1. What inspires your work?
Right now Bob Ross, people & cartoons inspire my work. Very odd combo. I grew up watching Bob Ross on PBS & his positive attitude never stopped him from painting even when he made a mistake. He would say "There's no such thing as mistakes, only happy accidents." I mess up a lot when I'm drawing, but I somehow turn it into something creative. I also used to be terrible at drawing portraits. It's now all I seem to be drawing! I try to get creative with the portraits so they aren't simple. I love going wild with the hair or backgrounds. Right now, I'm kind of trapped in this real/cartoony drawing phase. I love the bold lines that give my drawings more of a graphic look. Like on Power Puff Girls or Dexter's Lab. All of these things come together & are shown in my style today.
2. Who are some of your inspirations?
Aside from Bob Ross. I follow a lot of really dope artists on Instagram believe it or not. It's so great to see that there are other people my age out there rocking the art scene. Anything from photographers to sculptors to tattooists to painters. Some of the artists that I'm huge fans on Instagram are fans of my work & that blows my mind! It definitely keeps me going.
3.Where did you get your start?
I got my start at a young age of 5 years old. My Ma (mother) sat me down on weekends & had craft time. She would teach me how to draw basic things, sew & make some really weird stuff! I made a few ugly monkeys out of panty hose in my day LOL! As I got older she taught me more about how to draw with dimension & perspective. Over time, with help from my Ma & art classes, my skills really grew. My Ma recently taught my 26 year old sister to draw. Drawing is definitely a skill that can be learned at any age.
4.What are you goals and aspirations?
My large goals: I would love to show my work at Art Basel Miami some day. It's a huge exhibition held on South Beach every year with about 50,000 attendees. I also would like to become a well-known artist across the United States if possible. My small goals: I'd like to become less critical of my work & be proud of it. I'm extremely critical of my work if it isn't perfect on the first try. Nothing is perfect on the first try. I'm still struggling with that lesson.
5.What would you say to aspiring artists?
I would say that this road is rough. Most times people around me don't understand my dream of becoming a great artist. They try to convince me that it's a waste of time & not possible. I've lost a few friends while following my art dreams. This isn't a path that most want to take, but don't give up. I feel like shredding my drawings & throwing all my materials out my window at least once a week. This all takes time. Keep going. Keep practicing. Keep learning. Keep growing.
6.Do you live by a quote? If so what is the quote and how does it motivate you?
I live by 3 quotes:
1) "God is in the details." - Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe
Details can make or break a picture. I prefer the high detailed route.
2) "To avoid criticism: say nothing, do nothing, be nothing." - Aristotle
Critique is inevitable if you want to get somewhere. Criticism isn't always bad either. I've received critiques from other artists that have helped improve my work. Some people don't like criticism. I on the other hand welcome it.
3) "Who am I? I could be anyone." - Rango
Yes. Rango. An animated movie about a lizard who finds his life purpose through a role-playing journey of which he gets lost in the desert. A very existential quote that really hit home for me. I can be whoever I want to be. Right now, I'm working on becoming a great artist.
7. How can people follow you work?
Simple enough, I post my work on Instagram (@TheKathedral). But I would eventually like to create a small website where my work can by viewed & purchased even for the people who don't have instagrams.
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