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

Alright, Tj thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The body of work that I completed most recently held a great deal of personal importance to me. Not only did the work break new ground for me in my actual process (implementing new tools and techniques), but it was also deeply personal and introspective.

The body of work itself was conceptualized during the outbreak of the coronavirus in 2020. Subject matter included how it affected me personally, as well as how it affected the homeless man who camped next to our building. The work examined the ramifications of socioeconomic stratification in a time of a global uncertainty.

Tj, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a Kansas City-based mid-career artist. My work has been exhibited in solo exhibitions and acquired by collectors throughout the midwest since the early 1990’s (shortly after I decided to drop out of the Kansas City Art Institute).

My work is primarily two-dimensional with a focus on representational and figurative art. The art is often narrative with a theme relating to social justice and the human condition. As far as medium goes, if it makes a permanent mark – I’ll use it. Thus, one piece may utilize dry media like charcoal and graphite, screen printing, and wet media such as paint and ink. Each subject commands its own unique approach and treatment.

Have you ever had to pivot?

There have been a few times when I’ve had to pivot, career-wise. The first example was when I got married and moved to NW Iowa. The region I moved into was not conducive at all for a career in fine art. As a result, I taught myself photoshop and started a graphic design company where I made leftist political propaganda images and sold them on clothing and giftware via an online storefront. Many of these images went viral. One was even featured on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with John Stewart”. This served as a sustainable creative outlet for me until my divorce in 2017 allowed me to return to Kansas City.

I moved back to Kansas City at a time when First Friday would bring 10 to 15 thousand visitors to the Crossroads Arts District. It was time for another pivot. I retired my online business and rented a small studio in the crossroads. I began networking and eventually found a job running an art center at 19th and Troost where i remain today. This allowed me to not only have a studio, but intermingle with the members of the arts scene where I was relatively considered an outsider. This transition to gallery director and artist-in-residence allowed for me to re-establish my position in the Kansas City arts scene and rebuild my collector base.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

The catalyst for my work takes a few different forms. Some are selfish and some are… not-so-much.

Selfishly, a goal of mine is to be included in the permanent collection of a museum. I’ve had the good fortune to exhibit in museums such as 21C in Kansas City, However, I’ve yet to be accepted into a permanent collection. That, I feel , is the ultimate validation as an artist. I’ve wanted this since I was a child.

Less selfishly, I’m driven to make work that is a commentary on your society and culture. My work is often a response to some social phenomena and seeks to make people more aware of that topic or condition. This is where my perspective as a social justice scold comes in to play. Much of my work is critical of society and frequently comes in the form of a metaphorical finger wag or tsk-tsk.

Contact Info:

• Website: tj@templeton-arts.com
• Instagram: tj_templeton
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/omgtjartist/
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/t-j-templeton
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdfFrcIlFunVDhLkaktDlpw

Image Credits
images courtesy of the artist