Resident returns to artistic roots

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He grew up with a sight impairment no one knew he had. Now he helps artists bring their work to life at his art galleries.

Diego Mario Galietti, who prefers simply to be called Diego, was born in Montevideo, Uruguay but raised in America from the age of 4. His family lived in Florida.

As a child, blurry sight meant his schoolwork suffered. He was unable to see the blackboard so he gravitated to the back of the classroom, a loner who doodled and drew all day.

"I didn't learn the alphabet until I was in fifth grade," Galietti said. "That's when somebody picked up on the fact that I couldn't see right."

His schoolwork may have suffered but he excelled in art. He won so many awards, his art teacher claimed he was older than he really was and entered him in competitions meant for high school students. He won those, too.

About the time that his sight was being treated with eye exercises and an eye patch -- another thing that ostracized him from his classmates -- he got a job to help support the family. His father left and so, at age 12, Galietti began doing odd jobs in an Italian restaurant.

"They gave me a uniform so I could feel like a big man," he said.

He was promoted from cleaning silverware to helping in the kitchen to waiting tables and, later, into management. All the time, he picked up on how the industry worked and how to operate a business.

By age 15, he quit school and began working full-time. He's supported himself ever since, working in the restaurant industry.

Six years ago, he arrived in Las Vegas with high hopes and determination.

"When I got here, I had $400 in my pocket," he said. "After three months, I bought a condo. I later sold it for double what I paid for it and bought two homes."

He lived in one, rented out the other and had a lucrative job as a banquet server. But those art awards from his childhood had spawned a deep desire to open a gallery.

In May, the 29-year-old Summerlin resident did just that, using the equity in both houses to finance his dream. He opened a small gallery by the same name inside Holsum Lofts but spent most of his efforts on a 2,600-square-foot gallery a few blocks away.

The larger gallery is located at 1039 S. Main St., on the southeast corner of 1st Street and Boulder Avenue. The address is an obscure one; even his business card uses a map with an X-marks-the-spot graphic on it.

Various works on display include everything from sleek, sculptured figures and oil paintings to a heavy bronze torso.

Unlike most galleries, Galietti doesn't charge artists for wall space. Part of the deal is that the artists featured there hold classes.

Planned classes include instruction in oil painting, clay sculpting and wood carving. It's a percentage from those classes, as well as sold pieces, that support the studio.

One of the artists whose work is carried at the larger D'Mario Collection is Suparika "Toto" Thamasakorn. She works in 3-D in a variety of media.

One wall decoration was covered in more than a dozen of her delicate clay flowers.

"It takes me three or four hours to create each one," she said. "I do it while I'm watching TV."

Another artist at the studio is Gregory Colhouer. His history includes working as a costume designer and a commercial artist. Now he spends his time painting portraits, creating murals and teaching art.

He spoke of the need for such a gallery, especially given the catch-22 situation many artists experience.

"Most are hard pressed to support themselves just with their art so they have to have another job," he said. "When you're an artist, even a (successful) one, you can't spend all your time painting or creating because you're also handling the business end."

It's not a typical gallery and not a typical studio, Galietti said. But it is a concept that he wants to take nationwide.

As for his own artwork, he said he'd get back to it once the studio was established.

"Right now, this is taking up my time" he said. "I have a beautiful home. I love it, but I'm willing to give it up if I have to. I'll sleep in the back of this place (the studio) if I have to. But I will succeed."