Artist Interviews: Kerron Marcus John

Today we are welcoming Kerron Marcus John to the AMU Blog! Kerron is a young Trinidadian artist whose dream-like, contemporary, figurative paintings express social issues. He is fascinated with the human figure because of how the body can bend and be positioned in different gestures to express a wide range of emotions, and he hopes his work will bring healing to people going through inner turmoil. Thank you for taking the time to share some inspiration with the Art Makes Us community!

AMU: Art Makes Us ___.

Kerron: more interesting and exciting human beings!

AMU: Tell us a little about yourself and your art. 

Kerron: Oh boy, I think there are a lot of layers to me, but concisely, I would say I am an emotional person, which evidently shows in my work. Art is really my life, can't stop thinking about it. So when there are periods when I have a really bad artistic block and my motivation to produce work is literally zero, I get extremely depressed. I do not see myself doing anything else but being an artist. Not just a visual artist producing paintings, drawings, or sculptures, but a creative in the sense of how I think and express myself on a day-to-day basis. Besides that, I have a love for music. To me, music and visual art go hand in hand because they are different forms of self-expression. I really wish I could sing and create music. That is one gift that I think is so dope and beautiful. Sadly I can't, but I appreciate the art form a lot. I spend hours on end listening to music or discovering new artists, and currently, alternative music is my favorite genre because there is something about the production of it, it really brings out my emotions. 

My art combines traditional painting techniques with contemporary expressions. I typically call myself a contemporary figurative oil painting artist who expresses all forms of emotions and identities in my work using the human body. I have experience in using acrylic paints, oil pastels, clay, wire, etc. I have a love for realistic work during the periods of the old Renaissance masters (Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael, etc), some aspects of impressionistic paintings, Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, and combining them with contemporary work, bringing together different ideologies.

AMU: What inspires you?

Kerron: There are a lot of things that inspire me to create. Currently, experiences I have endured in my life with different people, and how I felt during those experiences. Things that are going on around the world, and social issues that are deemed very touchy.

AMU: What are your artistic goals for the future?

Kerron: Artistically, I want to reach worldwide success in my art career, be able to exhibit in multiple art galleries internationally, and have my work in art museums. Also, I would love to open up my very own physical art gallery and help bring more awareness to young contemporary artists who have the same dream as me to have a successful career. I also would love to bring out my own clothing brand, where I combine art with fashion (high-end fashion or street style). Moreover, I really want to reach a good space creatively and produce work that has a much deeper meaning that can impact the whole world.

AMU: What is one piece of art advice you were given that has always stuck with you?

Kerron: One piece of art advice that always stuck with me is to stop being so rigid when creating. Let the juices flow and go with your intuition. This has helped me be more open-minded and got me out of a box that suffocated my creativity. 

AMU: If they made a film about your life, who would play you?

Kerron: I honestly don't have any idea. lol. Never thought about it. Don't think I've reached a stage in my life where I can have the thought of a film being made about me. Who knows what the future might hold. At the moment I am living in the present and going where life takes me.

AMU: What famous artist would you love to meet?

Kerron: I would love to meet Henrik Uldalen. He is one of my favorite contemporary figurative artists.

AMU: What do you wish you knew when you started?

Kerron: I wish I knew how hard it would be to consistently produce work and be able to get recognition, turning that exposure into potential collectors and clients. Basically, the business aspect of being an artist is something I am still struggling with. Not to mention, more importantly, how hard it is to make a living off your art as an emerging artist who hasn't gotten a big name for himself in the art world internationally. 

AMU: What’s your favorite color?

Kerron: Surprisingly, I do not have a favorite color. I appreciate all colors for their significance and how they relate to each other to create what we know as reality.

AMU: If you had an artistic superpower what would it be?

Kerron: Be able to work very fast and efficiently for long hours without feeling tired. I would love to be able to do 100 paintings in a month, but with my slow pace, that number seems absolutely impossible. lol.

AMU: Where can people go to see your work?

Kerron: People can see my work on my website or my Instagram: kerronmjohn.