Today we’d like to introduce you to Loli DiSanto.
Loli, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey to becoming an artist has been anything but conventional. I grew up in the Chicago area as a competitive figure skater before pursuing a career in medicine, earning degrees from Michigan State University and Midwestern University and practicing as a Physician Assistant for many years.
After moving to Southwest Florida in 2013, I finally had the opportunity to explore my creative side. I began experimenting with sculpture and created a three-dimensional interpretation of a Damien Hirst spot painting. Wanting to make it my own, I covered it in crystals—and that decision completely changed the direction of my work.
Today, I create crystal-encrusted sculptures and paintings that I often describe as “jewelry for the home.” Every piece is meticulously hand-covered with thousands of individually placed crystals and is rooted in symbolism. Whether it’s an egg representing renewal, a horseshoe symbolizing luck and protection, or butterflies embodying transformation, I want my work to be beautiful while also carrying a deeper meaning.
When I look back, it’s interesting how everything came together. Figure skating taught me discipline, medicine taught me precision, and art gave me a way to combine creativity with storytelling. I feel incredibly fortunate to do what I love and to create pieces that bring beauty, optimism, and a little sparkle into people’s lives.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. One of the biggest challenges has been overcoming people’s preconceived notions about home accents decorated in crystals. For a long time, many people would see something covered in crystals and immediately dismiss it as “bedazzled,” without taking the time to see the artistic intent behind it.
The reality is, I don’t simply add crystals to existing objects. I completely reimagine them. A butterfly still has the form of a butterfly, but its wings become an abstract composition. An egg becomes a canvas for unexpected imagery. A guitar might transform into a sardine can. I’m interested in taking familiar objects and creating something entirely new through symbolism, pattern, and color.
In many ways, I think of my process as painting with crystals. Like a pointillist painter uses tiny dots of pigment to build an image, I use thousands of individually placed crystals to create texture, movement, and depth. The crystals aren’t decoration—they’re my medium.
Thankfully, I think galleries and collectors are beginning to recognize that distinction. They’re seeing that the work isn’t about embellishing an object; it’s about transforming it into something unexpected. Looking back, earning that understanding has probably been the biggest challenge of my career, but it’s also made every milestone that much more rewarding.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I create contemporary artwork that transforms familiar objects into something entirely unexpected. I’m drawn to symbols that people instantly recognize—eggs, butterflies, horseshoes, guitars—and I enjoy reimagining them in ways that make people stop, look closer, and rethink what they’re seeing.
What I’m most proud of is developing a style that feels distinctly my own. My work blends pop culture, symbolism, and fine art into pieces that are playful at first glance but reveal deeper layers of meaning over time.
I think what sets me apart is that I don’t follow trends or stay within a single category. My work lives somewhere between sculpture, painting, and design, creating pieces that are meant to be lived with, talked about, and discovered again and again.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I think the biggest risk I ever took was leaving a successful career as a Physician Assistant to become a full-time artist. On paper, it probably didn’t make much sense. I was walking away from a stable profession to pursue something with no guarantees.
Creatively, I think risk is essential. If I’m making work that feels safe or predictable, I’m probably not pushing myself enough. Some of my favorite pieces began as ideas that sounded a little ridiculous—a guitar disguised as a sardine can or an egg covered in unexpected imagery. Those are often the pieces that resonate the most because they’re different.
I’ve learned that risk doesn’t mean being reckless. It means trusting your instincts, being willing to fail, and understanding that growth rarely happens inside your comfort zone. I would rather create something that starts a conversation than something everyone has seen before.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lolidisanto.com
- Instagram: @the.sparkle.artist
