We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful James Rees. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with James below.

James, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is titled “Who is American Today?” This ongoing research project delves into the perceptions of high school students regarding what it means to be American and explores the role digital media skills play in shaping their civic identities.

The project is participatory and arts-based, leveraging the technological abilities of today’s students who have been raised with digital tools. High school students are asked to use digital storytelling to express their lived experiences in America. The goal is to investigate the relationship between creativity and democracy, promoting essential democratic skills such as articulating one’s own perspective and responding to others’.

In this community of learners, which includes high school students, art educators, and myself as the researcher, we explore the central question: “How can art education prepare students to be critical digital citizens?” By using widely-available creative digital tools, the project aims to articulate student voices in ways that transcend polarizing issues and create shared understandings about citizenship and the pursuit of the common good.

Through the participation of educators across the United States and their students’ work, our team gathers data from the digital stories produced. These narratives provide critical insights into what students today are thinking and how they approach critical thinking within digital media. The digital stories generated as a result of this project are showcased online in our galleries and occasionally travel in exhibitions across the country.

This project is meaningful to me because it not only fosters creativity and critical thinking in students but also encourages them to engage in democratic practices. By giving students a platform to share their voices and perspectives, we are helping to build a more inclusive and understanding society.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is titled “Who is American Today?” This ongoing research project delves into the perceptions of high school students regarding what it means to be American and explores the role digital media skills play in shaping their civic identities.

The project is participatory and arts-based, leveraging the technological abilities of today’s students who have been raised with digital tools. High school students are asked to use digital storytelling to express their lived experiences in America. The goal is to investigate the relationship between creativity and democracy, promoting essential democratic skills such as articulating one’s own perspective and responding to others’.

In this community of learners, which includes high school students, art educators, and myself as the researcher, we explore the central question: “How can art education prepare students to be critical digital citizens?” By using widely-available creative digital tools, the project aims to articulate student voices in ways that transcend polarizing issues and create shared understandings about citizenship and the pursuit of the common good.

Through the participation of educators across the United States and their students’ work, our team gathers data from the digital stories produced. These narratives provide critical insights into what students today are thinking and how they approach critical thinking within digital media. The digital stories generated as a result of this project are showcased online in our galleries and occasionally travel in exhibitions across the country.

This project is meaningful to me because it not only fosters creativity and critical thinking in students but also encourages them to engage in democratic practices. By giving students a platform to share their voices and perspectives, we are helping to build a more inclusive and understanding society.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Space significantly influences my work, both in terms of color and subject matter. The quality of light and the energy of a place play pivotal roles in the creation of my artwork. My home studio faces north and overlooks our Zen garden, allowing me to witness how the incoming light and energy change in quality throughout the day. This dynamic interaction with space deeply informs my creative process.

Life events also bring their own unique energy that reverberates within me, affecting my thoughts, feelings, and perspective. These experiences often evoke conflicting thoughts and emotions, and my mind generates images that I then transform into meaningful pieces of art. This process not only helps me navigate these events but also teaches me new ways to view and understand them. I can trace the influences of light—whether physical or spiritual—and experiences on my art, and these elements continually shape my creative journey.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For those unfamiliar with my work, I’m an artist deeply inspired by the interplay of light, space, and personal experiences. My journey into the art world began with a fascination for how different environments and moments could evoke powerful emotions and ideas. Over time, I developed a practice that integrates these elements into my work, creating pieces that resonate on both personal and universal levels.

In my art, I create pieces that reflect the ever-changing qualities of light and the emotional energy of life events. My work ranges from paintings and digital art to installations, each crafted to capture and convey the essence of my experiences and surroundings. I also offer personalized commissions, where I collaborate with clients to create bespoke artworks that resonate with their own stories and spaces.

What sets my work apart is the intentional integration of light and personal narrative into each piece. By harnessing the transformative power of light and personal experiences, I create art that not only decorates a space but also brings a deeper sense of connection and reflection to those who engage with it. My clients often seek pieces that offer more than aesthetic appeal—they look for art that tells a story, evokes emotion, and sparks contemplation.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jamesreesart.com
• Instagram: @jamesreesart.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-rees-337947b/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=eAYyPwGQ-Am-sOvCHI8Hqw