By: Karen EvansArt is essential to the human spirit. Art is vital to the quality of life in a community. Art increases employee and client performance, is good for business, and builds employee and client relationships. Art is essential for children because it stimulates both sides of the brain. Art lasts longer than most things.
The late, great Artist Gilbert Duran was a breathing art machine, and he told me when we met….”I am not a man; I am an Artist.” I was blessed to be his partner in love and business. I dedicate this column to the brilliant Artist for all the
beauty, knowledge, and opinions he gave me.
Artist thought Kaldric Dow was an exceptional talent…primarily his portrait work.
How did you choose your career path, and who was your greatest role model?
A painting heavily influenced me during a middle school field trip to a Houston museum, where I saw a massive portrait of a stylish African American man. This painting made me want to represent dignified African Americans in my work. The most significant role models were the art teachers who gave me supplies and encouraged me to keep creating and bettering my art. Other role models were the African American painters Kehinde Wiley and Kerry James Marshall.
What are your success habits?
I paint every day to hone my craft. If I tire of painting on canvas, I’ll switch to fabric. If I’m tired of fabric, I’ll switch to collage. If I’m tired of collage, I’ll switch to charcoal. Switching it up keeps your artistic mind sharp. With people, I am sure to inform them about how art works and what it does, having a conversation about how they view art and my perspective. Another successful habit is doing a lot of research on the history of art and how it got to where it is now, who the key players were, and what achievements made them key players so that I can duplicate those steps in my career.
In your opinion, what are the Top Three skills every young Business Leader or executive needs to succeed today?
Consistency. Patience (considering long-term) and Networking. How are you contributing to your community and helping people?
I’m contributing to my community by informing the art world about how images of black people are shown in the media. I paint us as beautiful, authentic, strong, emotional human beings. I aim to show us this way in art history books because representation matters. I show my work at many community events so that people who don’t have access to downtown galleries and museums can experience my art and see themselves represented in an arena where we are rarely represented.
Who is your mentor, and how did you choose them?
I didn’t have a mentor per se. I researched many successful artists I learned about while diving more into art history and developing myself as an artist. I do extensive research on them, including where they grew up, where they got their education, the history of their past shows and recent exhibitions, and any videos of lectures or interviews they have had. As far as mentors from my life, I often go to shows of artists I admire to pick their brains on technique. I converse with them on their journey and how it was similar or different from my experience.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In the next five years, I see myself setting up museum exhibitions with large-scale artwork. I also see myself giving lectures at universities and colleges, speaking on my work and its relevance to art history and today’s art world, and comparing and contrasting how my techniques differ and are similar to other historical painters. I also see myself sharing and exhibiting my art with a broader audience outside the United States, like France and Africa, and seeing how they absorb and understand what I am doing.
What are your proudest accomplishments?
My biggest accomplishment to this date would be the contract with the city of San Antonio’s public art department to design a 15-foot sculpture at Martin Luther King Park. The idea was to design a sculpture that represented Dr. King’s ideology. Working with them and the fabricators, it was great to see the sculpture manifest. Another significant accomplishment is showing eight fabric paintings at the San Antonio International Airport. That show earned the attention of many people around the globe and made such an impact that they would message me to say so. Also, I was selected for Luminaria, one of the largest art exhibitions in which I participate.
Your thoughts?
The arena of visual arts is an exciting and interesting field with multiple aspects and makes a considerable contribution to and impact on the general culture of the world. I recommend that basic art history classes be taught in every high school. Art history classes that teach the stories of the most well-known artists like Picasso, Van Gogh, Rene Magritte, Frida Kahlo, and Jean Michel Basquiat. Popular culture has many art history references: Halloween costumes, products, poster shops, and TV shows. Another thought is that my main goal in creating visuals is to change what people receive as beauty. Show that black people have a range of emotions besides being “just angry.” There are thoughtful, pensive, curious, proud, appreciated, and grateful emotions in our community. I like to show we feel and express many emotions like every other human being. Another thought: my goal is all about representation. What steps do I take to get portraits of African Americans shown, appreciated, and respected like the other great portraits in the museums? How can I make a portrait that has the power and influence that matches the same power and influence of the “Mona Lisa” or the “American Gothic”?
