Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Tonzola.
Hi Eric, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve always been a creative person, but for many years my career was centered around graphic design. Working as a designer taught me how to communicate visually, solve problems, and pay attention to the smallest details. While I enjoyed that work, I eventually realized I wanted to spend more of my time creating something that felt more personal.
That led me back to painting and illustration. Over the years I’ve developed a style that blends surrealism, pop art, abstraction, and graphic design influences into colorful, whimsical worlds. I love creating work that sparks curiosity and invites people to find their own meaning in it. Bold shapes, vibrant colors, and a sense of playful mystery have become a big part of my artistic voice.
Today my focus is on building a career as a full-time artist. Along with creating paintings and illustrations, I’ve completed murals for homes, businesses, breweries, and public spaces throughout Central Pennsylvania. Every new piece is an opportunity to keep pushing my style, experimenting with new ideas, and creating work that connects with people in a meaningful way. My goal is simple: to keep making art that I’m proud of and to continue sharing it with as many people as possible.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road to becoming a full-time artist has definitely not been smooth. I still bartend because it gives me a level of consistency that art does not always provide. Income from creative work can be unpredictable, and there are months when projects come together and other times when everything feels completely up in the air.
Pricing my work has also been one of the hardest things to figure out. It is difficult to put a dollar amount on something you have spent so much time, energy, and emotion creating. It becomes even harder when it is a piece you really love and feel personally connected to. There is always a balance between valuing the work properly, making it accessible, and being willing to let it go.
Working with clients comes with its own frustrations. I have had people seem excited about a project, talk through ideas, ask for estimates, and then completely disappear. Artists put a lot of unpaid time into conversations, planning, sketches, and proposals without ever knowing whether the project will actually move forward. That uncertainty can be exhausting.
Outside of the professional struggles, I have also dealt with addiction, which has made building a stable creative career much more difficult. I am currently in recovery and working on creating a healthier and more consistent life for myself. Addiction has affected my decisions, my relationships, and the way I have moved through life.
Despite all of it, I continue to make art. Creating has remained one of the most important ways I process my experiences, reconnect with myself, and move forward. I am still learning how to build a sustainable life around my work, but I am proud that I have not stopped trying.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My work includes painting, illustration, murals, and graphic design, but I’m best known for my personal style and color palette. I use a lot of red, blue, and yellow, along with black-and-white stripes, surreal imagery, bold shapes, and fluorescent details. People often tell me that when they see those colors or patterns, they immediately think of my work.
I’m especially proud of the mural I created for the 2023 York Mural Fest. It was an opportunity to bring my style into a large public space and create something that felt distinctly mine.
For my personal paintings, I mix my own DIY house paint colors and fluorescent blends. It took several years of experimenting to finally land on a palette and process that felt right. I think that recognizable visual language is what sets my work apart.
How do you think about happiness?
Well the obvious answer is creating art but I think I get the most joy out of seeing people connect with my work and recognizing it. You could probably spot a painting of mine from a mile away haha.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tonzolaart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonzola_art
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/199pKtPwT6/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Twitter: https://x.com/erictonzola?s=11&t=_QUQzApoOTyTdLY29ux3bA
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@tonzola?_r=1&_t=ZP-97uv3bMW20M
