Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tyree Jones. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Tyree, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
I have always loved drawing; it was and is one of the only activities that ground me in the present moment. Throughout high school and college, I would draw to ease my nerves about my oncoming fears of adulthood. I had no idea what I wanted to do, or who I wanted to be. I considered every possibility except for ‘artist,’ because that meant that my future came with insecurity, vulnerability, and commitment. I concluded that I would work in the artistic industry, but not as an artist. I didn’t quite have the confidence to jump headfirst into the ‘artist’ title, even though I knew I wanted to be behind the easel. I felt like a fraud calling myself an artist. So I waited tables, I slung coffee, I took taco orders, and I ignored the burning desire to create something for myself. My artwork began to feel as if it were my alter ego that couldn’t wait to emerge. I would bike home on lunch breaks only to work on a sketch I had been thinking about, and I started bringing sketchpads wherever I went. This went on and on until the pandemic hit.
It was the first time I had been completely free, almost forced to stay in the house and do nothing but paint and draw for days on end. Truthfully, it was blissful; my only commitment was to my work, and I got to do that at my own pace and in my own time. My passion for it grew and I couldn’t stop myself from sharing it with others – and it resonated. I painted about the civil unrest that was occurring in my city, I painted about my inner growth, and I found my voice. I was able to speak about who I was, who I wanted to be, and why. The simple act of sharing my experience through this conduit allowed me to connect with others. I couldn’t look back.
So when I got the call from the restaurant I had previously worked at asking if I’d be returning. I confidently told them “no.” From that point forward I knew that art was my path. There wasn’t any way that it couldn’t be an ultimate part of the big picture for me. Now when I meet people and they ask me what I do, it’s second nature to say “Hi! I’m Tyree, and I’m an artist… no TYree… T-Y-R-E-E. Yep! Perfect.”
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Tyree Jones, and I’m a fine artist specializing in oil portraiture. I work simply to define my experiences and relationships in hopes I connect with people who have similar stories. I focus on expression and body language in my work because it allows viewers to see into the souls of other individuals. Being a human is strange in the sense that we have such personalized, indescribable, and complex individual experiences; while simultaneously, it is almost primal in us to connect communally. It’s as if a sense of a healthy community cannot exist without autonomy among its members. We have to know that other people are choosing us as much as we are choosing them. Through our similarities, we hold one another accountable, and we learn to tolerate our differences. So I work to show the similarities in individual experiences. I paint people by what they show me, and it becomes easy to see into their hearts. It’s easy to see that they carry worry, hope, love, etc., and a connection between the viewer and the subject becomes available without words. My goal is for the viewer to see themselves represented by the person painted before them despite their race, age, sexuality, and whatever other differences are involved. The work is designed to be a mirror and to connect with the most vulnerable parts of others. I want people to know that we are all seen.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I had to learn how to be rejected. I was so used to achieving something if I wanted to, and there were times when I felt entitled to opportunities. I remember once applying for a residency and I was sure that I would receive it because my work was up to par. I thought that was all it took until I got to the interview and completely bombed it. I was not well versed or sure of why I made art – and that’s still a work in progress currently, but at that point, I genuinely didn’t know. So I bombed the interview and the residency was awarded to someone else. I felt robbed, and I was unjustly angered that I didn’t receive it. It was that mentality that eventually made me realize that I was never ready for an opportunity of that caliber. I took rejection and failure personally and that infringed upon my work. So I had to learn how to be rejected. I had to learn that rejection isn’t a backtrack, but merely that it is a part of the journey in itself. Now I apply to things that I know I have a slim chance of getting so that I am no longer surprised by a rejection letter, and if I do get picked, even better.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect is that I get to make art. Full stop.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tyreejoart.com
- Instagram: @TyreejoArt
- Other: https://patreon.com/tyreejoart
