We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful MJ HARRATTAN . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with MJ below.

MJ, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I think the moment that I knew that I wanted to be a professional artist is when I was studying at Pratt Institute majoring in Illustration. Before college, I had no idea exactly what I wanted to be after my dreams of being an architect left me due to my inability to do complex math. But once I was in Pratt, I finally figured out that my path is in art professionally. What I did not know is that that path is not easy to persue in at all. Once I graduated, I did not find a job as an illustrator, realizing that it involves alot on who you know to get that opportunity. So within years down the line, I worked regular jobs just to get by but I still found time to create art whenever the spark came about and when people noticed, I was asked to create drawings. Some I did for free and others, I made sure I got paid for. Was I taken advantage at times, definitely yes. But those situations taught me alot and down the line, I eventually decided that I wanted to become an artrepreneur.

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I an a very passionate person and art is one of the things that I am most passionate about because art to me is more than just applying paint to a canvas or guiding a pencil on a sheet of paper. It is my therapy that keeps me calm and grounded and my language for communicating my most deepest and personal thoughts that sometimes can’t be properly shared verbally. I am definitely passionate about nature thanks to one of my biggest inspirations, artist Bob Ross who painted scenes of nature within 30 minutes out of his imagination. As a kid, seeing this, inspired me to want to be an artist and I too created scenes of nature out of my imagination. I am also most passionate about my love for my race and culture. While the media still persist in showing negative images of my people, I in the other hand, want to show our strength, courage, our triumphs, just basically the positive things. Everything that I’m passionate about, I incorporate it in my art. And basically that’s what I want people to see when they view my art. See the passion and what is important to me and that hopefully that they can relate to what I’m sharing. I create original paintings and drawings. I provide prints of my artwork and I do commissions. Art on merchandise will be something that will definitely occur in the future.

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

To never have an ego. Always leave it to the side, no matter how good you may think you are, there’s always someone out there that is just as good as you or better. I say that because I remember when I left high-school and entered into college, I came in with an ego thinking I’m the nicest artist around right now. I couldn’t help but to think that way due to so many people praising my talent while in middle and highschool. However, college opened my eyes to so many other artists /students that were just as good or even alot better than me. So I was forced to let my ego go and learn to get better in my artistry. At that moment, I realized that having a humble attitude is the best way to go.

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

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

To take us more seriously and not just see what we do as some hobby to pass the time. This is our talent that we are turning into business as well. See our worth and value and want to invest in it. I just hope that time comes when we as artists will never be questioned about the prices of our art at all. Instead be purchased immediately like how famous fashion brands are purchased without question.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: ig@malikjohnartist
• Facebook: MJ Harrattan
• Twitter: Malikjohnartist

Image Credits
MJ Harrattan