Today we’d like to introduce you to Barrett Keithley.
Barrett, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I am from the Southside of Chicago called “The Wild Hundreds.” Growing up, I would say I had the best of both worlds because there was a track that divided the upper middle class/rich and the lower middle class/poor. I grew up directly in the middle. Every day I had the option to decide what kind of experience I wanted to live. Hang with my “hood” friends or hang with my “rich” friends. Growing up in the hundreds prepared me for life and ultimately being an artist because it showed me what I can achieve by working smart and also how to navigate a harsh and dangerous environment.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
My art is “The People” because of where of grew up I was able to see the ying and yang of life. I created these characters that are linear, frontal, and flat. They speak with their hands much like the way people do. When you see a fist it means power, a peace sign means the obvious, and a middle finger means…well we all know haha. When they are all together they represent a community and when an image is placed in front they are speaking with their hands about that image. It is then up to the audience to decided what they are saying. I created “The People” because that’s what influenced me the most growing up, the people around me, on tv, in the hood, etc… the quality of life is what I often depict because every day we have a choice to be anything we choose to be. Live in our fears or live in our strengths?
Another aspect to my art are the art shows/events. To me an art show/event is an experience a chance to captivate the audience and leave them in awe. For me it’s very much a science and everything is detailed and all senses are engaged from sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell.
In your view, what is the biggest issue artists have to deal with?
Capital, I think the biggest challenge is Artist finding the capital to produce their visions. Also, I think people must invest in their local talent because every international superstar was a local first and that home base will propel an artist career.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
People can see my artwork on my IG @bkeezy on FB @barrettkeithley on my website www.crownbstudio.com I also host and throw some of the biggest art events and artshows in Chicago with my partners @allthingspcg, check our website for more info on upcoming events www.allthingspcg.com
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.crownbstudio.com
- Phone: 7736061513
- Email: barrettbrand@gmail.com
- Instagram: Bkeezy
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/barrett.keithley
Image Credit:
Karina Aguilar (headshot photo)
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