Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Dodson.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
My story started as a child, always drawing, constantly scribbling down ideas my imagination could muster up. I spent my days watching cartoons and building Legos. I loved to construct things, which probably resonates in my work today.
In 2002 as a freshman in high school, I met a kid who showed me a graffiti magazine and it changed the trajectory of my life forever. I had never seen anything like it and I was instantly hooked on the way you could alter the alphabet with your own ‘’style’’. I was already into skate boarding, which went hand in hand naturally with graffiti. I began doing as much research as I could on this unfamiliar subculture that had been revealed to me. Sneaking out in the middle of the night to paint my new pseudonym on a train or abandoned building was an adrenaline rush. All I wanted to do was get my name out there. Luckily, I never got in caught although there were a few close calls. My parents weren’t really prepared for my newfound obsession and eventually would find my hoards of spray paint and sketches and put two and two together . . . Nowadays, they see what has become of all the ”illegal pastime” and are fully supportive of my current endeavors.
After high school, I enrolled in some college courses at Dallas County Community College trying to figure out which path I wanted to take. At the same time, I was immersing myself into various modern and contemporary art movements and got really inspired by architecture and various abstract forms of expression. By this point, I was certain that I wanted to make this a full-time venture and dedicated tremendous amounts of time on my craft. Being a ”starving artist” was a term that was thrown around a lot in the beginning but I was okay with that if it meant that I could do what I loved. Let’s just say it has been a roller coaster of creativity. To make a long story short, I got older and with age came responsibility and the graffiti art went on the back burner.
I wanted to solidify my position in the art world professionally. In 2012 I participated in my first group exhibition and went into it with an open mind, eager to learn. I’ve done a number of shows since then and vie had pretty good success having people collect my work. It’s definitely a great feeling. I still have a full-time job but every day brings new possibilities to do my art full time.
Please tell us about your art.
I use spray paint and acrylic for the majority of my paintings to create what I like to call ”graffitecture”. Using canvas or wood panels as a vehicle to harbor the images. Everything starts as a rough sketch using pencil and rulers. I use a lot of drafting tools to get precise measurements and angles. I also go through ALOT of tape. Overlapping colors with high pigment aerosol paint to create layers of three dimensional shapes built together to create the structures on the surface.
To explain why I’ve chosen this style of painting always brings me back to the core principles of letterforms in graffiti which I studied so much on. A letter should have a strong stance, standing on its own or supported the letters it is surrounded by. The same goes for architecture. A building is only as strong as its frame and foundation. We see a lot of this in modern architecture already with buildings becoming more eco-friendly in urban areas to sustain energy in certain areas of the infrastructure. When I create a painting I like to explore the complexities of a basic shape and fortify its physical composition. Bringing to life as if it is trying to jump of the surface to hold its own ground.
I am currently working a creating some these paintings into sculpture form using various materials to become functional piece of art. Stay tuned on the progression!
As an artist, how do you define success and what quality or characteristic do you feel is essential to success as an artist?
To me, success is having the ability to come up with an idea and execute it with finesse. Every artist has a different rhythm of work flow. Some people need complete silence, some people need to be surrounded by a million things running at the same time. Painters block is a real thing and I think it’s important to let loose and get out of your comfort zone every now and then to stay fresh.
I think the ability to stay humble yet confident is very important in this craft. I like to meet people at gallery shows and see what people have to say about the current art scene and discuss process how of different modes of painting. Selling a piece of art is one of the greatest feeling in the world and if you can do it more often than not you’re doing something right!
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
They can follow me on Instagram @joshdodsonstudio I frequently post there to share current works in the studio and upcoming shows for people to check out.
Buy some! (no pressure). Share my work or come to a show and meet me! I love meeting and talking to new people. Networking is key!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.joshdodsonstudio.com
- Email: joshdodsonstudio@gmail.com
- Instagram: @joshdodsonstudio
Image Credit:
Joshua Dodson
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