We were lucky to catch up with Ben Workman recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ben, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
Art brings beauty and spurs the imagination. It expands our thinking. As an artist, I’m most proud to have my work hanging in new spaces and introduce more people to my message. I want my abstract way of seeing love, acceptance and freedom resonates with individuals, whether you have walked a similar life path to me or not. I recently completed one of the largest commercial installations of my career at the famed Evening Star Building in Washington DC. To have my art located in a historic building on the most historic avenue in The United States is a dream come true. What better place for my mission than Washington, DC. Just the presence of the art makes it a beacon for my message.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
It wasn’t until 2010, after having suffered decades of emotional abuse and being marginalized for my sexual orientation, that I found myself on the brink of an emotional precipice. It was in that moment that helplessness turned to strength and the artist Jumper Maybach stepped forward and became instrumental and vital to my healing process. Jumper gave me the confidence and power to manifest the artist I never knew I could be. I used this persona as a way to find strength and creativity behind clown makeup. But over the recent years, I’ve evolved – I no longer paint or make appearances in clown makeup, I’m speaking and creating from a healed place. My hope is that the Jumper Maybach brand will inspire an awakening within everyone. My art is a constant evolution of color and bold mixing of techniques that results in surprising and compelling abstract art.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
For me, the most rewarding thing for me was actually discovering my gift to create art. Prior to my awakening in 2010, I never knew I this creative side existed.

: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Most people don’t understand bullying. They do not fully understand the long and short-term consequences of this kind of abuse. I know just how bad it can be because I had to deal with bullying all my life. Growing up I was teased because I was different from all the other kids. Eventually, the verbal abuse turned physical and I was beaten up more than once. The taunting followed me from childhood to adolescence as I learned to deal with my sexual orientation. Being gay as a teenager in Houston was difficult and unfortunately, the bullying did not stop when I became an adult. Despite my employer having a policy against intimidation and harassment, they allowed the abuse to continue even though I did nothing wrong. There’s more to Jumper Maybach than bright, bold colors. My artwork is driven by my deep desire to end hate, bullying and intolerance. This mission serves as the fuel, motivation and foundation for each piece of art I create. Each unique expression of art is a vivid way of expressing freedom, individuality, and triumph of the human spirit.

Contact Info:

• Website: jumpermaybach.com
• Instagram: @jumper_maybach
• Facebook: @JumperMaybachBoutique
• Twitter: @JumperMaybach
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/jumpermay

Image Credits
All photos are copyrighted by Jumper Maybach LLC.