Today we’d like to introduce you to Edward Tadiello.
Hi Edward, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
From the time I was in high school, I found myself captivated by the power of images—magazine illustrations, movie posters, and the names behind them: Robert Peak, Mark English, Bernie Fuchs. That fascination led me deeper, into the golden age of illustration, where artists like Norman Rockwell, J.C. Leyendecker, N.C. Wyeth, and Gil Elvgren shaped the visual language of an era. Their work became a compass for me, pointing toward a life in art.
After graduation, I pursued that path through study at Pan-American Art School in New York City, followed by classes at the Art Students League, School of Visual Arts, and the Society of Illustrators. A guiding principle came from Robert Beverly Hale: “Learn how to draw with your intellect rather than your eyes, then turn it over to your emotions.” That idea—that form must be understood before it can be felt—has remained central to my approach.
In the 1970s, I worked in the art department of a large retail chain while freelancing for publications and companies like Science Digest, Burger King, Royal Air Maroc, and Sasson Jeans. In 1983, Dell Publishing commissioned me to paint a romance novel cover—the first of more than 250 covers I would create for Dell, Bantam, Harlequin, and Scholastic. Each commission was a chance to explore narrative through form, color, and emotion.
By the early 1990s, my studio at 720 Monroe Street in Hoboken became the center of a new chapter. I began focusing on fine art, particularly the figure, most often the female form. Angels and pin-ups emerged from this exploration—works that caught the attention of collectors like Charles Martignetti and licensing opportunities with companies such as the Bradford Exchange. These projects expanded the reach of my art while affirming its resonance beyond the canvas.
Another turning point came in 2005, when I joined the United Scenic Artists union, Local 829. Scenic work for film and television—Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, American Gangster, 30 Rock, Billions, Ray Donovan—gave me both financial freedom and creative breadth. It allowed me to sustain my fine art practice without compromise.
Today, alongside my wife Gloria Pacis, I continue to create and exhibit at EDG Studio Gallery in Hoboken—the same loft that has been my studio for more than three decades. Our gallery is not just a space for showing work, but a place where art can invite reflection, quiet the mind, and open a moment of stillness.
My art now lives in the realm of contemporary realism, always returning to the human form. For me, form is the foundation: the planes, the structure, the way light reveals it. Yet beyond intellect and technique, there is spirit. When I am in the flow state, I am not thinking—I am simply allowing something larger to move through me. That, ultimately, is what I hope my work conveys: a balance of intellect, emotion, and spirit, distilled into form.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
For a time, my greatest struggle was being too concerned with others’ opinions—trying to fit in rather than express my art. Over the years, I’ve come to see that this was a self‑imposed limitation. By letting go of it, I’ve been able to embrace my own vision more fully, creating work that is not only true to me but also more open and connective for the viewer.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a contemporary realist painter whose work centers on the female form—often envisioned as Angels, Pin-ups, Dancers, and Musicians. These subjects allow me to explore not only shape and contour, but also the spirit and emotion that give form its resonance.
In creating these works, my aim is to convey openness and connection. I want the viewer to feel that they can relate to the person in the painting, as though the image offers a moment of shared humanity.
My primary mediums are oil on canvas and graphite on acid-free paper or board, chosen for their ability to capture both subtlety and strength.
I remain open to commissions, including portrait drawings and paintings, where I can bring the same attention to form, emotion, and connection into a work created specifically for someone.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is creating work that is true to my sensibility, while striving for the highest quality I can achieve without exhausting myself. I believe that pure creativity should not deplete the creator, but instead leave them with a sense of joy. When art flows from authenticity and spirit, it becomes both a gift to the viewer and a source of renewal for the artist.
Pricing:
- The price range of our current inventory is 300. to 18,000
- Price for a commissioned portrait drawing is 400. to 1,200
- Price for a commisioned oil portrait is 1,500 to 4,000
- Price for a live wedding painting is 2,000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.edward-tadiello.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edg_studio_gallery/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-tadiello-6599a030/
- Other: https://www.edgartrental.com
Image Credits
1. The Violinist 40×30 oil on canvas by Ed Tadiello 2. Red 16×20 oil on canvas by Ed Tadiello 3. Apple 24×36 oil on canvas by Ed Tadiello
4. Tiana 12×16 oil on panel 5. (last in the top row) The Student 36×48 Acrylic on canvas by Gloria Pacis
(bottom row) 6. Alone with others 40×30 acrylic on canvas by Gloria Pacis 7. Secret Encounter 36×36 acrylic on canvas by Gloria Pacis
8. See Me 48×36 Acrylic on Canvas by Gloria Pacis
