Interview
Lawrence Alexander
Since 2004, Lawrence has worked as an art director with a few of the top advertising agencies in Dallas, Texas and New York. He has been exposed to many different forms of advertising such as print, web, broadcast, POP, direct mail, branding, and promotional advertising. He is also experienced in Adobe CS, (Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign, among others), Sketch, and Power Point and other software on both Mac and PC platforms.
Art direction and painting work hand in hand. Through art direction, Lawrence has learned better ways of constructing a story on canvas. Being a painter, Lawrence is pushed to explore opportunities while working on a piece for the client.
In the fall of 2015, Lawrence moved to New York city to continue his career as an artist. He currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Image courtesy of Crystal Blake
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I was born in Houston, Texas and raised in Dallas, Texas. Since the age of four, I’ve been involved in art in some form, from painting to drawing characters in sketchbooks. Growing up, I always knew that my life would involve my artistic talent in some way. I went to school, studied for it, and made it my mission to be a professional artist. Later, I went to Skyline High School in Dallas, Texas and studied in the Ad Design cluster, played football and studied Tae Kwon Do at the Park South YMCA. From there, I went on to study communication design in college.
In the summer of 2001, I joined Os Malandros de Mestre Touro and began training in the art of Capoeira Angola de Sao Bento Grande under Mestre Preto Velho (Dennis Newsome). In 2003, I graduated from Texas A&M - Commerce with a degree in communication design, focusing on Art Direction.”
“The challenge of art direction is to make everything flow together. Art direction forces one to learn and study; to think more in terms of ‘what if’. To ask, ‘How can I say this in the shortest time and in the most varied ways?’”
What does your work aim to say? Does it comment on any current social or political issues?
“I do not often paint for the social or political realm. There's plenty of other artists who excel at that. If someone can get that feeling from my work, however, then so be it. I lean towards the more spiritual or imaginative side of life. While I may occasionally slide in some kind of fan art or something out of the comic/anime world, I would rather tell a story of what I am feeling at that moment, or what I’ve learned through some personal experience.”
Which current art world trends are you following?
“I’m a fan of vector art. I’m a vector artist as well, so I love to see where others take the medium. I create the type of art that you would see on a fantasy book cover. I love artists who bend reality a bit to create a whole new world.
I also explore current graphic design trends in advertising. Living in New York City for six years, you see all sorts of ways agencies and companies are displaying their messaging. Yes, you can draw, but what else can you do with it? That's the question I ask even myself.”
Do you plan your work in advance, or is it improvisation?
“There's always a plan. While there are times I get the sudden urge to create something, I still take time to plan what I want to say, and how I want to say it. Most of my work comes from deep thought and meditation. I also pull from dreams and conversations with close friends. But yes, I always plan how I want to create.”
What process, materials, techniques, etc., do you use to create your artwork?
“My process is as random as it is simple. I pour into awards annuals and other kinds of art books, and watch shows and movies that put me in the mood of what I’m thinking about. Sometimes, I sketch a rough idea or write down a paragraph or two of the point of the piece. What medium to use is usually decided during this time. But most times, if it’s based on a person, I focus on the photo and ask myself, ‘What is she/he saying? What is this energy I am feeling? What world are we in?’.
I build on the idea through Photoshop, using elements that I find online, and come up with a composition that it is pretty close to what I want to create on canvas. Depending on the medium (watercolor, acrylic, prism pencil, or vector), I plan how I want to create. For example, with acrylic, I usually paint from the background to the foreground. So I work on the person, or the first thing you see, last.”
“I aim to bring people into a visual world that can be interpreted in so many ways, depending on the viewer.”
What does your art mean to you?
“It is a part of me. It’s my story. It’s what goes on in my mind and heart. My job and mission is to create, to explore, and tell the story. It's also a personal challenge to push myself and become better than the last; to listen and learn what the process is teaching me.
I choose to look at art direction as art, and so I treat a website, banner, flier and brochure like a painting. The copy is just as important a shape as any photo or vector drawing. They are all elements on the canvas.”
What’s your favorite artwork and why?
“My favorite artwork is my ‘Sophia’ series—the ones that include my muse, Bianca Lawson. Many thanks to her for allowing me to use her. Sophia is my idea of the Divine Feminine and interpretation of the Goddess of Wisdom found in Gnosticism, and imaginary friends from childhood. Those paintings push me the hardest as they ask me to be my best, and to show love through my talent. Every painting is a message from a spiritual lesson that I've learned. It's my exploration in healing and beauty. These works have opened so many doors for me as well. I've even had job interviews because of them.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“I have been a part of many art exhibitions during my time in Brooklyn, New York, and I’m thankful for them all.
In the fall of 2010, I participated in shows and programs with the Dallas-based group, ArtLoveMagic, created by Michael Lagocki, David Rodriguez, and Justin Nygren. My experience with this family will stay with me forever. We participated in art shows and charity functions that raised thousands of dollars for local, national, and worldwide charities through the members' artistic talents. This gave me the chance to give back through my talents.
I’m also a founding member of the Just.Us.League, a freestyle art collective created by Jerod Davies. This group, like ArtLoveMagic, does art shows that benefit many charities by way of creating live murals every month. These are sold at the end of the year for youth workshops and other events.
In April of 2011, the J.U.L. hosted ‘Flood of Emotion’, a benefit in which over 100 pieces of art were donated and auctioned for over $15,000 to aid the flood victims of Japan. In December of that year, J.U.L hosted an end-of-year gala at the Hilton Anatol in Dallas, Texas. All of the murals created in 2011 were auctioned to fund children's art workshops for the following year.
I would also like to relate the story behind one of my pieces, “The Last Dragon” poster. In 2013, I was watching the movie with some friends and they urged me to draw something in my manga style that I was working in at the time. It took me 8 hours to complete, but when I posted, it got some noticeable fanfare, including the attention from the lead actor in the movie, Taimak! He reached out to me and offered to buy some prints along with some other pieces of art! I was on top of the world as I was a big fan of his, and that movie meant so much to me! A year later, Taimak reached out to me and told me about a poster design contest and suggested that I’d enter. I did so and won! On my birthday, no less. The prize was a booth at the Urban Action Showcase in New York to show and sell my art. I had no job at the time and my cousin loaned me some cash to help me go. Not only did I sell enough prints to cover the trip, but enough to pay back my cousin. New York loved me and my art. I got to meet not only Taimak in person, but many of my martial arts heroes. I felt at home in NY. So much so, I decided to move to NY the following year to try my hand in the big leagues. I will say, it was the best decision I’ve ever made from such a pivotal moment in my life.”
Images courtesy of Kelsey Martin and William Neal
Website: www.lawrence-alexander.com
Instagram: @la_sol7
