Choosing Visual Communications at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale “Fitz,” began his 15 year career as a graphic designer in the music industry for the number one distribution company in the United States, Alliance Entertainment Corp. in Coral Springs, Florida. He gained experience creating CD covers, logos, magazine ads, promotional materials, etc. This path created an opportunity for the life-changing experience of moving to Los Angeles, in 2007, to create home entertainment and video game artwork for Lionsgate, Universal Studios, Disney, Warner Brothers, Square Enix, Konami to name a few (please see resume for complete work experience).
Following the need to be closer to family, Fitz moved from California to South Dartmouth, and currently resides in New Bedford. Having the opportunity to start over he began pursuing his childhood dream of being a traditional artist. As a self-taught portrait artist, he has large John F. Kennedy portrait painting in Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia’s, office and a prominently displayed Martin Luther King Jr. in the YMCA of Fall River. Through these opportunities he was able to create painting workshops for New Bedford and Fall River’s at-risk youth with Southcoast Health’s R.A.P.P.P. and Durfee High School’s Bridge Program.
Since being in the Southcoast area Fitz was also a Gallery X member curating several successful exhibitions. He is the owner of Creative Oasis Destination Painting and Mobile Art Services. A company that gave free art for at-risk youth (through a grant he wrote) during the Spring vacation week at Dennison Memorial, Andrea McCoy Recreation Center and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater New Bedford. Through this he was able to network and build working relationships with the New Bedford Art Museum, New Bedford’s Parks, Recreation and Beaches Department.
On the educational side, Fitz is currently the Artist-in-Residence at Fall River's Resiliency Preparatory Academy (grades7-12) and works in the home-school community with Mastermind Adventures. In both endeavors he applies project based and blended curriculum techniques to maximize cross platform education. Also working with UMass Dartmouth’s Spotlight Program, and scheduled to be in the first group of Artists-In-Residence for the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, Fitz continues to spread his love for creative education in the Southcoast.
Currently, Fitz is working on a teen mentoring, mural painting project for at-risk youth at Resiliency Preparatory Academy. Funding was made possible with a grant awarded from the Fall River Cultural Council, which he helped write. He hopes to replicate and apply this project in schools all over the South Coast to help bolster the communities culture and arts internally. Fitz believes that by educating, challenging and engaging our most valuable resource, our youth, that a brighter future of opportunities will be developed. "We must teach our kids the value of self education by making education more appealing…what better way than through creativity” –Fitzcarmel M. LaMarre |
Last updated: July 17, 2018