Today we’d like to introduce you to Johnathon Foster.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My story dates back to kindergarten (well as far as I can recall). All I ever wanted to do was draw superheroes (pretty typical for a kid). I would risk it all which at that juncture in life, which meant running the risk of getting in trouble in school for drawing and getting a whooping. Which was by far the worst fate. A pivotal moment came in second grade when I met Derrick Miller. A fellow student who had an interest in art. Unbeknownst to me, Derrick was a prodigy, even in the second grade, he could draw on such level that he could go on to become great in the world of art at a very young age.
Keep in mind I said “could” and not did. So I set my goal at being better than him at all costs. This friendly competition lasted for about two years and then he transferred schools. Which was a blessing in disguise? The blessing was he was no longer around which meant I could practice day and night to beat him if we ever were to meet again. I actually would draw with this exact notion in mind constantly thinking that if he was already ahead of me, I had to draw twice as much to surpass him.
The day finally came when I met him again, and I was prepared I had worked hard at my craft and had been accepted into a creative and performing arts school just to hone my skills further. We finally meet about ten years later randomly (but that was no excuse because I swore if I ever met him again I would be prepared). Even though the meeting was happenstance, I had a sketchbook on hand with lots of work just to prove to him that I was better only to find out he had not drawn anything since that time we had parted ways in third grade. It was bittersweet, I could not claim the victory I had so longed for, but I did develop a work ethic and a portfolio.
This, of course, played out good for me in high school, and on into college. I have to mention very importantly how my desire after the whole Derrick situation ended; my passion was reinforced by my college professor the late, great John T. Scott. I attended the Xavier University of Louisiana where I had the honor of meeting and being humbled by my now dearly missed teacher. John Scott fostered my drive for creativity. He instilled in me the value of not doing something until you get it right but doing something until you can no longer get it wrong.
This lesson was a hard learned very humiliating, and humbling. I can say all of the effort put in was well worth it, even if I achieve no further accolades in art. That lesson has been perhaps the strongest driving force in my career thus far. My journey has been streamlined into a conscious effort to become a full-time artist and chase that elusive dream where happiness and finance meet. Albeit the myth of the starving artist persists, I have chosen to blindly follow my intuition. Ideally, I ascend to the heights of Kerry James Marshall or Hebru Brantley.
As of today, I am Johnathon “Johnavich” Foster. I have had mid success in achieving the goal of being featured in a gallery as prestigious as the African American Museum and have learned that it’s not about being on top it is more about staying on top. In order to do that one has to delve into different aspects of the business of art. I wish I could say I know where this journey is headed but Steve Jobs said you van old connect the dots looking back. So the future is a mystery, but I am preparing perpetually to be that next great artist.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road has not been bumpy as it has been misleading. I can say my talent has been received well in the art community, but mainstream success is very elusive. I have fallen into the “trap” of dogma which is living through everybody else’s experiences. I bought into the American dream of going to school, getting a job, getting, married, have kids, a house with a white picket fence son on and so forth. I feel like as an artist this has hindered my success.
I have been essentially going in the wrong direction based on advice given to me by society. It is not my goal to bash education, in my particular realm of art actually immersing myself into the art world would have been more beneficial than chasing a job. Honestly, it is the whole pay for school to get a job just to pay for school thing that gets me. At any rate, the hardest thing I face to today is how to transition my passion into capital.
Opportunities are far and few, and even within those opportunities, I have realized it’s not always based on merit or skill it heavily revolves around who you know. And if you are a recluse or a not a socialite, then that is a strike against you. In other words, people are not appreciating art base don the art but more so on the artist. I really art would be chosen solely based on the content and not the character of the artist.
Please tell us about Johnavich LLC.
My business offers fine art to customers that know or are willing to invest in something that appreciates as well as add aesthetic value to their lives. I also offer art classes. This gives me a chance to break out of my shell and let people get to see me in my element as well as offer a good time to patrons that want to take in the different aspects of the social life in the DFW.
I am most proud of my recent acquisition of space the will allow me to better serve the public with better services and space to allow fellow creatives to share their artwork.
What sets me apart is my introspective approach to how I conduct my business. I value quality over quantity. This is why I don’t create prints of my work because in my mind it diminishes the value.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I would have either not gone to college altogether or pursued a different route in college. More than likely I would have not gone at all and would have just delved deeply into the world of art and the business aspect of it. That would have better prepared me for the here and now.
Contact Info:
- Address: 4220 Main Dallas, TX 75226
- Website: https://squareup.com/store/johnavich-llc
- Phone: 4696628969
- Email: johnathon@johnavich.com
- Instagram: johnavich
- Facebook: Sip & Dip With Johnavich
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