We were lucky to catch up with Jon Brick recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jon, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

My mission is to promote love and unity within the black and brown community. I inspire collaborative efforts to build relationships and create a stronger community. A part of my purpose is to uplift the youth and encourage their creativity, with hopes for innovation and bright future.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Jon Brick (of Brick Art) is a Baltimore-based conceptual artist and entrepreneur. He is skilled in painting, body art, graphic design as well as graffiti art. Jonathan combines self-taught skills with techniques acquired during his time in college, where he received his bachelor’s degree in fine arts/computer graphics in 2007. Jonathan’s art reflects his expression of life experiences, current events in today’s society, also his love for Black Culture. By day Jon teaches the fundamentals of art to high school students in Baltimore City. Here he has cultivated a youth Artist led art collective called Cre8tive Xpression. Mr.Bricks’ evening and weekend time are spent providing therapeutic paint sessions at several spaces on the east coast. His works of art can now be seen on displays not only in Baltimore but also in other venues and spaces in the DMV area.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I come from an environment that didn’t understand the industry of art. I was always told that artist don’t make enough revenue to provide a decent quality of life. I had to unlearn this and remove it from my memory because it is a complete fabrication.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Having been employed in the customer service and tech support industry for years, helped me a lot in business. I understand how to show empathy and ask fact finding questions to ensure my client is satisfied . Paired with producing art work that is captivating and engaging but captures a memory that is dear to my client. I assure they will have a unique experience in my care.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @83Bricks
• Facebook: Jonathan Brickous
• Linkedin: Jonbrickart