Meet Jermaine Mcgee: Painter/Instructor/Curator

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

Hi Jermaine, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
The reason that I pursued a career in the arts stems from my childhood experiences. When I was young, the arts brought me much joy, especially knowing many creatives in my family. I drew on walls which evolved into painting, then came ceramics. My whole childhood was filled with graphite, clay, and paint. As I grew older I started to experience graphic arts and filmmaking in my teen years. Once I began to understand the gifts that I had, I began to hone them, and during my college years I explored all possibilities. Things began to come full circle after learning art history, 2d and 3d design, and game design. After I graduated college with my Bachelors in Art, I understand that I was entering a super competitive workforce, and as much as I had the drive to compete, I made a decision to start from the bottom to work my way up with my own business as a creative.

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.
My art is an extension of myself. What gets me to the point of excitement is knowing that people enjoy and appreciate the work that I create. Throughout my life I knew that I was going to be special, so I waited patiently, I was a straight A student but I also knew that education alone wasn’t going to fulfill my desires. I knew that being creative meant that I had to stand out amongst others, so once I started my business I took to time to learn as much as i could about independently owning my own business, I wanted to make sure I did things the right way, which made honing my craft and effortless thing, My art stands out from the rest because I take chances with new ideas, which means my art evolves from piece to piece, I want the world to know that my brand relies on bringing creativity to all types of people of all ages, whether its teaching a class for a paint party or creating a custom commission for a client . I am excited about the journey that I am own, because I get to experience new things with the freedom of knowing that I am happy with the time spent and the future of my business.

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.
Their are tons of things to do in La county, the most fun being based mainly off of the season. During the Spring or Summer I would bring my friends out to Venice or Santa Monica Beach, not only for fun on the beach, but also a cool waterfront area to meet new people and experience LA culture. Sharkys is a great spot in Santa Monica full of fun people and great food. During the winter, I would take my friend up to Big Bear to experience a little fun in the snow, a place to get cozy at night and embrace good times or to have a fun snow day during the afternoon. During the fall I would visit an aquarium and the zoo. Understanding animals and the history behind them are fun for everyone of all ages, and I would be a great time to chat with old friends while enjoying the views. I would also squeeze in a historical day, maybe a really fun one at the La Science Center and the Natural History Museum. I would love to bring back childhood memories with friends, they shape us into who we are Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to dedicate tons of my success to someone who has contributed just as much manpower into my business as I have personally. I Would like to thank Latanza Price of Priceless Moments. Priceless Moments is a focuses on event planning and management. The services she offers, connections to incredible resources and he talent to bring any idea to life, is what inspires others to be great. She’s is a motivational force for women in business as well as many of the growing entrepreneurs in the LA County area.

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