Joey Remmers – Downpour

Joey Remmers

“If the word “”ominous”” doesn’t sum up Joey Remmers’ work, I don’t know what does. Desolate snowscapes, icy rivers, sea beasts, and other perils await each painting’s protagonist, and we the viewer can only look on in delicious suspense.”

Here for his first RUN, SoCal artist Joey Remmers has brought us “Downpour.”   Born and raised in small town in Southern California, Remmers interest in art began at an early age, prompting him to find creative outlets for his innate talent. At 19 years old, he began tattooing professionally, which became both his job as well as an artistic medium for the next ten years. Following his success as a nationally recognized tattoo artist, his focus turned to illustration and painting, exhibiting at galleries including CoproNason, M Modern, Thinkspace Gallery and Corey Helford Gallery. Joey now works as both an illustrator and a private tattoo artist in Orange, CA where he lives with his wife and children. Read on for more past, present and future works from Joey Remmers, along with our exclusive interview after the jump. Check out “Downpour” at 1xRUN.com

1xRun Thru Interview

Joey Remmers – Downpour

1xRun: Let’s talk about “Downpour.” Is the original still for sale?

Joey Remmers:    Original sold at Corey Helford Gallery’s 5th Anniversary show in 2011. We actually have the new owner to thank for the print run. The painting pre-sold before the show and I never had the opportunity to get good photos of it. The owner was nice enough to have it shot for me and sent over the images.

1xRun: When was the piece drawn/created?

Joey Remmers:   2011.

1xRun: Tell us how the idea and execution came about for “Downpour”?

Joey Remmers:   I usually shy from explaining a painting and prefer that each person derive their own idea and story from a piece. There could be nothing worse then someone really digging a painting, really feeling like they know what it’s all about and then just tell them. “Nope, that’s not it.” I prefer the work to be an open interpretation, a narrative that is personal to each viewer.

1xRun: How long did the piece take?

Joey Remmers:    I never pay attention to how long a painting takes. I just know that I’m usually working way longer than I plan to. It’s difficult for me to paint during the week because I’ll start in the evening with the plan to paint for a few hours and end up being wired at 5am and useless the next day…I also almost never have just one painting going at a time so it’s hard to look back and know exactly how long just one piece took. Let’s say, awhile. It took awhile…

1xRun: What is unique about this piece?

Joey Remmers:   I’ve always liked the idea and feel of peaceful, serene landscapes but laced with sinister, underlying themes.

1xRun: Why should people buy “Downpour”?

Joey Remmers – Downpour – Run #00190 // Mar 21, 2012 – Mar 27, 2012

Joey Remmers:   People should buy art because it speaks to them or moves them or because they just love it. No other reason.

1xRun: When did you first start making art?

Joey Remmers:   I’ve been drawing and painting for pretty much as long as I can remember.

1xRun: What was your first piece?

Joey Remmers:   No idea…I’ve got a whole portfolio of stuff I did as a kid…lots of animals and dinosaurs.

1xRun: What artists inspire you now?

Joey Remmers:   It’s hard to keep up. So many new artists pop up everyday. I see amazing stuff by people I’ve never heard of all the time now.

1xRun: Do you listen to music while you work? If so what? If not then what is your environment like when you work?

Joey Remmers:   Always…I listen to a lot of audio books as well.

1xRun: If you could collaborate with any living artist who would it be and why?

Joey Remmers:   I read a lot and am much more interested in the idea of collaborating with writers rather than other artists although I’m not down on the idea. I collaborated with Nathan Spoor a few years back on a painting and had a great time doing that…

Joey Remmers & Nathan Spoor Collab

1xRun: If you could collaborate with any deceased artists who would it be and why?

Joey Remmers:   I can’t think of any…they’d probably smell horrible and just want to eat brains anyway…

1xRun: What was the last piece of art that you bought?

Joey Remmers:  James Jean‘s ‘Maze’ print. Love that guys stuff.

1xRun: What else do you have in the works?

Joey Remmers:    I’ve got several group exhibitions I’m working on for this year and I’m currently working on a new series that should be ready for next year.

1xRun: Where can people find you across the internette?

Joey Remmers:  Website  – Facebook

-1xRUN.com