ShamanDhia

ShamanDhia, (born March 29, 1969) is a digital media artist, Art teacher, and psychic medium from New York. She is known for GOLEM (2006), a derivative of DaVinci's Vitruvian Man (1492). It is the first version of Vitruvian Man depicting the chakras, nadis, and aura in a healthy, living, human system.

Family and Personal Life

ShamanDhia was born Denise Louise Mortillaro in Nyack, New York, the daughter of Virginia Huff (née Manack), and Joseph Dennis Mortillaro, both of whom were middle-school teachers. ShamanDhia has one older brother, Joseph Brian. She currently lives in Brooklyn, NY, with Uriel Avonal, and her familiar, a Toy Poodle, Sabrina.

Education and Career

ShamanDhia was raised in Congers, New York. She attended Congers Elementary School, Felix Festa Jr. High School West, and then graduated in 1987 from Clarkstown High School North. She attended Bucknell University for one year before transferring to The State University of New York at Buffalo, where she completed her B.F.A. in Sculpture, in 1991. Upon graduating, she returned home to complete her M.A. in Art Education, from The College of New Rochelle by 1993. The Computer Art program at the State University at Buffalo was one of the first programs of its kind, opening the door for interactive media artists.

Although raised and confirmed in the Roman Catholic tradition, in 1989, ShamanDhia met Sharon Snowman, of the National Spiritualist Association of Churches, at the Church of Eternal Brotherhood. She attended Mediumship Unfoldment Classes in Buffalo, NY, for three years, developing her psychic-mediumship abilities.

While in Buffalo, ShamanDhia studied Computer Art. Her main interest was in the metaphysics of the internet, and she has remained active online since 1988. Several installations launched her career in interactive media. The first was "Leading Edge Humanism," in Buffalo, NY, followed by, "The Interactive Show," SoHo, NYC.

She later worked with the Castellani Art Museum on the "Underground Railroad Stations Project." She also helped launch the museum's website (at the time, the first website in Western New York created for an Art museum) and worked on a kiosk for the museum in 1996.

ShamanDhia worked as a freelance Graphic Designer for ten years in New York City, while teaching in public schools, colleges, institutes, and universities.

ShamanDhia brought GOLEM to life in 2006, and created a .biz from the image in 2008. Directing "GOLEM" to bring her money through the internet, she stopped teaching in 2008 in favor of travelling and lecturing.

Professional Appointments, Exhibits and Projects

1992 State University of New York At Buffalo, Lecturer ($5K NY Telephone Grant recipient)

1995 Carnegie-Mellon University, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Art (Electronic Media)

2001-2002 Westchester Business Institute, Adjunct Faculty (Art Department)

2002-2004 Westchester Community College, Adjunct Faculty (Art Department)

2002-2008 The Art Institute of New York City, Instructor (General Education and Graphic Design)

2005 CHUBB Institute, Instructor (General Education)

2006 Wood Tobe-Coburn School, Instructor (Art Department)

Public School Appointments

1992-1998 Monroe-Woodbury Central School District, Art Teacher

1998-2003 New York City Board of Education, Art Teacher

Selected Exhibits and Projects

Mar-92 Leading Edge Humanism - Buffalo, NY (Buffalo News; Wednesday, March 18, 1992 p.B9)

Nov-92 The Interactive Show - SoHo NYC (Artforum; November 1992 p.108)

Jul-96 Stations of The Underground Railroad - Lewiston, NY (GUSTO Buffalo Evening News; Friday, July 19, 1996 p.19)

Mar-08 Golem

Links
http://dm3519.aisites.com/DMORTarts.htm (Art Institute of New York City)

http://harvestworks.org/artistopp/commissioned_project_all.php (Commissioned Art Exhibit)

http://www.supervert.com/essays/technology/interactive_show (From ArtForum magazine)

http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/332912 (Underground Railroad GoogleEarth)

http://cocatalog.loc.gov/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?DBlocal&PAGEFirst ) (GOLEM - VAu000699904)

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See Also

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