Interview
Aaron Summers
Aaron Summers is a self-taught artist who specializes in acrylic painting, pen and ink drawing, and design. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1987. He currently resides in Portland, OR. He always loved to draw as a child and even as early as age 4 he was determined to make art his career. When in high school, his unique style of painting was constantly growing, seemingly evident to everyone, and it was something you just could not ignore. He was creating emotion, texture, and life into his paintings which someone at the age of 17 seemed way beyond his years. With the driving force of family support and intense mental focus behind him, Aaron started to create paintings that were beyond anyone's imagination. He was producing art that was as though he was exhaling emotion from his mind to the canvas. In 2013, a studio was built in his San Diego home thus pushing his drive even further. Ever since then, he has been creating custom paintings to peoples liking almost every day. Through his art he has inspired adults and children alike that no matter how small their dreams may be, they are always achievable. Aaron hopes to leave a standing impression, learn, and be inspired by the ever-changing world.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I am a self taught artist. From an early age, I knew art was going to be a big part of my world. As young as I can remember, I enjoyed drawing. It became a meditative escape for me and was just something I thoroughly enjoyed doing. I started with crayons and number 2 pencils which, I use to this day to sketch my concept drawings and paintings. I would ignore teachers in school and would constantly be reprimanded for drawing. Art class and home were my favorite places to be. I picked up painting after school, as it was a medium I genuinely disliked until I started to experiment with abstracts around 2010. Blending colors and seeing how paints reacted to canvas became intriguing to me, so I explored the genre and refined it into the surrealism paintings and abstracts you see today.”
What inspires you?
“Animals, human actions of all types (negative and positive), social issues, music, and other artists in a nutshell. On a deeper level: stories. I love reading or hearing about the wonderful triumphs of animals and how they have overcome or adapted to living with us on this planet. The things they have to do to survive and how we are disconnected from that concept.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“A theme I chase is animal/nature integrated surrealism, through drawing and painting. I never craft without a compelling story at its core. This commitment to storytelling ensures that every piece resonates with a unique and profound essence, inviting viewers to engage deeply with my vision and imagination. Explore art that is rich in narrative and meaning, where every creation is a chapter waiting to unfold.”
How would you describe your work?
“Imaginative, inspiring, thought provoking and compelling. The goal here is to get people to question their daily actions and how they live their day to day lives.”
Which artists influence you most?
“Jackson Pollock for his explosive artwork. He truly immersed himself in his paintings and it's a world you can truly get lost in. Van Gogh for his brush stroke technique and how he told stories through his work. His history and background makes his work that much more appreciative. Lastly, Jim Carrey. He had a depressive state in acting and when he went into hiding, he invited color into his life through beautiful paintings. His work emits the joy he wanted from people and to be able to portray that in a single piece of work so effortlessly was intriguing to me.”
“I discovered my style through emotional experiences, both positive and negative. My inspiration derives from people I meet, stories I hear, plants, animals, and music.”
What is your creative process like?
“I never create a piece of work without a compelling story to tell. Sometimes, the inspiration comes in giant waves and other times there are droughts. When I get inspired, I write down the ideas, titles, and blurbs like a diary for images. I then research actions and histories of said animals or plant life and how I can utilize them to build on a story. Then it's execution time. I can't typically work on only one piece at a time. That's just not the way my brain works. Usually, I have to be working on a drawing and a painting so I have a piece to go back to. This process continues until the work is completed.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“An artist in any role is the most important thing in the world. This isn't something that is just drawing, painting, or music. This is about any single person with the ability to hone in on a craft and make something from nothing. Architecture, woodworking, etc. Without art and the driving force to create or have imagination, there's really nothing left. I see it constantly evolving and we are constantly evolving and pushing the limits of what art is and can be. Whether a person can receive that information or not is entirely up to them.”
