Today we’d like to introduce you to Damien James.
Damien, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I’ve been making art since I was a kid. Art was undoubtedly one of few places I found solace and imaginative inspiration in a very solitary and introverted childhood. Years later, around the age of 26, I became a parent of two small humans myself, and came to the realization that in order to pass any degree of happiness on to my own children, I needed to first find some happiness for me, some piece of personal satisfaction. It was at this moment that I quit my day job at the Chicago Tribune and began making art with the intention to share it. Within the year, I participated in my first exhibition. At the time, my work was directed by two primary motivations; first, I was reconnecting with my own childhood through my experience with my kids, so a measure of playfulness in art making was important to me, a flexibility and lack of concern for outcome; it was more about time spent, and the quality of that time. I was also revisiting the imagery that had inspired me early in life, artists like Dali, Bosch, Dix, Kandinsky. There were elements in the very different work of these artists that made an impact on my internal visual aesthetic as a kid, and I wanted to explore that.
My first few years of exhibiting were very much about spontaneity, about learning to listen to my instincts, to experience the frustration of trial and error, the satisfaction of arriving at something I felt was beautiful, and the pleasure of connecting with people through art. I wasn’t creating one specific type of work; I was more interested in following my myriad, divergent interests. I’ve always been deeply inspired by music, literature, film, by random interactions with people, unexpected intersections, and I never wanted to limit my creative production to a particular type of work because I felt it would be untrue to my experience. What I produce should be as varied as the stimulus that comes into my life. I constantly absorb new information, without fear of expanding myself, without fear of experimentation, of growth. Looking back at my work over the years, I feel it is in many ways a record of my evolution as an individual, a record of my consciousness expanding in the world.
Art is in fact a way of life for me, a perspective (or collection of perspectives, perhaps) on experiencing the world, not simply a vocation or a calling. And I have been fortunate that from the time of my very first exhibition, I continually meet individuals who encourage and support me, people who often in fact project pieces of themselves into my work and consequently share deeply of themselves with me. This makes art very much a social experience for me as well and has opened me up tremendously on a social level, to the point that I have come to see interaction with others as necessary to my overall creative endeavor. The sharing of ideas and passions, the freedom to debate and expound, these things flow naturally from the art context into daily life. Art making has enriched my life, and the richness of life imbues my work with vitality. It is an entirely sustainable practice.
Making art in the context of raising a family also made me far more conscious of all the terrible shit that happens on a daily basis in the world at large. I became more attuned to the absurdity of politics and conscientious about our often politically obscured collective histories of cruelty. Art became a means of expressing my thoughts about the place I inhabit, a way to respond to the prominence of greed, duplicity, intolerance, and denial amongst those who hold power. The complex minutia of power was reflected in the obsessive/compulsive detail of my work, and this particular outward gaze changed the direction of my work for the next couple of years. Eventually I came to feel that this intensive plunge into the perpetual calamity of humanity was disemboweling my optimism, however (and I always felt it was important to maintain some degree of optimism when guiding my kids in their lives), so I allowed art to lead me to a more meditative headspace for a year or so. It was at this point that art making began to function in a therapeutic capacity for me and led to future work that helped me uncover deeper truths about myself and the manner in which I exist in the world and share myself with others. As I continue to evolve, so does the work I make. As my thoughts about the world change, so does my work. Art should be as fluid as the life of the artist.
I’ve made several bodies of work over the last 15 years, each specifically attached to a particular thought or moment in my life, a cluster of disparate inspirations, each flowing from an interior response to the external world or from an equally necessary inward gaze. My work is to be alive, to be present, to interact and respond and share my experience. Making art is one of the ways in which I do this. So, “artistic approach” is more aptly “life approach” for me. Being present in the world, speaking my truths both visually and verbally, this is my approach.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
My art is as varied as the places from which I draw inspiration. I make work about my internal life, and about my perception of the external world. I let the moment drive what type of work I produce, from photo-realistic and figurative to abstract, whatever feels right for the subject and moment. Much of what I currently make is connected to social justice and acknowledgment of our histories.
What would you recommend to an artist new to the city, or to art, in terms of meeting and connecting with other artists and creatives?
Go to shows. Talk to people. Especially to people you admire. I made a choice years ago to treat every living individual I admire as my peer. This empowered me to reach out to creative humans who inspire me. More often than not, those people respond, and I’ve made profound connections with world class talents this way. It requires a degree of fearlessness but talking to people is the key.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I show in various galleries and random places on a regular basis throughout the US. The best way to find out about what I’m doing is to subscribe to my website, follow me on Instagram, or send me an email at notjackkerouac@yahoo.com
Instagram: @damien.james.art
Website: www.damienjamesart.com
I also use Patreon, a crowdfunding site, to help me survive: www.patreon.com/damienjames. Patreon is a way for patrons to make monthly contributions (as little as a single dollar a month) to help a living artist sustain himself. In exchange for whatever contribution a patron chooses to offer, there are varying reward levels including closer contact with the artist, news, information on works in progress, and even original art.
Contact Info:
- Address: 6165 North Winthrop – Suite 808
- Website: damienjamesart.com
- Phone: 7737047149
- Email: notjackkerouac@yahoo.com
- Instagram: @damien.james.art
- Other: patreon.com/damienjames
Image Credit:
These are four marker drawings I’ve made within the last several months, and they represent the two directions I’m currently moving in. All are predominantly made with Sharpie markers, and all are on watercolor paper.
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