Markus Sebastiano

Blochaus Art Gallery | Newburyport, Massachusetts, USA

www.markussebastiano.com | @theblochaus

Message Markus Inspired | This is a hug-hug. The real thing, like you. 

I’ve been told I give the best hugs, especially from one friend’s mom. When I was told that, I became cognizant of when I hugged people. I wanted to uphold my good hugging abilities. 

Where we met: 

When he was born, he's my cousin.

What type of art do you make?

Mixed media, it’s been an evolving process for 7-8 years. I went from fashion to signage to branding. I combined my digital art with a physical form – and that’s how things were born. Sometimes I print in metal, other times I’m doing an original, and I’m ripping up vintage paper and layering with paint.

And most recently, I work with commissions. It is about understanding who people are and what their brand is. My favorite thing to do when I’m creating a piece is to sit in the space that it’s going to go and become in tune with what it’s calling for.

What is it like to be an entrepreneur? 

It took a lot of years to get here, to be able to even afford a place like this gallery, to take this chance. I’ve learned how to hone my skills over the past 20 years. 

Tell us about your new gallery… 

I’m in a cool community in downtown Newburyport with a full retail gallery. There is not a lot of contemporary art here. I’m excited to bring fresh, diverse art from around the world to a place that I think needs it.

I want to support the up-and-comers, those that haven’t had the opportunity or the platform to sell work. I want to build something truly unique. I don’t want people to have expectations; I want them to be surprised by creating an evolving showcase of new artists.

What’s next? 

I would love to explore doing a straight abstract series. I’m battling the idea that if I change, and it’s not the same style, that I will let people down, but I’m confident once I nail it, it will be awesome, but it’s always scary.

I am also curating experiences {music series, dinners, and book signings}. Newburyport needs a new way to bring people together and I can do that under this roof, building new relationships and connections.

How do you want to beknown? 

I want people to look at my work and know that it’s authentic and that I made the best art that I could. And that I put back into the pot when I can, by helping other artists.

I want you, and everyone around me to believe in themselves, and realize that whatever you put your mind to, and envision can become a reality. There is a reason why there are ideas in your head. That’s your soul knocking at your door. We’re not alive for a long time; we must live our real, authentic lives.

What Markus left me with… 

You are uniquely you, the way that I’m uniquely me. We’ve all had certain circumstances in our life. You’re at a place where it’s all coming together – a perfect storm of experiences. Beknown is going to be great. You’ve put all of yourself into it.