We were lucky to catch up with Terrell Reese recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Terrell, thanks for joining us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I am happier than ever being a full time artist. To wake up each and every day with the ability to control all of my time and what I do with it is an unparalleled feeling of relief. It makes me feel like I could float. I do, however, hear the ramblings of a regular 9-5 in the background day to day. I suppose they whisper to keep me on the ground. As much as I wish my ears grew deaf to the beckoning of a regular job, the need and desire to attain one is still very much current. I feel as though I waited months and months longer than I should have to begin building in person connections only relying on a social media presence to bring in sales and pay bills. The issue with that is without a large enough presence sales aren’t consistent enough to keep food on the table and a roof over your head, so some leg work is necessary.
The romanticization of the full time artist enticed me into taking the risk I did in leaving my job, only I had very little planning accompanying me along on the journey. I’d consider the leap of faith this time around to be a lesson learned in planning and preparation. Always take risks to pursue what you’re passionate about, but plan ahead because every pothole to come in the road isn’t always quite visible before you hit it.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My full name is Terrell Reese; however, to the art world I am TJ Reese. I got into art because of indoor recess in elementary school, actually. Finger painting was the name of the game which is funny because now and days you couldn’t find a drop of paint in my work if you used a microscope. I was always told that I talked a lot as a child, so maybe creating was just a different way for me to speak. Imagery is far more compelling than words unless you’re adept at painting a picture through literature. Nevertheless, I remember going up to my mother one day when I was around 5 or 6 years old and asking her for a sketchbook to draw in. Imagine her shock when her baby, who she didn’t know had a lick of interest in art, came to her asking for a sketchbook. She bought it for me, though. She bought that sketchbook and a thousand more until I was of the age where I could reliably get my own. And there is nothing in this world I could ever do to thank her enough for that.
My work is encompassed by a few words, namely: surreal, expressive, distorted, exaggerated and clean. If you grew up on Saturday morning cartoons or are a fan of anime, then my inspiration is quite familiar to you. I also draw a great deal of inspiration from human anatomy, nature (mostly flowers), abstraction and graffiti art. My goal has always been and will always continue to be to mold my inspirations together into one cohesive and recognizable style.
I have prints as well as my original work available on my website, and I also offer commission services for anyone interested!

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

I think people should for sure open their minds to the consumption of different art forms and styles. Within and without social media, I’ve observed consumption of very specific styles of art which leaves narrow room for growth. Being open to bending the norm you’ve adorned yourself with would allow for many different creatives to have the opportunity to have their work appreciated fully for its unique beauty and grace. Gifts should be appreciated whether or not they fall within the confines of a particular box. I equate taste in art to taste in food. I adore pizza (probably more than I should), but to allow myself to ONLY consume pizza would be doing a huge disservice to the abundance of other delectable, not to mention, more nutritious foods available. There is a reason that there isn’t just one artist in a world of consumers and collectors.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Selfishly enough, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is being able to get my vision out of my head in compelling fashion and for it to be received positively. There isn’t enough anything in the world to ever get me to quit drawing, but to have your work seen and broken down into a viewer’s interpretation is one of the greatest feelings in the world. I do write to a lot of my work because I enjoy telling a story in more ways than one, but an individual with a brain in a skull that’s not your own will see that piece and be urged to present their own story and their own set of circumstances. It seldom happens, but when I am blessed enough to be spoken to about my work from another person’s perspective in such depth, I am beyond grateful to have the ability to do what I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tjreeseart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tj_reeseart/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tj-reese-023b5a1a8/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TJ_ReeseArt
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCymt1WswAXWLFevnq-LuLGQ