We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Keegan Carter a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Keegan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

I don’t believe in extremes, at least anymore. I think balance is always key and I apply the same thinking to my art career. When I was younger, all I wanted to do was be a businessperson and make a lot of money. Once I started spending more time with my creative craft I, then, only wanted to be an artist. I found both ends of the spectrum unsatisfying. I think about this topic quite often because once you’re good at something atypical the first question people ask you is if you “plan to make it your career” or “do it full-time.” We’re conditioned to think about things as entirely full or entirely empty rather than somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. I now embody the idea that I am an artist whether I’m creating at that moment, working a job, working on a side project, or not doing anything at all. I create from a place of expression and energetic fuel. It keeps me going. I don’t create for the sole purpose of making money or supporting myself. So while I haven’t quite figured out the perfect path forward, that approach has been working well for me as of late and I’m happy being who I am and not worrying about what I should or shouldn’t be doing.

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?

I am a Jamaican-American visual artist with a background in business. Originally from NJ, I am heavily influenced by culture, music, and food as well as my time living and painting in Mexico City, Mexico. Working mostly with acrylic paint, amate paper, and wood, my style features layering and texturing techniques that lift the work off of the surface and closer to the experiencer (you). With this approach, I create aesthetically fluid works that are inspired by real-world events and life experiences. My artwork can be likened to the abstract expressionism era, where the subconscious-driven method of painting spontaneously was preferred over conscious production. More clearly, I create with 2 things in focus: emotion and aesthetics. Lastly, I have produced 3 solo shows and am currently working on my 4th. I’m most proud of the person I am and continue to become because my artwork is simply a product of that. I truly believe that we are vessels. When you experience one of my works, you encounter life, love, pain, joy, and other emotions. They just happened to travel through me. I hope that is something that lives on with my art when I’m no longer here to express it.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Support. Artist. Content.

The beautiful thing about social media is that it has given artists a platform of their own to grow and build their base. Folks may not always be in a position to buy something from the artists to support, but sharing their content is absolutely FREE. It’s the best way to support artists in today’s day and age in my opinion. Sharing it broadly with your community to directly with others who may be interested can help the artists find their community and vice versa. Don’t undervalue the power of a click.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Being a creative is a gift and a curse because it’s not a choice. It’s not just something you learn and then live by. I can only speak for myself, but “if I ain’t creating nothing I don’t feel good,” quoting Andre 3000. It’s medicine, it’s therapy…it’s water. I need it to be ok. So when you see artists laying it all on the line for their craft, it’s not a rational inclination. It’s a deep-rooted emotional one. They’re operating from a place of feeling and the brain isn’t equipped to comprehend that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.keegancarter.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complexcarter/
• Other: tiktok.com/@complexcarter

Image Credits
Jaren Higgins, Sana Imam