Baker said. “His exploration into graphic design and the fine arts grew as he put countless hours into developing a broader understanding of his own personal aesthetic. That passion is still evident in his studio practice today.”
The artist that DiTeodoro is today is the result of all that, plus the influence of his family, friends – and that he stopped drinking in 2012. He became a full time artist a few years ago, and now supports his family with his artwork and Corner Art Collective. “My goals now are to make art that makes people feel good,” he said, “and celebrate the community of artists that shares that mission. Every day, I get to wake up, take care of my family and make art. I’m living the dream. That’s it, that’s all. That everything.”
Find Rob DiTeodoro’s work here and learn more about Corner Art Collective here.
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