Meet Jeremy Spears of Velvet Art By Carter in Roanoke

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeremy Spears.

Jeremy, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Born and raised in Kansas City, MO by a single father of two kids, my dad would often take me to art galleries and museums as a child. That was where my love for art began.

I took an art class in high school, which gave me a chance to practice and challenge my sense of creativity.

I moved to Dallas as a teenager, graduated from high school and enlisted into the United States Air Force.

After suffering a family tragedy, I lost myself and ended up homeless for two years. With the help of some family and friends, I was able to get back onto my feet.

In 2009, a friend of mine asked me to take photos of her in the snow we had that year, and she immediately posted them on social media. I started getting calls to take more photos but had no idea how to operate a camera.

I managed to sit under some photographer mentors, who showed me how to use my camera, what to invest in and how to create my own style.

The body art would come a few years later.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It was a pretty smooth road, in the beginning, being able to practice my style on family and friends. I finally got to a point of being confident in my abilities as a photographer, that I could start charging people for a session. I was slowly getting into weddings, families, boudoir, corporate events and much more.

The only struggle I had was not having a “particular clientele” for my photography. I was also losing business to cell phone technology. I was starting to be replaced by what people were carrying in their pockets. I lost alot of business because alot of people did not want to pay for what they could do on their phones.

Velvet Art By Carter – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I started Velvet Art By Carter about four years ago.

I specialize in abstract body art and photography of the male and female nude form.

I am known for creating original abstract body art images, as I am the designer, the painter, the photographer, and the editor.

I am most proud that the images that I create are now starting to be seen by local artists, local galleries and catching the eyes of men and women who want to be a part of the body art experience. As an artist, I was part of a new art gallery showing, where I sold three images and won “Best In Show” in my first event.

I think what sets me apart as an artist, is that I am constantly experimenting with new mediums and composition. There is a bit of sensuality to my abstract body art, but the human body is sensual in itself. I want to bring back the composition, the angles, the techniques that so many artists are searching for, or they are having a hard time finding.

I believe that the human body, male and female exhibit one of them, if not the greatest canvas known to man. I want to go back as an artist and portray the body, male and female with some artistic sensuality. There is nothing wrong with an image portraying some sexuality because the human body is sexual in various ways for various people.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I define success in the attempt.
I define success when people tell me that I shouldn’t do that because…

Success for me has always been my ability to overcome my struggles as an artist in creating a vision, implementing it and working with the right individuals. The right individuals not only help me succeed as an artist, but they see the vision, implement their skills as models and create a capture that can never be repeated.

I don’t think that I have a criteria as an artist. As an artist, we are our harsh critics. But in the same breath, once I have painted a male or female canvas, my criteria goes down the drain. When I start photographing them, I am always looking for the right angles, composition, lighting, the strengths and weaknesses of the models involved. I look at how their bodies move, breath and adjust to the theme.

When I start editing the images, I try to give people a moment of thought: “Who or what is that? Is that a man or a woman?”

I want people to enjoy the images I create as an artist and when they walk away, I want them to remember the moment they saw them and say “Do you remember that one?”

That’s the goal of any and all artists, no matter what their medium is.

Pricing:

• Pricing is subject to piece.
• Average pieces range from $2000.00 to $5000.00

Contact Info:

• Address: 16551 Chapel Hill Court
  Roanoke, TX 76262
• Phone: 8175591768
• Email: jspears98@gmail.com
• Instagram: instragram.com/velvetartbycarter

Image Credit:
Jake Mack, Brandi Russell, Danielle Raney, Colton Whiteside, Ashley Blake, Dylan Boyd, Britni Swilling, Jana Marie

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