In this essay you will learn about Todd Marone, an amazing artist! Todd Marrone is a one of a kind artist! He lives in Philadelphia, and is the Welsh Valley Middle School art teacher. He has a very interesting life that I enjoyed learning about. Todd’s artwork is different but really cool! His artwork will make you say, “ WOW!” He is a wonderful teacher and artist! The first time he picked up a crayon he drew a face (past the scribbling stage) and he was only a young toddler.

Todd Marrone was born in 1974 to his parents, Michael and Cynthia Marrone. When he was two years old he lived in a small apartment in Bristol, Pennsylvania. He spent most of the time as a baby sleeping, crying and eating. He later moved to a small house in Levittown, Pennsylvania. As soon as he picked up a crayon, his parents knew he would be an artist, but his grandfather thought he would be a professional athlete. His parents were never artists, but his mom enjoys interior design. His father could draw well, but not do it as a profession. His parents are still alive today.

When Todd was five years old he moved again, with his parents and his dog Chum to Morristown, Pennsylvania. Chum would eat ANYTHING! When Todd was young, Marrone used to be pronounced Maroni. At Michael Marrone’s work, everyone would pronounce it Marrone even though Todd’s father said, “No, Maroni!” Finally his father said, “ Ok, pronounce it Marrone.” Whenever someone would pronounce it Maroni, they knew it was an old friend.

Some of Todd Marrone’s inspiration as a child was comic books, 80’s pop culture and video games, because of this he wanted to become a monster movie makeup artist. He chose to make this type of artwork because he saw something like it and got inspired. Todd Marrone went to Pennsberry High School. In high school the teachers liked his sarcasm so much they shared his company in staff office! His high school teachers knew he was destined for greater things. In high school, he had no art lessons! After high school he went to Kutztown University located between Allentown and Reading, Pennsylvania. He had a major in communication, English (he wanted to be an English teacher) and Art ED. In college he grew a lot as an artist. Kutztown taught him a lot of new techniques for his art. During college he realized he loved working with children because of his student teaching. He did student teaching in an elementary school and high school for about six to seven weeks. He chooses to become an art teacher because all he studied in college is offered as an art teacher.

When Todd Marrone was 15 years old he was selling his artwork at comic book conventions and comic book stores. A lot of his artwork is displayed at cafés and galleries. At 17, he owned at operated his own sign and painting company, but he was the only employee! His first published piece was on a Rolling Rock poster. His favorite piece of artwork is the Guernica by Picasso. His favorite piece of artwork that he did is the most recent. He likes drawing the best; he makes his art by drawing random shapes then adding faces. One of his heroes is a boy at Welsh Valley who drew an AMAZING car but only had arms up to his elbows and drew like that! Whenever Mr. Marrone has finished a piece of artwork he feels certain happiness. Mr. Marrone basically paints on anything he can get his hands on!

I choose this artist because his art is different! You don’t see something like what his artwork looks like everyday. I thought it would be cool to do a local artist because then I can interview him. I even have a piece of Mr. Marrone’s artwork! He was also my brother’s mentor! My friend at Welsh Valley said Mr. Marrone was really funny! The best part is I could have him next year at Welsh Valley as an art teacher.  He knows all my siblings so it would be cool that everybody in my family besides my parents had him!

I hope you enjoyed reading this essay about an AMAZING artist. I worked very hard on this essay. I was very excited to do this artist. Todd Marrone is currently married and has two children named Rocco and Matilda. He also has a cat named Mokey. His children are currently one and three years old. Todd Marrone still loves to paint, draw and design today. Cross your fingers I have him next year!

The Philadelphia Inquirer just ran a feature featuring an arts venue that features my art.

Mr. Marrone is an art teacher here at Welsh Valley Middle School. When you see him from a far you might think he’s just an average Joe, but Mr. Marrone is anything but an average guy. Mr. Marrone is one of the most interesting of people you’ll ever meet, and I was here interviewing him to find that out!

Mr. Marrone does a lot of things besides art. He podcasts online, designs t- shirts, plays video games, reads, listens to music, and loves to hang out with his wife and kids. His favorite genre of music is jazz/alternative. He is currently designing a t-shirt for Nike, which will be out soon. Mr.Marrone can also do some pretty weird things; he can whistle through his ears, and balance things on his chin.

Mr. Marrone grew up in Bucks County, PA as a kid. He had no siblings, so art acted like a sibling to him. He loved art as a kid, but he also wanted to be a “monster movie make-up artist” throughout his elementary school years. He went to Pennsbury High School, and he still had his eye on art. Throughout his high school years Mr. Marrone grew tired of being called, “The Art Kid” and stopped making art. He had rejected art for about 2-3 years. Even though he rejected art, he wrestled all the way through high school. Mr. Marrone went to college at Kutztown University, where he then majored in English. Mr. Marrone had then realized in college that he had a true talent for art, so after college he went straight to grad school to become a certified teacher. Mr. Marrone had then realized his love for teaching and art went together, and therefore he is now an art teacher.

Mr. Marrone currently lives in Belmont Hills, PA. with his wife Heather and two kids Matilda (3) and Rocco (1). He also has a cat named Milky. Mr. Marrone has been an art teacher for fifteen years, and has loved every second of it. He said he loves teaching for a jumble of things but the main reason he loves it is because of the company of young people. His good friends at Welsh Valley MS are Mr. Ginsburg, Mr. Birch, Mr.&Mrs. Sullivan, Mr. Eskin, Mr. Kagan, and Mrs. Rodgers. But he loves everyone here at Welsh Valley!

Mr. Marrone has traveled many places for art shows; some being Paris, Amsterdam, Prague, and London. A quote that Mr. Marrone likes is “In the end we shall have had enough of cynicism and skepticism and humbug, and we shall want to live more musically”. – Vincent Van Gogh.  His favorite piece of art is “Guernica” by Picasso. His favorite experience in life was having his two children.

Now you know why Mr. Marrone isn’t an average Joe!

Along with teaching middle school art and being a family man, Todd Marrone is an artist. He relates more to graphic or comic book artists, but still appreciates more traditionally known painters like Picasso. His work is very pop-culture based and is influenced by Keith Herring and John Burgerman. Marrone feels his artistic style helps create a connection between the art world and his students. It appeals to them and gives them a sense that they too can become artists. As a teacher, he has been very supportive of his students; recently he and a former student, now a senior in high school, have collaborated on a series of paintings that can be currently seen at MilkBoy, Bryn Mawr entitled the “Colabyrinth.” Another student, who is currently a sophomore at Drexel, started the Formation Skateboard Company and has worked with Marrone on about twelve different board designs.

While Marrone’s students enjoy his work they sometimes become bored or overwhelmed with older art periods or styles. Marrone tries to find ways for students to “sink their teeth” into art. For example, he sees most students struggling with impressionist painters, so he focuses on the history of the artist. Students tend to be more interested when they find out the rebellious history behind the paintings.

Marrone’s art can defiantly be seen as a product modern times. In order to get his art into people’s hands he jumped on the internet years before Twitter. He soon found his work being influenced by the techno distribution methods. By browsing his work it can be noticed that most of his pieces have singular, short words for titles. That became more of technical decision rather that creative; when he originally began uploading thumbnails of his painting to the web it was difficult to fit longer titles therefore brevity became habit.

He believes art can be accessible to new audiences. There is a snooty stigma behind the way art is marketed, “If you ask someone about a movie or TV show people will give an answer without being a filmmaker, but with art, people will just say ‘I’m not an artist.’” Since he makes his livelihood through teaching he has been able to take more liberties with his art. It has allowed him more “freedom” to make his work more accessible without having to think in terms of profit. “People who need art can’t always afford it,” he explains. Marrone is as accessible as his artwork; he’s willing to create unique pieces and work with an individual’s budget.

Wanted: Willy Wonka is looking for his Charlie to lead philosophy/discussion group in coffee house setting once a month. Required skills include a love of art, new ideas, and an appreciation for stimulating conversation.

Local artist, Todd Marrone has been organizing Socrates Cafe for about three years and is currently looking for a partner in crime to help lead discussions and meetings. The concept of this discussion series stems from the book of the same name by Christopher Phillips who was a professor of philosophy. Phillips had become disgruntled about the state of how philosophy was being taught; he felt academic students were trained to regurgitate old ideas instead of developing new concepts of thought. He decided to travel across the country holding “Socrates Cafes” where people could come together and hold discussions. He went everywhere including bingo halls and prisons. The conversation’s jumping point would be an abstract question and everyone in attendance was welcomed comment.

Marrone continues this tradition on third Monday of every month at MilkBoy Acoustic in Bryn Mawr. He creates an informal environment that makes people of all mindsets and ages feel welcome. While some people do have an academic based philosophy background, the group is more focused on freethinking and non-traditional concepts of philosophy. The group can range from just 2 to 3 people or be as large as 25. Marrone starts the group out by directing them to write an abstract question on an index card and then the group democratically votes on what question to discuss. He feels by coming up with a concept on site it will allow for more “organic” thoughts. Marrone, who is also a middle school art teacher, has a way of getting everyone to have a say in the discussion. He calmly deters people who monopolize the conversation and helps break down the question when the crowd starts out on the quiet side. People are also welcome to just come and absorb .

The goal is for attendees to be stimulated by the conversation. Marrone says it may be “daunting after a day of work but participating wakes you up.” Ideas can make a person feel alive and allows them to be more immersed in things, whether it is life or art. Marrone says, “There’s enough room for everyone to participate.”

Join the discussion on Monday, June 17 at 7 p.m. at MilkBoy in Bryn Mawr.
If you are interested in becoming a group leader you can contact Todd Marrone.

Welsh Valley Middle School art teacher Todd Marrone quotes Leonardo da Vinci, “Poor is the pupil who does not surpass his master,” and typically refuses to draw or paint on a student’s project. Of course all teachers are honored when former students acknowledge their work and ask for advice so he was thrilled when his former eighth-grade pupil, graduating Lower Merion High School senior Hanna Williams of Narberth, asked him to collaborate with her on her independent community-learning project, Senior Project, which in the case of Hanna (pronounced hah-na), a talented traditional oil painter, was an art project.

The age difference or the former student/teacher tie aren’t what makes this artistic partnership unusual. Rather it’s the two artists’ very different styles. Hanna’s work is realistic and extremely detailed, the sort of thing portrait painters tried to master before the advent of photography and still awe-inspiring. Todd’s work is much more modern and abstract, taking its cue partly from the shapes of primitive painting, cartoons or even graffiti: faces, alien-like creatures or worms painted with bold lines.

“She’s evolved and I’ve de-evolved” in their styles, he likes to joke.

The resulting set of paintings, “The Colabyrinth,” debuted at Bryn Mawr’s MilkBoy café June 1 and will be on display through the end of June. There was a reception the evening of June 4 complete with live guitar music at which family, Hanna’s friends and MilkBoy patrons got to enjoy the work. The paintings are for sale. MilkBoy is in the Bryn Mawr Film Institute building at 824 E. Lancaster Ave.

Hanna learned a few things with this project: for one thing she now enjoys using paint markers as well as brushes.

Arguably she inherited some of her talent: her father, long in film production, is also an artist and used to create the puzzle page for every issue of “Highlights for Children.”

This fall Hanna is headed to Laguna College of Art and Design in California.

Of course each artist has a Web site: toddmarrone.com and hannawilliams.com.

Fortunately, frequent Phrequency contributor and phenominal photographer, Tiffany Yoon, was on hand to capture Saturday night’s Formation festivities.

Sneak a peek at the cruiser customization command center. Marvel at the oddly worded Philadelphia City Paper blurbicle promoting the Custom Cruisers reception and show.

Many thanks to the attendees of Thursday’s Hanging Jackets opening reception. Additional e-props to DJ iLLumadel for supplying the groves, Arcadia Boutique for playing host and City Paper AND Philadelphia Weekly for issuing all-points blurbetins.

David Robinson • Main Line Times • November, 2008

The phrase “passing the torch” may bring to mind the vision of our ancestors moving through darkened caves, with tiring elders handing the flame of leadership to the next generation. In the art world, “passing the torch” might be thought of as the moment when ancient hands drawing beasts and visions on cave walls pause to take the torch from eager apprentices and hand them charcoal and umber to begin their artistic journey.

MilkBoy Coffee in heart of Ardmore, will be the site of such an exchange First Friday, Dec. 5 from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Welsh Valley Middle School’s charismatic art teacher, Todd Marrone, will be passing the torch to the young artist, Lower Merion senior Emmett DeMuzio.

“I went to the Lower Merion High School Art Showcase to see the student work,” Marrone explained. “I go to see what the high school’s are teaching, so I know how to prepare my middle school students for the high school art programs. I also go to catch up on the high school work of my former students… and it’s always a treat to see the art. The shows showcase senior art, but also include the lower grades, and I was really impressed with Emmett’s work and drawn to his style. It’s rare to see such stylistic strength at such a young age. He has a surrealistic flavor. His work is character driven, very graphic and shows a great deal of imagination. I guess it also comes down to what I like and seek in other artists.”

Marrone e-mailed DeMuzio’s art teacher to arrange a meeting, but year end school activities got in the way of meeting, and then DeMuzio went off to a summer painting course at the Rhode Island School of Design. DeMuzio has been serious about his art since middle school and has taken previous summer courses at Moore and the Philadelphia Academy.

“This fall, we finally connected and I saw his sketchbook and thought it would be interesting to do something together,” Marrone explained. Marrone’s work includes drawing and graphic design ranging from skateboards to T-shirts, and performance art. “I’ve done a few shows at MilkBoy for the past three years, and when I was asked back this year, I immediately thought of collaborating with Emmett, because he will bring a new energy and audience,” he said.

The MilkBoy performance art program will feature Marrone and DeMuzio working on stage along with the music of D.J. Lightborn and the four piece band, The Levelheads.

“We will have easels on both sides of the stage and work during the music,” Marrone explained. “We may do as many as 40 improvisational pieces, and we’ll have some hanging art for sale.

“Passing the Torch,” at MilkBoy Coffee (across from Radio Shack on Lancaster Avenue), is free and for all ages, as part of First Friday on the Main Line.