Meet Mr J | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mr J and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mr J, what are you inspired by?
I love pop culture, I’m a child of the 80s so I grew up immersed in the worlds of Spielberg, amblin movies, Star Wars, Sega and Nintendo. I would rush home from school to watch the Transformers, Thunder cats and Masters of the universe. Saturday mornings watching Batman and TMNT. I love gaming and Rock music. I’ve always loved the iconic imagery of movies, album covers and cartoon characters. I love connecting with people through pop culture, listening to peoples stories and shared experiences. My dad is a brilliant artist, I loved drawing with him at the kitchen table as a child, that is where I probably draw most of my inspiration from.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I predominantly paint iconography, I’ve adored cinema my whole life so been able to sit and study the imagery and icons is a favourite subject. I have a variety of styles from dark and dramatic pieces, paintings that aim to capture the feel and vibe of a movie or character. I love movies and nostalgia, it brings me so much joy to pay tribute to those cinematic treasures that made my adolescence so much fun. I love using acrylics and spray paint because of the speed and flexibility. I think what sets me apart is I don’t paint to order or to jump on a bandwagon, I paint because I genuinely really love the characters and iconography. I also love to put a twist on the subject matter, to get playful and have fun. I’ve most recently launched the first wave of my ‘what if’ collection where I have reimagined modern day movies/characters starring Hollywood icons from the golden age of cinema. I like to hide a little hidden meaning or Easter eggs for people to find.

The art scene is a minefield and I’ve learned a lot in the short time I’ve been in it. Just getting seen and having any recognition when you don’t live in a major art city is really difficult. Not knowing what direction to take or what is expected. Trying to people please in the early days is a pitfall to avoid. The journey is not easy, it’s not a simple post on Instagram etc, I learned early on that consistency is key, that, hard graft and self belief are probably the most important factors to hold on to, even if you are pretending to believe.

I’ve always loved art and drawing but music and guitar took priority. I’ve been a full time teacher since graduating 20 years ago teaching students with learning difficulties and social emotional issues. I started experimenting with painting as a way to reset and for the benefit of my own mental health. Then when I realised how much I loved it I started to peruse it professionally and dedicated a lot of time to developing different skill sets and my style. I think it’s really important to develop a sense of who you are as an artist. Growing a recognisable identity and brand helps to focus and guide you and ultimately sets your identity/brand apart from others.

The art scene can be brutal, and is definitely not for the faint of heart. You really have to love what you do, hundreds upon hundreds of ours are spent on your own in your studio hoping that your work will connect with people. When I started out getting my work seen and seen in the right places was hard you have to work incredibly hard to build a good reputation and relationships. You honestly need to grow a really thick skin as you are going to meet some characters and probably encounter a fair amount of rejection along the way. It is so easy to get lost on what others are doing in the age of social media, it becomes a bigger distraction than a help, I think it’s really important to stay in your lane and focus on your strengths and your own goals. It’s not all tough along the way I’ve met some truly awesome people who have helped shape my path and really challenge me in my art career. I love getting to share experiences with other creatives, I’m blessed to be able to bounce ideas off some of the best.

I’ve had a few great highlights that I’m proud of so far, I’ve completed some brilliant commission projects, that have led the collectors to become close personal friends as we connected over the work and their stories. My first solo show where I got to see a beautiful gallery filled with my work, I’d never seen them all together in one place. I’m incredibly proud and excited to announce that I have recently signed with Wishbone publishing here in the UK, I love their ethos and have followed a lot of the artists in their stable for years. I’m genuinely so excited to now be sat alongside some of my favourite artists including JJ Adams and Paul Oz, I’m buzzing to be able to work with the many stunning affiliate galleries and to see what the future holds.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live near Birmingham in the UK, we have some really cool places to hang out. So my wife and I are massive foodies so we’d be eating a lot. We have a brilliant smoke house right wear I live called hickories that does top tier BBQ and cocktails. We would hit a couple of Michelin star restaurants in Birmingham that are my favourites, Adams where we would do the chefs table, and Opheem (unbelievable Indian food) those places are on another level. Then we would go to Digbeth where they shot the movie Ready Player One, it has an amazing street art scene and It’s full of unique bars and cool hangouts. NQ64 is a retro arcade bar with game themed cocktails and 80s and 90s arcade machines, it’s AMAZING. Rollerjam an old school roller disco bar that does theme nights like stranger things etc, Tilt a brilliant bar with craft beer and pinball machines. Brew dog bar for craft beer, metal, pop punk and all the best music, and great vibes. We could see what gigs are on at KKs steel mill or the O2 academy. Also the uks oldest working cinema The Electric is a few minutes away where they have showings of classics, and cool double features. If that doesn’t quite do it we could go axe throwing or chill with a bit of neon lit Ghetto golf.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Starting out in the art world can be a lonely place, it’s not exactly a 9-5 situation. Honestly I have so many people to thank, too many to mention by name, I’m so grateful to so many people. I’ve been so blessed to have connected with some incredible creatives who have shared their wisdom and supported me. Including Sarah Stokes an amazing wildlife artist here in the UK who’s been there from the beginning and mentored me through some of the more turbulent early stages. I met some amazing artists so far in this art journey including Gareth Wild who is a continuous encourager and phenomenal artist himself. The team at nova for giving me a platform to develop and exhibit. I know all artists probably say this but I have the best collectors, many of whom have become good friends over the years. Some of these (Rob and Lou) have also opened their home to my wife and I when we have attended gallery shows. My closest friends for always sharing posts, listening to me incoherently ramble on, for travelling to shows and events, and putting up with me when I have lost the plot (you know who you are), thank you so much. Most recently Glenn @wishbone publishing for his guidance and direction. Lastly my parents for a lifetime of love, encouragement and support, and most importantly my beautiful wife Hannah without her none of this would have been possible, her unending love, support and ability to kick my ass into gear is mind blowing, it’s not easy living with a creative I’m sure, I Love you. To my amazing kids, Zach and Mila. For being my biggest encouragement, I hope I’m doing you proud.

Website: www.wishboneart.co.uk

Instagram: @artbymrj_official