We were lucky to catch up with Jesus Vasquez recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jesus, thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

the moment i knew that i wanted to pursue art professionally was the day i sold my first painting, but not necessarily the sale itself that got to me, it was expressing of love that this stranger was showing towards a piece of my heart, my creation. the fact that they were willing to pay for something that i created out of love for the subject meant so much to me. thats when i knew i wanted to continue that feeling.

i was doing a show at union station in kansas city with a fellow artist and close friend of mine. we had our table set up and i had a few original paintings and prints on display. there was the usual flow of people doing the walk through, complimenting, asking questions about the artwork and then moving on routine, and then one person stops asks questions about this painting of Jimi Hendrix, looks at the prints, and then says i have to go to the atm and take out some cash. and that she will return in a while with the money. which every artist knows that means that they arent coming back. well to my surprise, she did, as she was walking towards me i figured she was at least returning for a print. i was wrong, she wanted the original, she expressed how much she loved it and had to have it. i could see and feel the genuineness in her voice and i felt like a true artist in that moment.

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

I am a beer-drinking, tequila-sipping, first-generation Mexican American artist from Kansas City, MO. Drawing and doodling have been a part of my life since childhood, but I’ve been painting for the past 12 years and exhibiting and selling my work professionally for the last 10. Encouraged by family and friends to pursue my talent beyond a hobby, I mainly work with acrylic paints, specializing in portraits of both people and pets. what sets me apart from others, i am a self taught artist, that has learned through the experiences and errors, i have molded my style and continue to tune it with each portrait i have done previously. i like my brush strokes to be loose but with purpose, colorful and complementing, but still with detail that you notice as you study the painting and take in. There are many amazing artists, each with their own unique attributes, and I am no exception. I have my own distinctive voice that speaks through the canvas.

I take pride in my ability to bring clients’ ideas to life with vibrancy, color, and love, aiming to capture the essence of the commissioned person or pet. Should a problem or concern arise with a client’s commission, I attentively listen to their issues and collaborate on solutions, bouncing ideas back and forth until we establish a resolution. I do my best to make sure the client feels heard and that their commissioned artwork is not only a reflection of the artist but the client themselves.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I find it very rewarding when i am able accomplish something that i at one time felt like i wasn’t good enough to do at one time, for example, portraits! I was horrible at portraits for the longest time, through lots of practice, i slowly started to get better at them. Im finally at a level where i feel confident at painting portraits but know i still have lots of room for growth! Also, i find it super rewarding when i see a genuine love or excitement on someone’s face when they look at my art,

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I would have to say it goes back to my portraits, I have had a few clients that have commissioned me to do portraits that i wasnt comfortable doing because i didn’t feel like my abilities were up to par yet, but i wanted the challenge and through trial and error i was able to execute the painting and i also felt like i grew as an artist after the experience. One such painting that comes to mind was a commission of Teddy Pendergast, the client wanted me to paint a full bodied portrait in color which i was still not super comfortable with colored portraits yet. I struggled so much even starting the painting, there was a fur coat that i couldn’t get the texture right, and then i felt like i wasn’t getting skin tones or details good enough, that commission took me over a year to finish, but once i did get to a point where i felt like he looked good and i was satisfied with everything, i felt like in that moment i was in awe that i was able to create this piece of art that stressed me out so bad, that i almost didn’t even want to give the client her painting after it was done. Just kidding! i really was proud that i didn’t give up on it and was able to pull through!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Artndbeer
• Facebook: Jvasquezart