We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ortie Rainford Jr. a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Ortie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I didn’t really know that I wanted to be an artist in full truth. I’ve always had the innate ability to be able to draw as a child with no aspirations of being a creative. I was told from a past relationship that wasn’t going to be anything. It did fuel a fire in me to prove to myself and thank the Lord that He gave me this talent. He (Lord Jesus) sought it fit for me to pursue this ambition. Me stating the name Jesus wasn’t even in my vocabulary because I was certainly lost in this world…trust. I thank the Lord for the opportunities and the people I’ve met along the way in my journey as an artist. I can only give glory to Him because only He knows that I wouldn’t have made it to where I am now. Alive

Ortie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am an artist by way of Carson, California. I am a self-taught artist in various mediums which over was acquired. I am a Jamaican-American, first generation. I am reborn man of Christ, but I still have problems like everyone else. I am now a father of three beautiful children and a husband to a beautiful wife and I am an artist. I’ve been on hiatus because of life. I’ve had to learn the hard way traveling the road less travelled but I am right where I belong. The services I provide were album covers and commission pieces in all mediums (acrylic, watercolor, spray paint, and digital). I have done work for Reggie Flair who was my first big piece of art on my journey and later did the “Loose Skrew” album for Da$H which was a blessing. My work is definitely unique or abstract with a fun feel to it and emotions. My work is very detailed and I’m proud of that niche that I have in my work. If I do get another opportunity to do any work for anyone, I would be timely and efficient in getting the work completed meeting deadlines. As of late, I enjoy my peace and paint if I can. Only way for me to be contacted in through my email.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

What I had to unlearn is ego doesn’t hold no form of weight in this field of industry. It can be your biggest downfall, especially as an artist. I had a many of peers and I’ve had a lot of people turn their backs on me or vice versa. I accept my faults in the things that may have been in the past. I’ve lost a lot of opportunities and possibly been blackballed but hey it’s life.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is when someone genuinely enjoys your art as an individual or whether it invoked an emotion in them and it’s tangible in physical or in spirit.

Contact Info:

• Other: [email protected]