Opening a Door....
Last week, you read part 1 of this interview. Jo gave us some background and experience; including education. We found out about his style and materials of choice. There was one material that really grabbed my attention. Starting off with that and what it means to Jo....
And that material is: doors! Jo: I love painting on doors! When you open a door; you enter a room. Kind of: before you enter my room. I want you to know it's a madhouse. I let my paintings do the talking. (Doors) are a medium most people would have never thought of. Not to mention a great addition to someone's house! Jo: Yeah! I have one of my doors on sale at The Alternative Gallery. I have 5 in the making. Kind of a new found love. Canvas got kind of boring. I wanted to venture off into other things.
With the doors, do you only do one side or both? Or depends on what people ask for? Jo: To a point, I have only done 1 side of the doors. I have been asked to do both sides, for effect. One side is OK with me. When you get to that door, the outside is going to attract you more than the inside. I let the contents of that room; once you get past that door, wow you more! Essentially, it's almost like interior design to a point. Jo: Oh Yeah! I represent your house. Art House 18102, that's the name of my company.
Jo: I like to welcome people to the Your House. The outside is beautiful artwork. The inside is more of my soul. That's where my pieces come in. My joy, pain and everything. The door gets you to want to come into the house. Here is where we find out more of his inspiration and background.
I can tell, just by talking to you, these are not just words. Your heart and soul goes into every piece. Versus: here is the question and answer. Bam! onto the next one. Jo: Yes. I started out as a t-shirt artist. Taking orders. People would tell me what colors, words, etc. they wanted. I feel like I should "Boom for Real" (see part 1). I can't give you what you want. I can give you my artwork, my experiences, my characters. This had my curiosity about something...
Do you ever do commission work? Jo: I let people know I sell out of the gallery. Some people can't make it out to the gallery. I do canvas, t-shirt, necklace. Pretty much: If I can paint on it and you are willing to pay me for it; I can do it! I am blessed, a lot of people know my name and what I do. That is based off commission work.
Do you see your style evolving? Art and the entire world changes / evolves. How do you see that? Jo: I see it changing. Every day I am researching new artwork, artists, mediums... I read books. My ideas never stop. The wheels keep turning. Know what I mean? At times when the body is wiped out and the brain is in overdrive? Jo: The creative mind never stops. There is no rest for the wicked! I was surprised to get a small glimpse into his personal thoughts on a few things.
With the creative mind, do you ever take a break just to relax??? Jo: I do. Sometimes, I take a break, shoot some zombies on Call of Duty (video game). I might play some basketball. I rarely watch TV. I feel like there is enough reality out here. We don't need to put it on TV. That is a big part of my artwork. A lot of reality is not shown. If it is: a negative light is on it. There is more than gangbangers / drug dealers (referring to the Lehigh Valley). There are artists, musicians, etc.
Jo talks a little about the personal side of his life...
Jo: I didn't have any kings to look up to. If I every get a chance to leave this city; I want to say: "I put the work in. Rather than just 'talking the talk'. I want to be able to say 'walk the walk'."
You are on the streets. You walk the streets every day. Does that help as an artist? Jo: Definitely! It helps my art a lot. It reminds me of who I want to represent the most. I can paint commercialized. I paint the people on the streets. Their pain, expressions, joys, will to keep moving in spite of everything. That inspires my paintings. A lot of my paintings contain black characters. That symbolizes being misunderstood and the one's that do not have a voice. You don't see race or anything like that? Jo: I don't. I believe we are all human.
When someone gives you their interpretation; do say "Thanks! and listen"? Or, like some artists: "This is what it means."? Jo: Unless they tell me what I should have used (materials); I listen. I do let them know what I was thinking / feeling on that piece. That works for me. I wanted to put something inside you. If your interpretation opens my eyes (I see something different), I did my job. Are you ever inspired by someone's interpretation? Jo: Yeah!!! If I feel strongly about what they said. I am not really about the credit. I just want to paint. My art has a couple different meanings.
Last question I always ask: What advice would give any artist or someone getting into art? Jo: I would tell them to "Boom for Real". I would tell them to Google that. See where it came from. Look at the artist who originated that. He started in a cardboard box. His resume is worth $50k now. When everyone else is sitting down, Stand Up!
I want to thank Jo for his time. Look at his art. Walk the streets of any city. Feel the heart and soul of both.
Know Jo got your attention. Check him out online:
http://arthouse18102.com/
Part 1 of the interview:
http://avalleyandbeyond.weebly.com/artist-interview-samo-jo-part-1.html
And that material is: doors! Jo: I love painting on doors! When you open a door; you enter a room. Kind of: before you enter my room. I want you to know it's a madhouse. I let my paintings do the talking. (Doors) are a medium most people would have never thought of. Not to mention a great addition to someone's house! Jo: Yeah! I have one of my doors on sale at The Alternative Gallery. I have 5 in the making. Kind of a new found love. Canvas got kind of boring. I wanted to venture off into other things.
With the doors, do you only do one side or both? Or depends on what people ask for? Jo: To a point, I have only done 1 side of the doors. I have been asked to do both sides, for effect. One side is OK with me. When you get to that door, the outside is going to attract you more than the inside. I let the contents of that room; once you get past that door, wow you more! Essentially, it's almost like interior design to a point. Jo: Oh Yeah! I represent your house. Art House 18102, that's the name of my company.
Jo: I like to welcome people to the Your House. The outside is beautiful artwork. The inside is more of my soul. That's where my pieces come in. My joy, pain and everything. The door gets you to want to come into the house. Here is where we find out more of his inspiration and background.
I can tell, just by talking to you, these are not just words. Your heart and soul goes into every piece. Versus: here is the question and answer. Bam! onto the next one. Jo: Yes. I started out as a t-shirt artist. Taking orders. People would tell me what colors, words, etc. they wanted. I feel like I should "Boom for Real" (see part 1). I can't give you what you want. I can give you my artwork, my experiences, my characters. This had my curiosity about something...
Do you ever do commission work? Jo: I let people know I sell out of the gallery. Some people can't make it out to the gallery. I do canvas, t-shirt, necklace. Pretty much: If I can paint on it and you are willing to pay me for it; I can do it! I am blessed, a lot of people know my name and what I do. That is based off commission work.
Do you see your style evolving? Art and the entire world changes / evolves. How do you see that? Jo: I see it changing. Every day I am researching new artwork, artists, mediums... I read books. My ideas never stop. The wheels keep turning. Know what I mean? At times when the body is wiped out and the brain is in overdrive? Jo: The creative mind never stops. There is no rest for the wicked! I was surprised to get a small glimpse into his personal thoughts on a few things.
With the creative mind, do you ever take a break just to relax??? Jo: I do. Sometimes, I take a break, shoot some zombies on Call of Duty (video game). I might play some basketball. I rarely watch TV. I feel like there is enough reality out here. We don't need to put it on TV. That is a big part of my artwork. A lot of reality is not shown. If it is: a negative light is on it. There is more than gangbangers / drug dealers (referring to the Lehigh Valley). There are artists, musicians, etc.
Jo talks a little about the personal side of his life...
Jo: I didn't have any kings to look up to. If I every get a chance to leave this city; I want to say: "I put the work in. Rather than just 'talking the talk'. I want to be able to say 'walk the walk'."
You are on the streets. You walk the streets every day. Does that help as an artist? Jo: Definitely! It helps my art a lot. It reminds me of who I want to represent the most. I can paint commercialized. I paint the people on the streets. Their pain, expressions, joys, will to keep moving in spite of everything. That inspires my paintings. A lot of my paintings contain black characters. That symbolizes being misunderstood and the one's that do not have a voice. You don't see race or anything like that? Jo: I don't. I believe we are all human.
When someone gives you their interpretation; do say "Thanks! and listen"? Or, like some artists: "This is what it means."? Jo: Unless they tell me what I should have used (materials); I listen. I do let them know what I was thinking / feeling on that piece. That works for me. I wanted to put something inside you. If your interpretation opens my eyes (I see something different), I did my job. Are you ever inspired by someone's interpretation? Jo: Yeah!!! If I feel strongly about what they said. I am not really about the credit. I just want to paint. My art has a couple different meanings.
Last question I always ask: What advice would give any artist or someone getting into art? Jo: I would tell them to "Boom for Real". I would tell them to Google that. See where it came from. Look at the artist who originated that. He started in a cardboard box. His resume is worth $50k now. When everyone else is sitting down, Stand Up!
I want to thank Jo for his time. Look at his art. Walk the streets of any city. Feel the heart and soul of both.
Know Jo got your attention. Check him out online:
http://arthouse18102.com/
Part 1 of the interview:
http://avalleyandbeyond.weebly.com/artist-interview-samo-jo-part-1.html
