Chinese-American artist Helice Wen joins 1xRUN’s International Women’s Day collection with an alluring, hand-painted portrayal of a woman’s mind. Honing a unique talent for illustrating children’s books, Wen has shifted her focus to gallery work to display her incredible portraiture and life drawings, which she paints in concert with floral backdrops. For Wen, “the most beautiful part about a woman is not only the appeal, also the lively and colorful mind inside, just like a garden.” Read our exclusive interview with the artist below.
1xRUN: Tell us a little bit about this piece, anything immediate you would like us to highlight about this image? Helice Wen: The title of the piece is A Garden Within – the most beautiful part about a woman is not only the appeal, also the lively and colorful mind inside, just like a garden, with seasonal changes and life cycle. The blank dialogue bubble is an element that is a part of my paintings, oftentimes meaning an unspoken mind and changing thoughts.
1x: Can you tell us more about the series it’s a part of? Wen: The series is about using different types of flowers in different stages of the life cycle to represent the state of mind and emotion of women. It’s not evergreen and full of ups and downs, but always being resilient and nurturing.
1x: Tell us about your execution of this image. Wen: The original painting was done with acrylic and oil on linen. 15” x 15”. It took about 50 hours.
1x: What were your earliest interactions with art growing up? Wen: Copying illustrations on children’s books.
1x: Who or what was a prominent figure that played a role in your formation as an artist? Wen: There isn’t a single prominent figure.
1x: What are some of the biggest challenges to being a working artist? Wen: Long and diffident working hours. Emotional stress of working alone.
1x: In what ways is the art industry becoming more or less accepting and equitable for women? Wen: I think starting a career in San Francisco is definitely better accepting for women and immigrant artists like myself. I have been given many opportunities through my career from female curators.
1x: What are changes that you would like to see? Wen: I would like to see less criticism and comparison about content of art only based on sex of the artist.
1x: What does a balanced art industry look like to you? Wen: More open discussion of a variety of topics. More opportunities for female art curators and directors.
1x: What artists inspired you in the past? Who are some woman-identifying artists that inspire you today? Wen: A lot of woman identifying artists – in all kinds of creative art inspire me. Beside the art achievements, the fact they believe in themselves and stay in the industry, against the stereotype of women’s role in society, makes me believe that I can do it too.
1x: What advice would you give to an aspiring artist? Wen: Be passionate, be patient, be calm when you work and be loud when you want to tell your message.
To coincide with International Women’s Day, contemporary pop surrealist painter Camilla d’Errico joins us for a conversation about her latest print editions for 1xRUN, her influences in comics, and the push for women’s equality in the art industry. Boobees is a cutting commentary that questions why women’s breasts are used by many as target for sexualization and belittlement. Read our exclusive interview below.
Photo by Brittney Berner
1xRUN: Tell us a little bit about this piece, anything immediate you would like us to highlight about this image? Camilla d’Errico: The tits, I’d say the tits. I literally put a bullseye on her tits, so obviously I think the most prominent feature is her breasts. I made this the dominant feature of this painting because women’s sexuality is always targeted. Either women’s breasts have to be perfect, or people don’t want to see them. To be acceptable in art, women must either be perfect or nothing at all, is the message I’m critiquing. I find it offensive and discriminatory that men can show their bare chests and women can’t. A woman can be attracted to men’s chests. But when men are attracted to women’s, the women are punished for it by being labeled unacceptable. I feel strongly that nudity doesn’t equal pornography. There’s so much figure art in Europe, people are accustomed to the human body, male and female, being normal. And I think North America could learn a lot from that perspective.
1x: Is this piece a part of an ongoing series, show or group, or was it created for this particular collection for International Women’s Day? d’Errico: This piece was created for Juxtapoz x Spoke Art Gallery’s FEMME group exhibition, March 2019, exploring women’s sexuality in art.
1x: Tell us about your execution of this image. What materials were used, how much time did it take? d’Errico: The original is a water soluble oil painting on wood panel. It took me two and a half weeks to create. I think the challenge was to make the breasts look both realistic and surreal. Painting two different skin tones in one figure was challenging, to make it look like the pattern was part of her skin and not applied on top. Another challenge was to get over my own anxiety about painting a nude, and so poignantly to its theme. I’ve been criticized in the past for painting nudes, and it’s challenging to get over the discouragement.
1x: What is unique about this piece compared to your other work? d’Errico: Maybe that I sought to objectify the form with this piece to give the message, that’s different for me. This was an intense piece, and a shocking concept. After creating it, it was really liberating. Because the reaction people had was they loved it. It did exactly what I was hoping it would do: to be enjoyed and seen for what it is with the concept. That women’s sexuality and bodies are beautiful and emotional, not lewd. It’s meant to empower women.
1x: What were your earliest interactions with art growing up? d’Errico: Watching cartoons in the 80s. He-Man and She-Ra, Care Bears, and Rainbow Bright..There’s such a surreal aspect to all those cartoons, when you think about it. Cartoons are so imaginative. These characters live in worlds made of rainbows and clouds, and yet they have so much humanity and morality. I learned a lot from cartoons back in the 80s.
“Conan The Barbarian” artboard by John Buscema and Ernie Chan. Vol. I, Issue #115.
1x: Who was a prominent figure that played a major role in your formation as an artist? d’Errico: I would say John Buscema, who worked on Conan comics. He was the artist who taught me to work with passion as an artist, to push through the criticisms, deadlines, people not paying you, etc. That art shouldn’t be about making money, but about doing something that you love.
1x: What are some of the biggest challenges to being a working artist? d’Errico: Everything. The biggest challenges are actually what I’m going through now. It’s the way other people visualize art by prioritizing what sells, and needing to make money. The pressure to try to figure out what people want vs. creating art for the passion. That every time you create a painting you’re taking a huge risk, because your livelihood depends on it. Every time I create something, it’s terrifying to think, ‘What if it’s not successful?’. But I can’t create my art like that, if there’s no emotional point to it. As John Buscema taught me, I need to follow the passion. And if I don’t have that, there’s no point to being an artist. One of the challenges outside creativity is social media, and the corporate forces that run it. It has taken the joy out of sharing, and now it’s all an algorithm. And you need to hope and pray that what you’re doing gets seen at all. Not everybody’s online anymore. Now, if only 10% of my followers even see my posts, it makes social sharing harder than it needs to be. Social media has turned into exactly what I hated about my struggle with my painting practice years ago. When I was expected to make gallery art to please masses. I hated that. I almost quit painting entirely because of it. Now I’m in the same position with social media, but I can’t just quit, because my business depends on it. Success on social media should depend on the people, not algorithms, to validate them.
1x: In what ways is the art industry becoming more or less accepting or equitable for women-identifying artists? d’Errico: The thing that’s amazing about the art industry now is that there’s women in it, which hasn’t always been the case in the past. Women are accepted in the industry. The industry isn’t based on gender, it’s based on talent. I feel very lucky to be an artist born in this time. I think 100 years ago it wouldn’t have been the same.
1x: What are changes that you would like to see? d’Errico: I’d like to see more equal representation for artists in different places in their practice. Nowadays, it feels like only artists who are already doing well are able to keep doing well. Media outlets only want to highlight what’s popular already in order to generate clicks, views, likes, and returns. It’s harder than ever to have breakout artists and ideas succeed when outlets want to play it safe, featuring what’s the most popular already.
1x: What does a balanced art industry look like to you? d’Errico: I would love for everyone to have the same opportunities. For outlets like magazines or galleries not to play favorites. The world itself might take more notice. The world takes more notice of modern and contemporary art, but doesn’t put much spotlight on Pop Surrealism. To me, balance would be to have our art in movies, on TV and in museums. What gets focused on more is artists who have passed away, but I’d like for the world to be seeing living artists more. I’d love for museums to take us seriously and have our art on display. There are so many talented, incredible artists out there right now. Museums all over the world should be showcasing more of what’s here now, instead of prioritizing artists who’ve passed away. The imbalance in valuation of art is something I’d like to see corrected: how some paintings are worth millions and many others don’t sell for over $1,000.00. I would love to see balance, see everyone get a chance for visibility and opportunities. In an idealistic world, I’d want every artist to have a shot at being featured in a mural on the side of a building, and have a world filled with art.
1x: What artists have inspired you in the past? Who are some woman-identifying artists that inspire you today? d’Errico: A lot of manga artists are female. The creator of Sailor Moon is probably hands-down my biggest inspiration. She created a whole universe that empowered women and girls to save the planet. She was one of my biggest inspirations growing up. And getting into the art industry, I‘ve always loved Audrey Kawasaki. Not only because she’s female, but because her art is so exquisite. I love Amy Sol; her work is so serene and peaceful. Marina Bychkova of Enchanted Doll, her dolls are just, oh my god. I’m speechless thinking about her dolls. They’re so stunning.
1x: What advice would you give to an aspiring artist? d’Errico: Work really, really, really hard. It’s not easy. None of this is easy. We can be the biggest critics of our own art, so don’t get in your own way. I don’t like my art as I’m creating it. I want to break some of the paintings in half. But just finish, and get through it and put it out there. Do it fearlessly. You can’t let fear stop you from expressing yourself. I know it’s hard to ignore that, but go for it!
1xRUN’s International Women’s Day collection begins with an edition of hand-carved, oversized prints by Mary Iverson! A painter, muralist, and professor, the Seattle-based artist uses her stunning landscapes to pay tribute to the American Pacific Northwest and to incite conversations about climate change. Yellowstone Falls – Hand-Embellished Edition is based on a series of paintings that Iverson created depicting imagery throughout Yellowstone National Park. Read our exclusive interview with the artist below, and get a glimpse into her meticulous process.
1xRUN: Tell us a little bit about this piece, anything immediate you would like us to highlight about this image? Iverson: For all of my oil paintings, the first step is to go out in nature and do some watercolor sketches on site (that might actually be my favorite part of the process). When I was sketching in Yellowstone National Park, I saw this view and knew that it would be the perfect painting composition for a hand-embellished print! I composed the original painting so it would have some image area on the left where I could place cool geometric shapes.
1x: What is unique about this piece compared to your other work? Iverson: As I was sitting in the beautiful canyon sketching the falls, I had an epiphany because I was using iron oxide paints (a.k.a. earth tones), which are made up of the exact molecules I was staring at in the canyon walls – iron oxide pigments. The colors in the canyon are created from iron atoms in various stages of oxidation and hydration. So… the paint was the painting! I was tripping out. After that, I started researching the molecular structure of pigments and minerals in the landscape. It started a whole new series of drawings that inspired the geometric shapes I carved into the prints.
1x: Were these works created as part of an ongoing series? Iverson: The original painting was part of a series featuring Yellowstone National Park. I visited Yellowstone last year with my cousin Anne. We share a love of hiking and camping. It’s great to have women friends to do that stuff with. She is an amazing camp chef! We ate pancakes for breakfast, clam linguine and kale salad for dinner in the campground. One morning we woke up to a bison strolling among the tents.
1x: Can you tell us more about the Yellowstone series? Iverson: The paintings in my Yellowstone series depict iconic parts of the park. Over top of the pristine landscape imagery, I scratch in perspective lines with an X-Acto knife, then create a post-apocalyptic shipwreck scene with shipping containers scattered around the rocks. These paintings are meant to contrast industrial activity with the environment, inspiring conversations about climate change.
1x: How did you execute this image? What materials were used? How much time did it take? Iverson: The original painting is 36″ x 48″, oil on canvas. The landscape imagery took a full month to paint because I use a lot of layers of glaze, color, and detail to create the atmospheric perspective. When the landscape is finished, I let it dry for a week, then I scratch perspective lines into the surface of the painting using an X-Acto knife. Sometimes I feel like it’s two paintings in one.
1x: What were your earliest interactions with art growing up? Iverson: My mom gave me my first watercolor lesson. When I was little, my aunt used to bring me gifts from her trips to Japan, where she was researching her PhD thesis.
1x: Who was a prominent figure that played a major role in your formation as an artist? Iverson: My aunt, Betty Iverson-Monroe, was my mentor. She was a painter and full professor of art history at Northwestern University. She was a pioneer in academia and showed me that a woman can have a successful career in the arts.
1x: What are some of the biggest challenges to being a working artist? Iverson: My art and my teaching job take up so much of my schedule that my biggest challenge is making time for recreation, family, and friends. I love my work so much that I often forget to take time to enjoy the world outside of art. This can lead to lack of life balance, which gets me into a mind and body decline. I am doing better lately at making more time for skiing, going for walks with friends, and goofing off in general. For example, I play trivia every Sunday night with a group of friends at a local pub. Our team name is “Alternative Facts.” My twin brother came up with that!
1x: In what ways is the art industry becoming more or less equitable for women? Iverson: I think it’s getting better. Galleries are making a point of evening out their rosters. I work with FB69 Gallery in Muenster, Germany that only represents women artists.
I would like to see more women out there doing murals! More women selling out shows and painting huge murals, like the Bowery Wall, for example.
1x: What woman-identifying artists inspired you in the past? Who are some woman-identifying artists that inspire you today? Iverson: The first artist autobiography I ever read was Georgia O’Keeffe’s. I loved reading about her passion for landscape painting, and she inspired me to paint plein air landscapes.
1x: What advice would you give to an aspiring artist? Iverson: There is always a team: friends, gallery owners, mural festival crew, shippers, baristas, computer technician, doctor, and the boss at your day job. Love everyone who helps you reach your goals. If you lose track of love, you are on the wrong track.
1xRUN is excited to present an exclusive collection of abstract works on paper from Murals in the Market alumKevin Ledo! The contemporary artist and muralist has created an alluring series of exploratory and spontaneous mixed-media paintings, marking a stylistic departure from the photorealistic portraits for which he is best known. Although geometric shapes and patterns have always typified his art, Ledo says “it was time to let my abstract tendencies stand alone, and live a life void of anything recognizable.” Explore the artist’s new works and read our exclusive interview below.
1xRUN: Tell us a little bit about this collection of abstract works on paper, anything immediate you would like us to highlight? Kevin Ledo: These works are very spontaneous, intuitive, messy, and lots of fun. Most of my work is planned out to a certain degree, and these works gave me the chance to just ride out some mark making and let the pieces evolve on the spot.
1x: Were these paintings a part of a series or show that you had? Ledo: Not part of a show actually. Over the last year or so, I’ve been doing large-scale abstract artwork, in the range of 5′ x 6′ and 5′ x 5′. And after jamming with [1xRUN CEO] Jesse on the idea of producing some smaller works on paper, I knew it was time to take this exploration to a new realm. There are four sets of mini series in this collection, each exploring different approaches, from chaotic to sophisticated.
1x: Tell us about your process –– What materials did you use? How much time is required to finish a piece? Do you draft the artwork before you paint? Ledo: These works are spontaneous, quick, and done in a frenzy, though some are tweaked and adjusted over a few days. They are made with wall paint, high-pigment liquid paint, spray paint, oil stick and oil paint, all to varying degrees.
1x: We’re used to seeing figurative compositions from you. What inspired you to lean more heavily into abstract art? Ledo: I’ve been playing with abstract art for about two years now, and I am taking it more and more seriously. While I still enjoy realistic portraiture, I needed a new outlet: something with more energy and spontaneity, mark-making, texture, and exploration of materials. Geometric abstraction has always inspired me. Artists like Kadinsky and Rothko, as well as analytical cubism from Braques and Picasso, really had an effect on me. My work has incorporated geometric shapes for more than a decade; it’s just never looked at as abstraction because there were figures involved. I figured it was time to let my abstract tendencies stand alone, and live a life void of anything recognizable.
1x: What are some of the biggest challenges to abstract painting, versus portraiture? Ledo: I think that bringing an image of shape and colour to a point intrigue and wonder is the challenge. Another challenge is not overworking the image because there is no obvious indicator that it’s done.
1x: What’s next? Ledo: I’ve got more large scale abstracts on the way, as well as some work that brings what I’ve learned from painting abstracts back to portraits. Beyond that, I’ve got a busy mural season up ahead.
For centuries, women’s artwork has been pushed to the margins of museums, gallery spaces, and textbooks. Even today, although they make up roughly half of working visual artists in the United States, only 13% of major museum collections represent women. We believe that supporting art by (living) women, attending their…
Detroit renaissance man Sheefy caps our Most of My Heroes collection with a series of original sketches and limited-edition prints on stamps. Sheefy used the concept to pay homage to his black idols while underscoring the connection to his hometown, painting Haring-style portraits from Marcus Garvey to Moodyman. In our exclusive interview, the artist highlights his process, influence, and the collection’s significance.
1xRUN: Can you tell us a little bit about Jesus Is King? Is there anything you would like to highlight about this image? Sheefy: When I was thinking about the whole thing, and just the concept of My Heroes Don’t Appear on Stamps, I was trying to think of what influential black people I could draw. I really don’t do religious pieces, but Jesus just popped into my head.
Everybody always says, white Jesus, black Jesus, but there’s never been a Black Jesus. I painted him actually black to push it straightforward. Like, “Jesus was a black man”, just to be artsy and simple about it and get straight to the point.
1x: What is unique about this collection compared with your other work? Sheefy: I put a bit more thought into what I was drawing. Lately a lot of my work has been more of a stream of consciousness, sketching and going to the next one. With this whole series, it got me really thinking about who are my black heroes, and who would I want to see publicized more. I got to looking up pictures of them, and trying to simplify them –– so you can still see them, but their face can be just a circle. Like Black Jesus; it’s such a simple drawing but you know that’s Jesus. It was fun.
I like the looseness of the sketches. Using the India ink, and then pushing the paint further. That was my first time pushing this style of painting how I did with the Black Jesus.
1x: Why is it important for people to see Jesus, Grace Jones, Serena Williams, Kobe Bryant, and Malcom X on stamps? Sheefy: I feel like they were so unapologetically black, I feel like at least they should be on stamps. Especially Grace Jones. I wanted to include more women, and I wanted to include their figures. It’s symbolic. Serena Williams, her shape’s beautiful. I also wanted to get some Detroiters in the mix: Esham and Moodyman. Thinking about my black heroes that people wouldn’t know about. I guess just the unsung heroes and underdogs, the weirdos, that’s what I try to focus on.
1x: If you could honor a historic African American with their own national holiday who would it be and why? Sheefy: I’d do Kobe. A Techno Day or something. Motown Day. Or a day where we honor every black person who was killed by police. Black Women’s Day. You feel me?
1x: If you could have dinner with any African American from past or present who would it be and why? Sheefy: Jimi Hendrix. I should have drawn Jimi Hendrix.
1x: How did you first get into art? Sheefy: I honestly have been drawing as long as I can remember. I remember my Mom pushing me a little bit further, because I’d just be doodling. I used to draw and trace Fred Flinstone, The Jetsons, and all that. I went from that to making my own characters, then to art classes and art camps.
1x: Did your parents or family approve/support you becoming a full time artist? Sheefy: Yeah. My family’s always been supportive. My school, my neighborhood be pushing me forward. I feel like that’s what really pushed me forward, the support that I got from my family and my parents.
1x: What artists inspire you now? Sheefy: Hebru Brantley, Mario Moore, Sydney G. James, Chuck Styles, Felipe Pantone.
1x: Any big shows or events coming up that you’d like to share? Sheefy: My upcoming solo exhibition is called A Fool’s Dream at Robert Kidd Gallery in Birmingham, Michigan. I just got back from my 3 Weeks In L.A. exhibition, and then they hit me up. We’d been trying to do a show for the past year. At first, they wanted me to do a huge show, like 20 pieces. But they got this nice backroom gallery, and I feel like I can execute that better and in a more timely manner with 10 or 12 pieces. I’m basing them all around the things an artist hears in their career. Being an artist is often cast as a far-fetched dream, hence the title A Fool’s Dream. Most people think you a fool when you’re trying to become an artist. I’m putting those types of thoughts into the work. Being anxious, feeling high off of a sale, feeling the lows when people not buying. I’m thinking about those things.
Stina Aleah is a self-taught figurative oil painter and makeup artist. Citing personal experience, Aleah paints aspirational portraits speaking to internal struggles, staying motivated, and sticking it to the haters. As part of our ongoing Heroes series for Black History Month, Aleah brings a moving print edition and an original portrait to cap the collection. Read our exclusive interview with the artist below.
1xRUN: Can you tell us a little bit about the piece, and what’s happening in this scene? Is there anything you would like to highlight about this image? Stina Aleah: I wanted to depict the subject of Spiritual Warfare. To me, a lot happens behind the scenes, people pulling strings or manipulating situations to their desired outcome, with intention to tangle you in their storm. But always remaining and staying strong and centered and eyes toward peace (The dove) no matter what is happening around you.
1x: How did the idea and execution come about for this image? Aleah: It’s funny how I work, but I was given this topic by a collector of mine, and I didn’t touch the painting for months, when I want to make sure i’m creatively in tune I do a lot of meditation. Well one day the image jumped into my head, that is when I took the time to find references and map it out how I envisioned it.
1x: Why is it important for people to see this image on a stamp? Aleah: Spiritual Warfare is such a daily struggle; this image is a reminder of hope. It’s an inspirational piece that many can relate to, and when you find yourself tangled in a string of indecision, hopelessness, manipulation, struggle, you can look at this piece as a reminder of YOUR peace.
1x: What is unique about this piece compared with your other work? Aleah: Typically, my work is very singular and figurative. This work I was able to incorporate other elements to really bring out the story and symbolism that I wanted to portray.
1x: If you could honor a historic African American with their own national holiday who would it be and why? Aleah: Just one? If I can bend the rules on this question a bit, I’d choose Wilma Rudolph, Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson, Jack Johnson and many of the first African American athletes… I mean they literally went through hell and high water breaking down barriers to play the sports they loved. And when you turn on the tv, and watch football, basketball, track & field, It’s just a reminder of our history and what they fought so hard for. I’d love for it to be dedicated to just the sports.
1x: If you could have dinner with any African American from past or present, who would it be and why? Aleah: Have you heard of Mary Ellen Pleasant? She is so amazing to me. One of the first African-American millionaires. She used her position as a domestic servant soaking up all of the investment information she could in order to make her own intelligent and highly executed investments. I mean that is unheard of in the 1800s and she did it. I’d just want to sit down with her, and hear all of her stories.
1x: How did you first get into art? Aleah: Oh man this is a long story… I’ll try to make this short. I was a star athlete in high school, but I broke my femur in a devastating long jumping injury. I had to have surgery and was out for the season, I couldn’t walk to class so the counselors and principles decided I’d spend my time healing in the art room. Little did I know that it would change my life forever. When I thought I’d be a professional track & field athlete, God ordained my steps to have me become a professional artist.
1x: Did your parents or family approve/support you becoming a full time artist? Aleah: Absolutely, but I didn’t actually begin to paint or think that I could be full time until about four years ago. My parents travel to my shows all over the country, my mother holds down the transactions if necessary while my dad runs around with my five year old so that I can connect with patrons and handle business.
1x: What would you consider a dream collaboration? Aleah: My fellow artist friend and I want to collaborate with organizations of incarcerated women employing them to create murals and beautify our city, while using art to open up a new world of creativity and belief in themselves.
1x: What artists inspire you now? Aleah: Kevin A Williams Kadir Nelson Casey Baugh Andrew Tischler Omar Ortiz
1x: Any big shows or events coming up that you’d like to share? Aleah: Right now, I’m taking it back a step and creating a huge new series that i’m pretty excited about, so stay tuned…big things are coming.
1xRUN is excited to welcome Tommy Mitchell to the Most of My Heroes collection with a limited print edition and original artwork! The Mississippi-born artist combines his life drawing skills with an affinity for religious iconography to imagine history’s idols that never were. Read below for our exclusive interview with the artist.
1xRUN: Can you tell us a little bit about the piece, and what’s happening in this scene? Is there anything you would like to highlight about this image? Tommy Mitchell: This work is from a series where I began examining and the exploration of religious imagery and its influence in portraiture. My work places black women and women of color in the posture of those of the Renaissance era with Byzantine era elements. I am always searching for ways to bridge my fascination with religious imagery and fashion photography components.
1x: How did the idea and execution come about for this image? Mitchell: The particular model I used had a look that I gravitated towards. Theres always something that draws me to a subject or model. Freckles, eyes, a hairstyle, a feature that makes the model/subject unique to me. As far as execution, I always take time to look at the panel I’m working and just sit with it and visualize what needs to be created for it.
1x: Why is it important for people to see this image on a stamp? Mitchell: To me it’s an opportunity to educate the uninformed about why it’s important to have Blacks on stamps and researching the roles we’ve played in shaping America and history. Also showcasing that there are options now. Balance. I enjoy the thought of someone seeing this and thinking there’s diversity.
1x: What is unique about this piece compared with your other work? Mitchell: I can’t speak on what is necessarily “unique”. I believe that’s up to the viewer but I’d like to keep the consistency in creating “my” work and create a lane for my work to be unique to those whom view it.
1x: If you could honor a historic African American with their own national holiday who would it be and why? Mitchell: Black women.
1x: If you could have dinner with any African American from past or present who would it be and why? Mitchell: NaS.
1x: How did you first get into art? Mitchell: Drawing the things I’ve gravitated to as a child. I’ve always appreciated creativity, whether it be through design, architecture and so on, I just happened to stick with it and turn my passion into my craft/lifes task.
1x: Did your parents or family approve/support you becoming a full time artist? Mitchell: Yes and no. I have parents whom support me in all that I do but I appreciate their support in the form of life is the sum of the work you put in to get the results you seek, nothing is just handed to you or given. My mother always used to say “God only helps those who help themselves”. That gave me the gift of becoming more self sufficient and reliant on accelerated learning.
1x: What would you consider a dream collaboration? Mitchell: I’ve always wanted to design a NaS album cover. As far as Brand, Nike. Both answers obviously speak from a position of notoriety but I’d like to work with anyone with the same values, respect and attention to details as myself.
1x: What artists inspire you now? Mitchell: Too many to choose from but Amy Sherald, Nina Chanel Abney, Mickalene Thomas, Lava Thomas, Lina Iris Viktor, Shibazzle, Erik Jones, Barkley Hendricks, POSE, Tristan Eaton, Kehinde Wiley, Club Bum, Zim One, Marly McFly, Kerry James Marshall, Fahamu Pecou, I could go on forever.
1x: Any big shows or events coming up that you’d like to share? Mitchell: I’m currently showcasing some works at Band of Vices Gallery in Los Angeles.
Bart Cooper is a Los Angeles-based contemporary artist born and raised in Liberia. Already talented at a young age, Bart and his family fled to the United States, where he studied fine art, sculpture and graphic design. In his heartfelt edition for 1xRUN’s Black History Month series, Cooper portrays a young black child as innocent, young, peaceful, as he ought to be. Read our exclusive interview with the artist below.
1xRUN: Can you tell us a little bit about the piece, and what’s happening in this scene?Is there anything you would like to highlight about this image? Bart Cooper: A narrative of a young male exercising his inner peace in the midst of the thick clouds while sitting next to a growing daisy.
1x: How did the idea and execution come about for this image? Cooper: The idea simply came to balance the narrative of a young black male in a better light. Portray an image as a male who leans more on the side of peace than violence and rage.
1x: Why is it importantfor people to see this image on a stamp? Cooper: This image is intended to bring a balance. That all Black boys aren’t violent.
1x: What is unique about this piece compared with your other work? Cooper: Most of my work has a message and targets certain topics. Which is intended to speak to the individuals soul when they see my art. This piece sends a powerful message to the masses.
1x: If you could honor a historic African American with their own national holiday who would it be and why? Cooper: There is so many that came to mind. The first one that came to mind was Malcolm X. Because I believe Malcolm was so necessary.
1x: If you could have dinner with any African American from past or present who would it be and why? Cooper: Muhammad Ali. Because he is definitely my most influential person I look up to.
1x: How did you first get into art? Cooper: I first got into art at the age of 3 years old. That was the first time I remember picking up a pencil. I have not put it down since.
1x: Did your parents or family approve/support you becoming a full time artist? Cooper: To be honest I was raised in a African household. And art was not looked at as a profession or career. So there was not really much support in that department.
1x: What would you consider a dream collaboration? Cooper: I’ve been in my own sort of lane for sometime now. I can’t really think of a dream collaboration at the moment. I would love to collaborate with any great brand that is in line with my journey.
1x: What artists inspire you now? Cooper: So many has inspired me. From Da Vinci, Ernie Barnes to Norman Rockwell. Lately I have been studying Lawrence Alma-Tadema
1x: Any big shows or events coming up? Cooper: I’m currently working on a new body of work that will be ready sometime mid year to go on display.
Chuck Styles is a multidisciplinary artist from Philadelphia who has dedicated his career to expressing the beauty, strength and excellence of black culture in his artwork. In his new die-cut edition for “Most of My Heroes Don’t Appear on No Stamps”, Styles portrays Muhammad Ali as a young fighter conscious of his own greatness. Read our exclusive interview with the artist below.
1xRUN: Can you tell us a little bit about the piece, and what’s happening in this scene? Is there anything you would like to highlight about this image? Chuck Styles: THIS PIECE IS OF THE GREATEST: MUHAMMAD ALI. I LOVE THIS IMAGE! It was when he was young, fast, confident, and unbothered. It was the visualization of swagger. With Ali’s political stance on the war as well as his religious name change, I feel like this image captures that strength that he possessed. The kind of strength to tell the government “I’m not fighting your war” or during a time when civil rights were being fought for, say “Call me by my name, Muhammad ALI”.
1x: How did the idea and execution come about for this image? Styles: THIS IS A POPULAR PHOTO IMAGE FROM HIS TIME PERIOD THAT I USED FOR REFERENCE TO PAINT FROM. The paint style and color choices were decided because I felt like they give off energy. Some badass energy. The colorful silhouettes almost feel like radiation. I wanted that feeling to exude from the art in a way that whoever would look at it would feel instantly confident in their day and take on the world.
1x: Why is it important for people to see this image on a stamp? Styles: IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IN A TIME LIKE THIS, WE MUST STAND FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE IS RIGHT. Ali was not only loved in sports but his charm outside the ring was very appealing, which he was able to lean on during those very challenging but necessary statements. I see many athletes and popular celebrities utilize their platforms to do the same thing. The cool ones HAVE to make the uncool but necessary stances to help shift the crowd.
1x: What is unique about this piece compared with your other work? Styles: THIS PIECE IS UNIQUE BECAUSE I’VE INCORPORATED A LOT OF SKETCH WORK THAT ALSO HIGHLIGHTS HIS LEGACY AS WELL. Many of my pieces are very straightforward. I wanted to give the audience early sketches and quotes from him to help really digest this piece.
1x: If you could honor a historic African American with their own national holiday who would it be and why? Styles: LEBRON JAMES! I KNOW HE’S YOUNG AND IT’S TOO EARLY BUT I SEE HIM AS THE NEW ALI. A champion, a social advocate, community leader, and forward thinking! He may not get a National Holiday soon but I know for sure with all the work he is doing in Akron that it will start with a Lebron Day there.
1x: If you could have dinner with any African American from past or present who would it be and why? Styles: CLARENCE AVANT. MANNNN. THAT DUDE… THEY DON’T MAKE THEM LIKE THAT ANYMORE! I had no idea his incredible involvement he had on the entertainment industry until I saw Netflix’s BLACK GODFATHER. To be able to have a career and impact like he has with little formal education, all muscle and hustle . . . Geesh. I would sit at the dinner and probably not even eat, just listen and soak up game.
1x: How did you first get into art? Styles: I STARTED DOING ART AS EARLY AS 3. I drew Ninja Turtles and Peter Pan images on my wall as a kid. I didn’t get beat because my mom thought I was good enough to have it be left there. Funny enough I did not want to be an artist. I wanted to be in the NBA. Lol. I fought my destiny for so long after high school I just said “ let me actually pursue this gift I keep taking for granted”. I went on to study at Art Institute of Philadelphia paying out of pocket with my barber money from haircuts. That didn’t turn out how I imagined with me dropping out due to finances. So with all the student loan debt I made a vow to myself and Sallie Mae that I was gonna show up and be successful as an artist without a degree!
1x: Did your parents or family approve/support you becoming a full-time artist? Styles: Yes! My family has always been supportive. I wouldn’t be here without their support. There were times I was dead broke and depressed. Their love and support allowed me to not give up on myself. I’ve also always been a go getter so it wasn’t hard for them to see that I wasn’t going to stop until this dream was accomplished.
1x: What would you consider a dream collaboration? Styles: A DREAM COLLABORATION WOULD BE THE SUMMER OLYMPICS. An event that has always been with black households because of how athletic we are with track and field and basketball. That’s the world stage. I would love to depict black gold medalists for the whole world to see.
1x: What artists inspire you now? Styles: HEBRU BRANTLEY, TRISTAN EATON, EZ DEVLIN, LENA WAITHE, RYAN COOGLER, BEYONCE, so many people from different art backgrounds.
1x:Any big shows or events coming up that you’d like to share? Styles: LOL I CAN’T SHARE BECAUSE OF NDAs shhhhhhhh
Follow Chuck on Instagram at @chuckstyless, and view the collection here.
