We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Justin Alexander a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Justin, appreciate you joining us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?
Issues with being an artist? More so like expected maintenance with having creative block here and there. Its frustrating at times, but I tell myself that’s the check engine light going off to unplug and go live life for a while, have some new experiences, try some different things so that you can have something to pull inspiration from. There’s no time limit on it, and sometimes I question do I need to rest or do I need to somehow just pull something out of thin air because this is all on you in the end. The best advice I could give is to listen to whatever your spirit is telling you. And if you’re waiting for some inspiration practice your craft at the least for ten minutes a day and you might stumble upon something new.
Justin, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m a person who likes to create art, I paint jackets, do acrylic pours, painted a mural, dabble up some illustrations every now and then, just like exploring. Sometimes I wonder ab0ut carrying the title of an actual artist because I look at other professionals who devote so much time and effort into their craft, and ask myself am I able to call myself the same as them? I create because it genuinely feels good to make something from scratch with my imagination. Just to see where something goes, not having to make it fit within the confines of what someone else wants, but to see what you’re capable of is such a invigorating feeling to me. I never want to make a job out of this because it will rob me of the joy of creating. What I want people to take away from my work is their own opinion. There doesn’t always have to be an explanation for a piece of art, sometimes the joy comes from hearing how it makes someone else feel, or what they think it might represent. Dare to be yourself, let your imagination roam as far as possible, and take time to enjoy this s*** while you can is what I embody.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
When someone appreciates and takes time to experience your work is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a creative for me. Everyone is already caught up within their own realms of life, we live in such a fast food, instant gratification type of society, but when someone really takes the time to stop and find meaning in your work, to have a reaction, to feel, to connect with what you put out there is riveting. Just connecting with another human being is special within itself, when you can relate through a piece of work feels like you’re making something of value. And what’s even more rewarding is when someone is willing to pay for it lol.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I wish I would’ve known about the power of networking as an artist way sooner than I did. The artist community is one of the most supportive communities I’ve experienced. If there’s a show that’s looking for artist, or a competition with a cash prize for artist, you’ll hear about it from the community. We’re always open to share, to give advice on what works or what to avoid, we open up our resources, support each other whether its sharing a post on social media, or paying for a fellow artist work. It’s not a dog eat dog mentality, and that’s one thing I really value about the visual artist community, we help each other make it to the next level instead of stepping over someone.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jayscanvas.bigcartel.com
- Instagram: j_stino
- Tik Tok: @j.stino