Interview
Jarron Carter
Jarron Carter is a fine artist based in Los Angeles, California. Carter was raised on the north side of Milwaukee, in a neighborhood surrounded by poverty, violence and negativity. He comes from a broken family that wasn't very supportive of his dreams.
In school, Carter’s art was always recognized by his teachers and placed on display for the whole school to see. After graduating from high school, Carter moved to Chicago, where he started to gain recognition for his art through Instagram.
Carter has also done some acting and has had some of his work featured on the set for a web series. He has also exhibited his work in Los Angeles. Carter believes that creating art and inspiring others is what he was born to do.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and now I am living and working in Los Angeles, California. I’ve always been in love with art from a young age. Most people would say that I’m naturally talented. I’ve been creating art practically my entire life. It started out as a hobby for me but after high school, I decided to take it more seriously, and decided that I was going to make art for the rest of my life.
When I first moved to Los Angeles, I was homeless. I lived in a shelter but was able to use nearby coffee shops as a studio. After 6 months, I got my first opportunity to move forward in my artistic journey. I had my first exhibition in 2015, and after that, my life changed. I painted a mural in front of 65,000 people in downtown Los Angeles for the annual Night on Broadway event. I’ve had several shows within and outside of the U.S. I was also featured on TV on PBS SoCal.”
“My art means everything to me. It is a visual reflection of my personality, obsessions and inner thoughts.”
What does your work aim to say? Does it comment on any current social or political issues?
“Sometimes my work may reflect certain issues that are currently going on in the world. Primarily, the inspiration behind my work comes from my own personal experiences, emotions, fantasies, and obsessions with foreign cultures and history. My art often communicates my story and highlights details of my personality. It also may include subliminal messages to influence the mental process or the behavior of the viewer.”
Which current art world trends are you following?
“I’m currently following the NFT trend, and I have several NFT’s available.”
Do you plan your work in advance, or is it improvisation?
“I plan my work in advance, but sometimes I improvise. I might start with an idea and improvise during the process.”
What process, materials and techniques do you use to create your artwork?
“Many would identify my work by my use of gold ornament leaves. I enjoy combining a variety of different mediums together, so I mostly create mixed media art. I like to work mainly with oils, acrylics, and ink. Sometimes, I draw before I add paint. I prefer natural hair brushes over synthetic hair brushes. I’m versatile, so I don’t feel any limitations whenever I start a new creation.”
What’s your favorite artwork and why?
"My favorite artwork is ‘The Romans in their Decadence’, by Thomas Couture. This painting depicted the decline and fall of the Roman Empire due to heavy indulgence in pleasure and luxury. The obvious lesson here for me is not to let money and material things destroy me. In addition to the lesson that it teaches, I love the tremendous amount of detail and difficulty in this painting. It’s truly a masterpiece.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“My first exhibition was in Hollywood, California at Wallspace Art Gallery. That was one of the most important shows I have ever had. It was my debut show and I almost sold out. I sold three paintings during the exhibition: ‘WAR’, ‘POWER’, and ‘Beautifully Flawed’.”
Website: www.jarroncarter.com
Instagram: @jarroncarter
