We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jack Ready a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jack, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

Learning the basic principles of art in school was very valuable to me. It is important to know the rules to be able to break them. It can be easy to get caught up in the rules and try to create something “perfect”. Learning to let go of that has been one of the most helpful lessons I’ve learned. Not being too precious with my artwork allows me to try new things. I’ve ruined countless paintings working this way, but it’s a crucial part of the process. I learn new things nearly everyday that I paint, many of them from the mistakes I make. The lessons I’ve learned are very specific to my art. Something that works for me might not for someone else, and visa versa. In that regard, there really is no short cut or way I could have sped up the process. The process is what creates the art.

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 background and context?

I am an abstract painter born and raised in San Diego. Like a lot of kids, I enjoyed drawing and I’ve had the privilege to continue making art to this day. Some might argue my most recent work is looking more childlike than ever (I’ll take that as a compliment). I am inspired by all styles of painting. Renaissance masters and graffiti legends are toe-to-toe in my book. The work of New York abstract expressionists from the 1940s-60s is what sparked my love for abstraction. There is no utilitarian purpose to abstract art; therein lies the freedom. I sold my first abstract work in 2018 and have continued growing my business since then. Social media has been central to my business for promoting events and selling my work. It has also been gratifying to see sales start to come in directly from my website, jackready.com. I thank my community and friends for being many of my first customers. Places such as Pali Wine Co. have hosted multiple shows for me, allowing me to showcase my art to the community. Collaborations such as Sneaks Clothing and many others have also helped introduce new people to my work.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I encourage everyone to find art that they enjoy or that makes them think. There are a few famous artists that I’ve spent so much time disliking their work, that I now enjoy for how much they’ve made me think. Art is subjective – when people do connect with my art it means a lot to me. I’ve learned to double down on trusting my instincts. When I was painting portraits in the past, it was an easier subject to digest – they either looked like the subject or not. With abstract art there is no reference. In a way I find it more personal because it’s based purely on my decisions and ideas.

Is there a mission driving your creative journey?

Consistency, progression, and clear ideas are important to me. My goal is to work full-time as an artist. I truly love painting and being able to spend all my time creating art and inspiring others to do the same would be a dream come true.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jackready.com
• Instagram: jackreadyart