Iconic Poster Art and Portraits Custom portraits and commissions by request Art from the Heart! Please convo any questions
Full Biography
Derrick “VitoArt” Hollowell is noted for his illustrative renderings of music and pop culture icons, along with his Afrocentric Expressionistic portraiture.
Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Derrick was raised by his mother and maternal grandparents, Reverend and Mrs. Howard Hollowell. As a child he split his interests between sports and art. He was a tremendous student and advanced directly from 4th to 6th grade. He was very influenced by his uncle, James Hollowell, who at the time was studying art at Grand Valley State College, and is now an established artist in Los Angeles, California. When Derrick was about 10 years old, his uncle noticed a slight limp in Derricks walking. His mother noticed the same change while watching him play rocket football later that summer. This led to numerous medical visits, examinations, and diagnoses, a specific medical conclusion was never determined. “ I still think I injured myself trying too hard to dance like Michael Jackson!” he says. Eventually spinal cord surgery was attempted to correct this “disability“. After unsuccessful attempts at rehabilitation, Derrick continued his education. He graduated class president from Creston High School and went on to Grand Valley College to work towards a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in drawing/printmaking. He also began a prolific music career based on his exposure to an emerging new music form, Hip-Hop. His group, Euro-K, signed a record label deal and filmed a video for MTV. Derrick traveled much of the United States promoting music and art. He has worked in radio broadcasting, voice over, and acting. He had been involved in youth mentoring and community building. In the past few years He has opened and operated a series of innovative storefront and warehouse galleries. Derrick is currently located in the live/work art lofts along Grand Rapids Avenue of the Arts. The spacious, loft gallery is the venue for numerous exhibits, workshops, poetry readings and more. Recently, he has placed original work at The Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, Metropolitan Hospital, and an extensive jazz themed collection at The HopCat Brewery in Grand Rapids, Michigan. “I am truly fulfilled when my art ends up in places where many people see it, I have always been intrigued by the power of posters and illustrative images. He is currently teaching illustration to Grand Rapids Public High School students at WMCAT (West Michigan Academy for Arts and Technology) and as a lead instructor for Artist Creating Together, a west Michigan organization, focused on providing art therapy for children and adults with cognitive challenges. He also serves on their Board of Directors Artistically, Derrick is constantly exploring watercolor portraiture while expanding on his aesthetic vision in oil painting, drawing, and Pop Iconography. His influences are 1960-70s Illustration, Japanese Printmaking, German Expressionism, African, and Comic art, among others.
Some of the technologies we use are necessary for critical functions like security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and to make the site work correctly for browsing and transactions.
Always on
Personalized Advertising
To enable personalized advertising (like interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. Those partners may have their own information they’ve collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won’t stop you from seeing Etsy ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.
Personalized advertising may be considered a “sale” or “sharing” of information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have a right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in our Privacy Policy., Help Center, and Cookies & Similar Technologies Policy.