We recently connected with Jesus Rojas and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jesus, thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I never asked me this question before(?) I just know that when I was around 7 years old I won my first prize in a painting contest. I think that right then I knew where I was heading to without knowing there is a dividing line between amateur and professional. At 14 years old I start taking drawing classes and later I went to the school or art and graduated in 1980. Everything has been very natural, I just followed my instincts and the need to express myself. There was a time I experimented with many things such as illustration, printmaking, graphic design and painting until I went more towards painting. That is as close I can get to a point where I was “searching”, trying and experimenting; but all this is about learning technics and trying different disciplines. In a way I was trying all this venues professionally as well. That is the reason why I call my self VISUAL ARTIST and not just Painter or Designer. I always knew I was going to be an artist, and I always took it seriously, PROFESSIONALLY.

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

I was born in the Peruvian Andes but grew up in Lima, a cold, gray and complicated city that forced me to escape with my imagination, adopting the light and bright colors of the Andes, where I traveled whenever I had a chance escaping the bustle of the city; light and colors that I also found here, in the Caribbean. Since I was a child I have been attracted to light, clarity and clean, pure colors. My work is influenced by the many years of being a children’s book illustrator before leaving Perú, experience responsible for the playful aspect of my work. Other interests, such as erotism, spirituality, and the eternal duality that govern the universe are also part of my work. When people look at my artwork I would like them to feel the vibrancy of life, the beauty of color and the joy of living; my work is about the positive side of life, it is about joy, light and color. Among the disciplines I cultivated are Acrylic Painting, Watercolor, Calligraphy, Illustration, Printmaking and Graphic Design.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

When you like the creative work of an artist, hire him or her; please, buy a piece of his or her work. It is nice to hear compliments about your work, but artists need more than that.

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

The human experience. It doesn’t matter it is a painting, a freelance project or a commission, I ALWAYS remember the client. For me this interaction is the most important aspect of the creative process, the mutual respect and appreciation between the creator and the client.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jesusrojas.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesusrojasart/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jesusrojas.art
• Other: https://artmo.com/user/JesusArt https://jesusrojas.id.art/

Image Credits

LA BESTIA, TELVE MOUTHS, DOUBLE FEELING, FLOR DE MUJER, MEDITATING FLOWER, RASTAFARI, PENSANDOTE, TWINS, and UNTITTLE