Today we’d like to introduce you to Rob Joyner.
Rob, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
My story is a little different from most because I don’t have any formal art training.
I was sitting in my apartment in 2008 with my friend, Daniel, staring at all the blank walls surrounding us. It was in that moment that I first realized I wanted to add more personality to my space. Daniel, who was an artist, suggested I pick up a paintbrush and paint something myself. Two days after laughing hysterically, I actually started to consider his suggestion. I went to the art store and two days later I had a floral painting hanging on my wall.
Fast forward 8 years, my fiancé (now wife), Michelle, asked me why I wasn’t selling my art. I told her that if she could sell it that she could enjoy some of the proceeds. That year we ended up selling 15 pieces. I was hooked. I lived for the opportunity to transform spaces, just like my first piece transformed my apartment years before.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I’ve always painted large, abstract pieces. I combine heavy texture, acrylic paint, oil pastels, charcoal, and different studio finds into oversized, bright statement pieces. The reason I tend to create such large paintings is because I want to force spectators to explore them and discover new nuances every time they look at them. Plus, I’m a tall guy, so it’s what feels natural to me.
The more I explore my art, the more I start to realize who I am. I’ve always struggled with anxiety, which translates into chaos on canvas. Before I could speak about anxiety, I painted it. Painting helped me find my voice. When I paint, I expose multiple layers, all the way down to the bare canvas, revealing the convolution and vulnerability of the piece itself. My hope is that my art helps people understand that being complicated is beautiful.
Artists rarely, if ever pursue art for the money. Nonetheless, we all have bills and responsibilities and many aspiring artists are discouraged from pursuing art due to financial reasons. Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share with prospective artists?
I think artists sometimes forget that they’re running a business. It’s like any other job – you don’t start out the CEO. You have to do the dirty work in the beginning. Although the end goal is to paint exactly what you want, sometimes you have to pick up commission pieces that may please the client more than yourself. You have to use that money to fund your passion projects. As your art continues to evolve, and when your passion and style starts to be shared by others, you can then more easily sell and paint what you want. The single best piece of advice that I could give to an artist with financial concerns is to take advantage of the fundamentally free advertisement that social media provides.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Currently, I sell my art directly to the collector. People can find my work on my website www.paintedjoyner.com and my Instagram @paintedjoyner. I always appreciate support of my artwork through word-of-mouth and recommendations to those that are in the market for a new painting.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.paintedjoyner.com
- Phone: (214) 244-5298
- Email: paintedjoyner@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/paintedjoyner
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/paintedjoyner
Image Credit:
All images photographed by Michelle K. Joyner.
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