Turning blood into art

Vincent Castiglia is literally putting his blood, sweat and tears into his work.

The 30-year-old artist has been creating paintings using his own blood for the past ten years and is now preparing to open his fifth solo exhibition.

The artist began using blood as a medium in order to find a way to truly bond with his work.

SOUNDBITE: Vincent Castiglia, artist, saying (English):

"It was really just inspired by my need to connect with my work on the most intimate level. Every painting is a part of me, and that way it really dissolves the barrier between art and artist in the most literal sense."

While using blood in the color palette might sound strange, Castiglia said it's basically the same as using paint.

SOUNDBITE: Vincent Castiglia, artist, saying (English):

"The substance in blood that allows for me to use it as pigment is iron oxide. Iron oxide is the exact substance that's in - it's literally paint, it's the hue that's used in every other kinds of paint, oils, acrylics."

However, using paint might be safer.

Castiglia was hospitalized in 2008 while preparing for his first solo show in Switzerland.

SOUNDBITE: Vincent Castiglia, artist, saying (English):

"I probably lost track of how much I was collecting at the time because I was more concerned with the work then anything. I was pretty weak and then my lunge happened to collapse and I had some pretty invasive surgery to correct that."

Castiglia considers his work as a sort of rite of passage.

And as he prepares for his show at the Sacred Gallery in New York, Castiglia pointed out the irony.

SOUNDBITE: Vincent Castiglia, artist, saying (English):

"The name of the gallery is Sacred and I thought it was so appropriate because this work is sacred to me in that each piece is a sacrifice, you know. And it is so much a part of me, it's so me."

"Resurrection" will run until October 31st.