Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Serron Green. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Serron, thanks for joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

Learning the “craft” if you want to call it that, is a never ending process. As a self taught artist with no formal schooling or training, learning is a must. Most of what I’ve learned has been through trial and era. Or from other artist, specifically graffiti artist. That’s where I gained most of the techniques that I use now. I’m not exactly sure how, but I once learned that if you took apart an old speed stick, removing the deodorant part, that you could fill it with ink, stuff a sponge inside of it, and it would function like a marker with a super wide head. Funny when I think back to that, I must’ve been high or something. Lol.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I suppose you can say I never “got into” the art industry. It was something that I was born being able to do. I would always draw superheroes as a child. And I was constantly making things out of anything that I found around the house growing up. I’ve always liked the idea of making something out of something that I found. Currently that is how I practice my art. I do a little bit of everything. I paint, draw, and create sculptures. I also do installation work. There are also times that I write, and make industrial style home goods. If there was a moment where I got into the industry, I’d have to say it was about 10 years ago when I randomly met a curator at a coffee shop. From there I started doing small local exhibitions. And as time has gone on, I’ve been able to move on to bigger, more recognized spaces. Although it hasn’t been easy, it has been an interesting journey. A few of the things that I’m most proud of is, having collectors nationally and internationally. I’m also really proud of having been in multiple publications such as Ebony magazine, O magazine, to name a few. Also having recently having my work shown and acknowledged at my hometown museum in Newark. Finding out that I was published in a book, A Gathering Of The Tribes #16 The BLM issue at The Whitney museum in New York was a very proud moment for me. One of the most important things that I want potential collectors to know, is that I put everything that I can into every piece. I want it to be the best quality that I can give, and that it will last a lifetime. I also want them to know that what I do, although it starts with me, is for them. I don’t do what I do so I can keep it for myself. It’s for everyone that consumes the imagery and the message. I also want them to know how much I appreciate there investment in me. I work as hard as I can to make sure that every time they look at what I’ve done, they have the same feeling that drew them to it in the first place.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

There’s so many rewards to being a creative. One of those things are the conversations that happen when people are looking at what I’ve done. When I see the light, so to speak, come on. I love to see that moment when someone “gets it”. I also enjoy the interaction with people that I don’t know. I learn a lot that way. Conversing with someone that doesn’t have the same background as me, is a plus. I feel that we can learn so much from one another. If we took more time to do that, I think we’d be better off as a whole. Another rewarding aspect is gaining ideas from those interactions. Because we’re all so different, a brief conversation can spark an entirely new thought, or idea. I’ve gotten so many ideas from simple conversations that it’s not even funny. Whether it be a phrase that someone uses, a thought about a piece that I’ve already done, I’m constantly taking form those interactions and creating something new.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Well, as most people had to do, during the pandemic pivoting was a must. I had just moved into my studio a month or so before the pandemic. Once it started there were no more exhibits, no more fairs, nothing. I was never someone that spent a lot of time posting on social media, but because of the pandemic, I had no choice but to start being more active. And although you can’t always quite grasp what you’re looking at in a picture, it did help me get more exposure because everyone was sitting home scrolling all day. I think that helped me a lot get to where I am now.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://newarkartistsdatabase.org/artist/xplorefreedom/
• Instagram: @xplorefreedom
• Facebook: @xplorefreedom

Image Credits
Model Mylah Gyimah for the red white and blue piece. All other images are mine.