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

Hi Darrell, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Having your own business presents many challenges beyond the process of creating Artwork, the logistics and promotion of works of art can be very daunting since the field of art and design is so oversaturated, with many visual artists competing for the attention of Art Galleries, Museums and Art collectors. This competitiveness in my opinion, has empowered me to experiment more with my artwork practice which resulted in the use of found objects from yard sales, acrylic multi layering on canvas and wood plus the incorporation of non toxic hot glue helps give my images a three dimensional effect  that’s easily recognizable as my art style Definism.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I’m a visual artist living and working in Frankfurt, Germany  creating my brand of art style which uses traditional and non-traditional sources of inspiration from society that creates artwork which feels familiar to the viewer without existing in the real world. The images and message of Definism, demands the viewers undivided attention and mental participation to help resolve the pressing and current social issues.

What’s one thing about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
I think there are many misconceptions about Visual Artists that the General public believe are true but which are only rooted in fantasy and folklore. For example, the starving artist doesn’t mean the artist lives on the street or under the bridge on the contrary, the artists living without any material assets is usually by choice; dedicating all monetary resources to include mental and physical well-being in the pursuit of art.Risk taking: how do you think about risk, what role has taking risks played in your life/career?
Risk taking in all aspects of life is very important to me, I believe a person’s unwillingness or fear of taking a chance to explore something new or unknown will in my opinion result in missing knowledge and experience that neglects your common mistakes and stifles creativity. Embracing risk taking in search of the unknown can only help to broaden your creative horizons resulting in new and innovative ideas that everyone in society can benefit from.

What’s your single most important decision?
I think my single most important decision was to continue creating in the face of adversity. Before leaving for the US Army, I amassed 500 drawings on paper after returning home from six months of military training I wanted to re-examine my earlier artwork and to my dismay  all my early artworks were lost, this traumatic experience discouraged me from further artistic pursuits, until one day years later while still in the US Army, I  was sorting out a box of pictures and stumbled across 10 photographs of my earlier artwork this discovery helped rekindle my interest in drawing with the vow to myself never to abandon my artistic pursuit.

What’s the most difficult decision you’ve ever had to make?
My most difficult decision was living overseas in Germany, I come from a very tight-knit family in the United States and living and working in a Foreign country takes a lot getting   use to For example, learning a new language and adapting  to an unknown culture has in some instances proved very difficult for me to conform with but my attitude slowly started to change after having my own family and meeting fellow expats that also reside in Germany, who over time became an extension of friendships I once established in the USA so long ago.

Work life balance: how has your balance changed over time? How do you think about the balance?
My work and art life balance has matured over time, in the beginning of my artistic career I was very disorganized, meaning I created art without knowing the history or art movements of the past, so I guess my artistic journey began learning about other visual artists of the past and present, which helped me to have a much better understanding of my own creative prowess. This insightfulness has led to the creation of artwork which reveals the hope and ills of society.

What do you want your legacy to be? What do you want people to remember about you?
I think my legacy as a visual artist will be determined by art critics and art historians after I’m long dead and gone! But in the short term, I can only hope people will remember me as being a funny, thoughtful and giving person who loved his family with much endearment and respect for friends, a person who believed in truth and someone who fought for the rights and respect of others who have little or no voice in society.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If it was a nice sunny day I would start off with Griffith Park and the observatory then on to the Getty center. The next day, if the weather was warm down to Santa Monica pier and a day at the beach. Day three, Hollywood walk of fame and Chinese theatre. Day four the farmers market and the grove. Day five last day Los Angeles Museum of Art.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to thank the many family and friends who have made my success possible

Christina Black, Lisa Smith, Ivan Barrow, Markus Howard, Finn May, Jerome Black and many others for their vital input in helping me reach my artistic goals.

Thank You!

Website: http://darrell-black.pixels.com/

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