Dane Capo loves the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and the King himself. At 10 months old, Dane was diagnosed with epilepsy and was later discovered to have autism at age five. He has not let this set him back one bit, however. Surely it was a tough adjustment, but he has found solace in creating technicolor paintings of some of the most iconic figures in history. His artwork is inspired by the French Impressionist painter, Henry Matisse, of whom Capo has depicted in acrylic along with Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, David Bowie, Elvis, all four Beatles, and countless other personalities. Fortunate enough to have met Ringo Starr during a trip to Hawaii, Dane was actually able to present the former Beatle with his own psychedelic depiction of the drummer. That alone is an accomplishment most will never know. He not only inherited his initial supplies but also his artistic inclination from his late grandmother, who was also a prolific artist. After her passing, Capo began to paint and possessed an obvious, raw talent for the visual arts. “Ninety percent of people with disabilities are unemployed,” says his mother, Krista Capo. “We’ve been working for the past two years or so to truly make his art a sustainable factor in his life. He’s already sold many works, and people’s overall response has been truly remarkable.” Capo says that he currently paints sporadically, but when he begins, it is difficult to stop. Bright, almost neon acrylic seems to be his favorite medium, although he has recently applied to film school—and has aspirations of being a director. Having commenced his craft about five years ago, the artist (like most reasonable ones) is currently on the job hunt. His job coach, Nick Meyers, visits Capo in his South Bay residence at least three to four times per week to gear his personal direction and aid with filing applications. “I’d really like to work as a bank teller, customer service representative, art director, or film director,” Capo said. “Any job where I can work with people would be terrific. Also, if I were a director I would definitely join the Director’s Guild of America.” With an impressive collection of work, Capo, along with his mother, are looking to expand his online store. This would present a sole stream of revenue, with the forum complete with signature bags, stickers, original artwork, etc. Like most artists stuck on the cusps of the monetized Internet, things will surely take off for this young artist. In fact, Capo has already held several shows throughout the LA beach areas and most recently brokered a deal to show 10 of his pieces across many Arclights in Southern California. His first installation is located at the La Jolla Arclight on Jan. 18, and his pieces will remain there until March 27. The works will also be exhibited in Arclight locations in Sherman Oaks, Culver City, and the beach areas – nearly covering all of Southern California. Krista Capo says that they are also currently awaiting information regarding showing his pieces at Arclights in Chicago and Maryland. While Capo continues to strive for a successful career in many of the fields he is interested in, his art represents an honest manifestation of his personality – vibrant and optimistic with a great deal of intelligence and originality. For more information, visit www.danecapoart.com.
