We recently connected with JC Harris and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, JC thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
I think as a child I always knew I wanted to do something creative as a career, but how it’s taken shape definitely wasn’t expected. I was in my mid 20s when I decided to take the leap and quit what was a quite a safe and stable job in financial services to go to art school. My parents were absolutely outraged at the time, but instinctively it felt right and I’m someone who always trusts that intuition.
Even in art school, it wasn’t until my final year where I could see myself doing art as a lifetime vocation. Though not long after I graduated, I had to deal with the realities of living back in the outside world which involved paying my rent, buying groceries and covering all my expenses. This led me to becoming a graphic designer for the sake of survival. At that point I thought my art life was over. There was a lot of imposter syndrome, insecurity and self-sabotage that happened during that time which stopped me from continuing with my artwork.
It wasn’t until 2020 during the pandemic that I began to pick up my art materials again as I needed a creative outlet. It was never in my mind to return to my art career, it was more the need to use art as a tool to process my emotions and thoughts, but not long after that I kept creating and exploring and I haven’t stopped since. I think it’s only in these last five years that I’ve felt like an artist and felt like I wanted to pursue it professionally. It took me a while to get back on track, but I’m glad I’m here.
JC, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I would describe myself as an artist who is an abstract painter. I think the path that led me to becoming an artist was that I grew up being surrounded by creativity. My great uncle, who died when I was a baby, was a well known landscape painter and I grew up seeing his paintings hanging in our home and hearing stories about his life. I think that inspired me a lot. I knew that I wanted to be creative in some way too, but didn’t know what that looked like exactly. It wasn’t until I quit my job and undertook six years of formal art education that I ever considered it as something I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
My work is really about identity and I draw upon my lived experience as a mixed-race gay man. I’m of Filipino/Australian/German heritage and being the product of such contrasting cultures definitely affects your sense of self and your cultural identity, particularly when you live in a predominantly white western country. I don’t think there are enough voices out there which tell the story of people like myself, and how confusing and isolating our lives can be, especially when you throw your sexuality into the mix.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I think the biggest pivot I made was moving into design after art school. I’m someone who has a hard time doing something for the sake of money and at the time I really wasn’t enjoying working in customer service roles while I was trying to fund my art career. I made the choice to use my creative skills in a different way to support myself. While it took me away from my art career aspirations for a number of years I eventually found my way back.
There are two types of artists out there. The kind that can just throw themselves 100% into their art and struggle financially so they can devote all the time to producing their work. The other type is what I am, and that’s the kind of artist that prefers financial security to fund their lives and their art, but sacrificing the available time to create. One day I hope to be doing art in a full-time capacity, but being able to fund all my art activities and pay all my living expenses definitely removes a layer of stress and pressure, especially when it comes to selling my art.
There’s no right or wrong way to be an artist, you just need to find your own way.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
For me I think the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the level of freedom you experience when creating. When I work in my 9-5 as a designer I’m bound by a lot of design principles and the choices and decisions of other people. When I’m in my studio I have the capacity to do whatever I want without fear of being bound by rules, convention or opinion.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jcharris.art
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jcharris.art/
