Darren Jones is a fellow painter and a friend. His studio is in the Ravenswood neighborhood of Chicago. We speak about his start, his inspirations and he offers some tips to people considering a career as a creative. My conversation with artist Darren Jones.
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Transcript
Darren Jones is a fellow painter and a friend. His studio is in the Ravenswood neighborhood of Chicago. We speak about his start, his inspirations, and he offers some tips to people considering a career as a creative. My conversation with the artist, Darren Jones,
Rick:
Darren, welcome to Eager to Know. I'm very excited to talk to transcript
ou. We did a brief conversation yesterday where I was, I'm doing this project where I'm talking to artists who are sheltering in place and working and they're reviewing their work and you started talking about some background or inspiration about some of your work and I was very excited, and I realize that we've never actually had a "creative conversation". We've talked, I've come to your studio, but we kind of talked business and we never really talked about, you know, the creative aspects of your art. And I realize that like ,mid our conversation, and I'm thinking I need to have him on the podcast so we can have that conversation. So welcome. I'm glad that you're here.
Darren Jones:
Cool. I'm glad. Glad to be here. And yeah, that that short little segment was kind of fun and you know, it's, it's funny sometimes you end up telling your story and your inspiration so often at art shows and everything like that that it's a little second nature and it's kind of fun to, like you said, when you get somebody who realizes they've never heard it before and it intrigues them and wants to know more and yeah, it's kinda, it's really cool. So, but I'm glad to be here and as you can see, sheltered in my studio, if you're watching this on the video,
Rick:
Your studio looks very cool. It is very cool cause I've been there, I'm very, I'm very, I have studio envy
Darren Jones:
For sure. I get a lot, a lot of my artists, friends, I say that I'm, I'm really fortunate, I've lucked out. It's it's, I've been in this space now five going onto my six years, my own space. And I used to share a studio with another artist for about seven years and moving into my own space has been, was kind of life changing as an artist. It really changed my direction and where I'm at and it's inspired new works and, but you know, it's, it's sometimes can be lonely.
Rick:
I want to know a little bit about how you got into being an artist. Did you do something before you were an artist?
Darren Jones:
Yeah. So I I'm kinda one of those corporate corporate stories. So I worked full time corporately up until 2009 I was in a travel publication, moved to Chicago a job and 20 years ago and worked full time and didn't start painting till, it's probably been 15 years now that I started. And it's kind of funny story. I was up in Evanston going to movie and the complex where it is, there's a Dick Blick art store right next door to it. And I saw a little starter oil kit in the window and all I could think about during the entire movie was that kit. And I said to myself, if the store is open, go in and buy it. When movie was over, sure enough it was, I went in, I bought it and I probably sat up to like 2:00 AM just painting on these little canvas boards that I bought and haven't been stopped since. So I was laid off in 2009, and I had the option, I could have easily gotten another job and I had the opportunity to say, let's do this full time. And I haven't looked back.
Rick:
Now were you an artsy kid or was that really the first time that your brain got turned on or activated to visual expression?
Darren Jones:
No, you know, I was artistic, but I didn't really take any formal classes in high school. I, you know, I took, you know, grade nine and grade 10. I took art classes and,uthere's definitely an artistic gene in my family. My mother,upaints in watercolor and my grandfather was a sketch artist and a couple of cousins. So there's definitely that. And growing up, my mother and father were really wonderful and exposing me to the arts. So, you know, we went to the ballet, we went to the symphony. Uyou know, I remember, I can't remember how old I was, I was early teenager, but going to see, you know, the Tutankhamun exhibited in Toronto. And so being exposed to it, I was well aware of it, but I just, you know, I fought for years and like my early twenties or even, you know, late teenage years of not knowing truly what I wanted to do.
Darren Jones:
And so, you know, and did, went to university, I went for a degree political science and a degree in business and still fought it. And if some reasons or something in my brain that thought I wanted to be an architect or an interior designer, cause I just loved the creativity side of sort of that. And it's when I started painting where I realized that was truly what I'm meant to be doing. Yeah. So I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm very fortunate that I discovered my passion and an early enough in life to create a career out of it and not just be a hobby.
Rick:
Yeah. And also you you don't, you're, you don't have children. Right. Right. So I mean there's that other all aspect of it that you are able to make a shift like that. You know, you don't have a family to feed that you're supporting a lot of, you know, my had five kids and I know that he had a passion for photography, but it wasn't really something that he could do because he had a family. So it sounds like you're very lucky. You know, possibly. That's one way to look at it. Yesterday you were talking about different pieces of art and you were describing how experiences in the world inspired you to go into the studio and sit in front of our canvas and create something. So you're making a connection between the outside world and then it's being rerouted through Darren's brain and it's coming out of you onto the canvas. That is a very interesting, exciting, amazing process. What do you think, was that happening before you learned how to paint? Were you absorbing the world and it was being expressed some other manner or was it just, was that just not happening before you found that paint set in Evanston?
Darren Jones:
You know, I I think it's always been in there. You know, another thing I can thank my parents for is that, you know, we got to travel quite a bit growing up. And so I did get to see a lot more than just my, my, my hometown. And I think I expressed it early on with photography. So I was always fascinated about taking pictures whenever I traveled or wherever we went. And I was inspired by something, but I never actually digested it. And came back and said, I need to do something from that trip. Where as as I started to paint, that's where it truly started to just not truly come out with, you know. So my very, very first series once I, you know, stopped experimenting and I mean I always still experiment but just playing around and I was trying to come up with an idea of what I wanted to paint and I started off in a floral series and it was all inspired by my mom's gardens that we grew up with. So the irises and sort of all of that. So I was automatically initially when I started painting, taking something from outside, like you said, stirring it into this crazy rain and then putting it onto a canvas. So you know, looking back, I might've done that subconsciously before I started painting, but it's truly truly come out with, with my artwork.
Rick:
It sounds like you are a lucky person because you have this available to you for the rest of your life and that's something that is never going to, you're never going to finish it or reach the end. Like it is a, it is something that you have available to you for whether you travel to Europe or whether you take a walk down the street outside your house, you always have the ability to absorb process and recreate it and express it in a way that you can share with the rest of the world. That's kind of a combination of the world.
Darren Jones:
Yup. Yeah, it is. It is. And you know, I've not really thought of it that way and I don't think anyone's physically said that out loud sorta to me. But you're right. I mean, I'm truly lucky that I have that ability. And like you said, it'll never stop. And that's one thing with my work as well is that it always evolves. I haven't been doing the same collection for the 15 years that I've been painting. I've always keep evolving and I think that's because exactly that I see something that inspires me and I try to come up with my version of that on a canvas or on a panel. And you know, like you said, it'll continue till I'm done.
Rick:
Now, are you limited by inspiration or are you limited by time? Meaning do you have more things that you want to paint but you only have so many hours in the day or to sometimes you run out of inspiration, run out of new projects?
Darren Jones:
You know, sometimes it's a little combination of both. You know, you kind of for me there's a business side to being an artist and doing so many art shows. I do a lot of the outdoor art shows as well, and doors and openings and showings. So I have to have a certain amount of inventory in a year for me to, to, to be able to show all these. So there are times where I am crazy busy and you know, the brain's ready to explode. And then there's the quieter times where almost can have more fun because I'm not, you know, constrained to, Oh, I have a show this weekend. I need to finish these two pieces. I'm, you know, like this time right now I'm working on a commission for a client, but otherwise I know I'm going to just start creating something caused by what's going on in the world right now.
Darren Jones:
So I might not be traveling, but what's going on outside is definitely affecting me inside. So, you know, there's the times like that, but then also there's times where you're just not creative, you're just, your brain's tired. And those are the days I'll come into the studio, I'll start on something and it just stopped. It just fights me. And so I stopped. Cause I know it's not going to go anywhere and I'll do prep work or I'll do, you know, underlying layers or I'll start doing marketing or I'll go home, you know. So it's, it's kind of a little combination of both of those. So, you know, I could spend all day here and still find something to do.
Rick:
You mentioned the art shows and I think the art show scene in Chicago. Is that a unique scene? I read because I remember when I was moving from Boston to Chicago, people telling me that the art fair scene is a big thing in Chicago. Many people told me this and then I came here and every weekend there's all of these art fairs and we don't have that in Boston. So I wasn't sure if that ... And I know that's a big part of how you get exposure I believe to people.
Darren Jones:
It's kind of funny. The, the outdoor art fair scene. It's, it's, there's, there's a full give and take sort of with it. There's so many artists who don't want anything to do with them. They prefer you sell on their own online through galleries or through, you know, through doing gallery openings. I'm a combination of both. I do a little, I do galleries, I do, I do indoor openings, I do indoor shows, but then I do the outdoor shows. I'm doing less now than I've done before, but in my early parts of the career I wouldn't change it because it opens the door to meeting so many fascinating people, both client and artist based. And it's a lot of work, a lot more work than people think it is because you're dealing with outdoor elements. You're setting up a tent and walls and you're creating your own show.
Darren Jones:
But in Chicago it is, it is unique in the sense that there are outdoor art fairs all around North America and all the cities. Everyone has one. But if you look at Chicago, like you said, there's one almost every weekend in the summer. And that's because there are a couple art promoters here who capitalize on Chicago but also the suburbs. And there's, there's definitely something that, and back in the day I used to do most of them and I changed my model and I only do two local shows a year now. Aside from my open house and the studio and I travel the country more and it's been more successful because what you're doing is you're hitting those cities like Boston or I go up to to Madison, Wisconsin, I do a show or I go to Aspen, Colorado and do a show that's their only show for a year. So everyone comes out and they're looking for art.
Darren Jones:
Whether it's a sculpture, jewelry, painting, photography. Whereas here in Chicago, because there's so many, I would get people going, Oh, what's your next show? When will we see you next? And they would follow you all summer and then eventually maybe you'd end up, it would lead to something on the road. So it is unique here in the sense that there are so many, and it's a good thing for, for certain artists as a painter, I don't think, because I'm established now in the Chicago market, I don't need to do every show in Chicago. I pick one or two that are the big ones and focus, focus elsewhere.
Rick:
Is that a unique experience for an artist to be you, your painting and your audience altogether regularly, every weekend? Most artists probably don't have that situation. Most artists either they're selling online, so they're not physically with the person observing the art. They are selling through a gallery. So they're there for the opening and maybe not much else. You know what I mean? Like you're in this regular combination of you with the art and people,
Darren Jones:
You know, it's, it's, I think it's kind of it's good for the brain. You know, I paint alone and then my studio alone, so five days a week or seven days a week socially when I'm not doing the show, I'm here by myself. You know, I'm talking to my paintings, texting other friends to get advice or talk or whatever. But doing these shows, it puts you, like you said right there, you're there, you're the one responsible for selling your work. But people want to know the artist and they want to know my story and they want to learn, you know, like this piece behind me. They want to know what's going on, what's, what's this? How did you create it? What inspired you? And I've made so many personal connections with people with my art and had a gallery sold that piece to the same people.
Darren Jones:
I would have never learned the story about what moved them, what made them buy my piece because they were moved by it and what their story was connected to my story. So it's really a cool experience and that's why, you know, I have a couple of artists friends who swear they won't ever do the outdoor shows. And even as I grow my, my business and my brand of who I am as an artist, I will always still have a handful of those because of the people I've met. And I would have never met them had I not done those shows. And I consider some of some of my good clients friends because they bought from me at one show, but now they come back every year to say hi and just tell me how much they love the painting and invite me to dinner or you know, tell me that they're sending their friends. And so it's a, it's a really heartwarming experience aside from the crazy work that you have to do.
Rick:
Yeah. Yeah. No, it sounds, that sounds wonderful to me. I know that is not an experience that a lot of people would want to do. I think a lot of creative people, they just want to create, they just want to be in the studio with their canvas and their paint in their palette. And then they don't want to deal with the whole sales and marketing or they don't really want to deal with people. You know, I know you're obviously you're an extrovert like I am. So that part of it and see and seeing the artwork where it's, it's home is like, that means a lot to me. And that obviously means a lot to you. It's like your baby type thing.
Darren Jones:
Yeah. I mean they aren't, they are my kids and you know, I always joke with, with anyone who buys, I always ask them to email me a photo if, if I'm not installing it for them, that if they, if they, if they live somewhere outside of the area, take it home. I always ask them to send me a picture of where my kid is in his forever home and you know, and they are, most people understand that as well, that they're buying a piece of me. It's not just something that was mass produced and you know, it's a really cool, it's a really cool thing. And like you said, being an I'm really not extroverted, I'm, I think I'm a little of both because I'm S I think I'm a social introvert and it took me years and years to really learn how to connect with people and talk to people when you're doing these shows. Because the first time, the first first couple of years I was way intimidated and couldn't understand why my opinions weren't selling themselves and didn't want to talk to people. And finally learned that in order to sell you need to connect and have to talk.
Rick:
Yeah. And some, but somebody has to, I mean it could be a gallery, you know, if it's being sold through a gallery, you know, that's the role of the gallery is to establish a relationship with the collector and to establish a relationship between the artist slash artwork with the collector. And you're just, you're just doing it directly.
Darren Jones:
Yeah, I'm doing it directly and I, I'm represented by, by a few galleries as well. And they do it for me. And I love them and what I like to have more probably. And you know, I think, you know, it's for me I have a balance of sort of a little bit of everything to try to get my work out there. You know, I don't think I would ever want to be the artist who doesn't connect and be a part of that process at some point. I don't want to be the guy who just paints in the studio and waits for a check to come in. I, I, I know I need to be out there to, to, to meet these people and the collectors and you know, it adds to my experience as well as an artist. Yup.
Rick:
Your transition from a corporate guy to a full time artist, is that something that a lot of people wish that they could do that they dream that they could do and you did it? What do you say to people that are thinking about doing that? We're in a situation right now, we're in the middle of like this Corona virus situation and people are home and people are probably thinking about what is really important and looking at their job, their job, and maybe they've lost their job. And this is, this period is probably a time where people are going to be reassessing what's important to them. In the spirit of that transition that you made that was successful, what would you say to people and based on your experience,
Darren Jones:
You know, and I actually tell a lot of, you know, this is another thing that goes back to some of the art shows. I meet so many people who are doing their job in an, are creative on the side and are like, Oh, I wish I could do this. And I'm like, do it, you know, and start off by doing it on the side. So when I was in the corporate world for probably about three years, I was painting before I was laid off and jumped into doing this full time. So I would do maybe one show a year because that's all I could do in between. I would work nine to five downtown, I'd come up to the studio for three, four hours or until midnight weekends. And you know, when I had the opportunity, when you know, I was laid off, the initial thought wasn't okay, I have to, I have to be an artist full time.
Darren Jones:
It went through my head. But at the other time was I'm like, what am I going to do to survive? And I actually remember sitting on the curb downtown and in front of the highrise that I worked in with my box of stuff and the little voice said, this is your time to do it. And that first year was scary. I was responsible for my income. I was responsible for my bills, my healthcare, like I had, you know, at that time I was sharing a studio. So I was responsible for my half of that. And it forces you to realize that it's not a hobby, it's a business. And if you want it to be a business, you need to think that way at some point. And so for someone who's sitting at home who really has a passion to be a photographer or really has a passion to paint and you know, if they can, if they can take the leap, I just say take it.
Darren Jones:
It's, it's a struggle and it's scary for the first while, but at the same time, in the end, if it's truly who you are, it's worth, it's worth that effort. And I think, I think I needed to struggle a little bit to realize how important it is for me to be the reason I'm successful or not successful. Yeah. You know, I could've, I could've easily went home and sat on the couch and been bummed out for a couple months and I decided, no, I'm, I meant to paint and let's give this a try. And you know, had the first year completely been a failure. Who knows, I might have gone back to a full time job and still payment on the side, but I went through probably three years of so many nos and you know, being turned down for this show and being turned down for this show and not being accepted for this. And it didn't stop me. I just kept going knowing in my heart this was what I was meant to do. And if you believe in yourself, I really think you can do it.
Rick:
A couple of things I want to know, talk about that you just brought up. The first one is around when you're doing something that you're passionate about, and this is based on conversations that I've had on my podcast. I keep, you're saying this is something that keeps coming up. Even if you're doing something that you are passionate about and it is creative like photography or painting or being a personal trainer, there's always a huge part of it that is the business part. And whether you like it or not, you have to do that. And at some time, at some point, that part that you're passionate about is only a little sliver of what you're doing, unfortunately. I mean have, there's all this other stuff that you're going to have to deal with the marketing, the sales, the finances, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And then you've got the painting.
Rick:
So I got, I just wanted to highlight that because that's, you know, people that are listening, that's a really important part of it. People shouldn't think that if you become an artist that literally that is a 100% of your life is painting. It just isn't. And that's, and that, and it isn't even if you are someone, you know, the guy who owns Tesla, whatever his name is, like that guy's dealing with all kinds of nonsense constantly. And like the exhilaration of celebrating a car is a tiny part of what he does. He's putting up with bullshit all the time. And so I think that's an important aspect of it.
Darren Jones:
Yeah, I mean it's definitely the business side. Like you have to, you know, I tell this to so many people who are only part-time artists who have a full time job and just sort of do it on the side. And you know, they asked me the advices. That is so many people. It is, you have to think, all right, like how, what is my business model for this year? Like how many shows am I doing? What are my costs going to be? You have to factor in, you know, where you're traveling to. Are you going to travel this year? You know, you've got all your bills for the studio coming in. You know, it's, if you lucky, you know, I'm fortunate I have a great space here. I don't paint from home. And for me that's a huge part of me knowing that my art is a business is it is separate from my home life. I come to the studio to work and I don't call my painting work in my head. I paint, but it's my work. And so I can separate sort of those two. And that helps you cite psychologically coming, knowing that I have to support this studio space somehow. So that's where the business side comes in. And you know, as a painter, you know, it'd be wonderful if I could just sit here and paint 10 hours a day, every day and everything just sells itself. But that's not how it works, especially in today's world. So,
Rick:
So the other thing that you brought up that I wanted to expand on is the idea of getting, I wouldn't call it rejection, but not getting affirmation. You mentioned that you were the first year you were painting and you weren't accepted to shows. I don't necessarily think of that as a rejection, but it's definitely not a process of I'm creating, I put something out in the world and everyone accepts it and celebrates it. So you're not getting that. So that's something that you also have to be comfortable with and be able to so tell, tell me about that and why you think that's important to people.
Darren Jones:
Well, you know, I think it's, it's, it's really, it's a challenge because you're putting, you know, as a painter, I'm putting myself on the campus, you know, these two pieces behind me I'm working on, they could take two weeks, they could take six months for me to work on it. And that's all effort that it's me. It's my passion. It's my blood, sweat and tears. I go on those panels. So when it comes to selling it or showing it, you're selling yourself. You know, it's your soul. It's your heart. It's your passion. That's that your you're selling. So when you're told no, or you're not accepted for a show or you're, you start to question yourself, which is never, it's a dark hole you can go into, but you need to avoid it. But the one beautiful thing I have learned in all these years is that people for the most part are incredibly respectful to you as an artist.
Darren Jones:
That they won't come in to your studio or your moves or your show. And if they don't like your work, they'll tell that to their friends. They won't tell it to you. They'll be like, well that's, that's, that's, that's interesting. I can see your concept, but I not understand it and walk away. They're not, they're not going to walk up and go, Oh, what were you thinking? Like this is awful. You know, and, and I can count on my one hand people who have actually said that at a show and that's it. And in the 14 plus years, disrespectful things to you. Yeah, I mean I had just one crazy little old lady at this one show and she literally walked into my booth and she raised her heads and she's like, you call this art, this is art. And off she goes. And it was actually a really cool moment because of course she was, she was loud and a lot of people were around.
Darren Jones:
And I'm very sensitive and of course I could feel myself tearing up a little bit cause, but then there was this other woman with her family who were looking at my work and she comes over to me and she grabs my arm and she goes, your work is beautiful. She goes, I was in the booth next door. And the woman's saying this to everybody in everybody's booth. So don't take it personally. It was a really sweet moment because who cares? Like you know what this one crazy woman would say, she did still say it, but it was so nice to have someone counter it and it makes you realize that it is you, that they're insulting. And for the most part I'm a spectrum.
Rick:
How, how do you deal with that idea though of you're having to, you're presenting something to the world and people, some celebrate it, some rejected even though people are mostly [inaudible] respectful, but it's possible that some people are not connecting and it's just, it's a very it's a very vulnerable position to be in. And again, getting back to people that are listening or watching this and potentially considering, you know, going into art that, that going into being a creative entrepreneur, that that's something that they would have to deal with. Like what do you say to them? What if you're a super sensitive
Darren Jones:
Soul? You, you're going to have to grow a little bit of a hard shell. You have to, I mean it's, you know, I've been doing this now 14 plus years. I still get terrified when I show a new collection of work. I might, I get almost sick to my stomach when I'm showing some new pieces that no one has ever seen before. That is a new evolution of something I've been working on that I'm incredibly proud of, but have no idea how the world's gonna react to it. And you know, that's, it's, it can be terrifying, but you've got to fight through that and, and know that every, there's a, there's a person for every kind of style of painting and you're not going to be liked by everybody. And I'm an abstract landscape artists, you know, most of my work is completely abstract and I know there's a huge percentage that has no interest in my art, but it's really cool when you find someone who has never liked that style, who falls in love with your work.
Darren Jones:
And that's a really cool thing. And then that happens. So you've got to you, it's, it's tough when you're a super sensitive person that you take it all personally. And you will, but you've got to fight that as well because you know, like I said, not everyone's going to like your work, but for the most part they're not going to tell you that. Yeah. How does martial arts fit into this for you? So yeah, this is leading onto a starting a whole new collection to be terrified to show people. So I started I've been doing, we try kickboxing for a little over two years and really fell in love with that and was really kind of doing it as a workout. And Jason, my instructor, Jason Bender, who has also been on the podcast, and thank you very much for introducing me to him.
Darren Jones:
He was as awesome guest. You're welcome. He is awesome. He is, he's changed my life. He really has. And a bender martial arts is where he's going with and you know, he's trying to follow his dream as, as a a martial art instructor. And he convinced me to come out and try to Jitsu and I was terrified. It's kind of like joining new collection. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. And I'm addicted to it. And it's it's a really cool sport. It's not for everybody. And what's been really fascinating to me is that it's, it's caused a new collection of art for me. And what I've done is I'm calling it right now the art of sport, if you're on my website. And all these pieces are inspired by either a technique I've learned or a training session I've had with Jason or with the class itself.
Darren Jones:
And I've taken what I'm learning and what the actual sport is itself. And you know, to give it a sort of quick terms is that if you see two black belts doing jujitsu, it's a form of art in itself. It's elegant and it's smooth and it can be violent, but at the same time you don't see it. There's just so much that they do. Where for me as a white belt, I'll never know enough because there's just so much you learn. It's so complicated. It's so it tests your, not only your endurance but your brain and in your, your, your compassion for not giving up and fighting for it. Because I can have a great week on the mass and then the next week I don't remember anything and I feel like a failure with it and I just keep going and persevere. And still with these paintings I started with the first one and underneath the painting there's anywhere from 60 to 80 layers that go on.
Darren Jones:
And it's chaotic. Yeah, it's, it's chaotic and it's, it's motion and it's colorful and it's crazy. And it's not only just colors, but there's textures and layers. And then I do a whole fiber process, which I do on my porch work or tree work that I do. And then I whitewash the entire piece. So standing back, there's a soft elegance to the piece and as you get closer, you see the movement in the texture. You see a lot of underlying colors come through. And that's kind of how I feel with the spore and the cool parts with a lot of them. With the texture I actually layer on before I start the color work, Oh, I do a plaster material and I actually stand in front of the canvas and had I learned some new technique, I actually do the hand movements with it and my body movements.
Darren Jones:
So that's where a lot of it sort of comes through. And so I'm now into the ninth piece, I think in the collection. And it's been fascinating and like, you know who knew, who knew something like that would, would inspire artwork, but it has. And it was like I was saying, I was, I showed them for the first time that my studio and house and had no idea what the reception was going to be and everybody just fell in love with them. They thought they were beautiful, but once they heard my story, they fell in love with them even more. And the cool, quick side story to these. So I sold two of them to this wonderful woman in Minneapolis area. And she's a brain specialist and good friend of mine who also a client she brought a group of women to the studio and she was actually coming for one of my one can dream stapled pieces.
Darren Jones:
She had already researched on my website. And so we came in and we opened wine and we were having these great conversations and I started telling the whole jujitsu story and the two pieces that I had, I have a sort of living area set up in the front of the studio. And the two pieces were very opposite. One was the whitewashed, really a lot of movement and flow and the other was very grid-like. And I had done all the pattern pattern with my fingers. And so it was very structured and when I was explaining them to her, it was how both sides of my brain work with the sport is how you need to be structured. And it's formal and there's all these rules and techniques and that's where the sort of the structure side is. But this side is what my brain's thinking when I'm actually in the midst of actually, you know, grappling and sparring. And she just fell in love with the fact that these two pieces involved my brain and she's a brains fellowship specialist and she fell in love with them and she went home and basically called me like the next day and bought the two pieces. And so it was, it was really cool. And, and you know, I get, I get excited telling people about this because it's something I would have never known at my age, jumping into a martial art thinking it would create a new collection for them.
Rick:
Yeah, that's incredible that you took your experience in jujitsu and you use your artwork to connect that experience with a brain specialist. I mean that is what art is all about.
Darren Jones:
That's exactly, that's, that's the full circle of how, how this, this works and, and you know, the best part is, so the friend who I, I just love, love this woman to death who brought this group of women here. She found me at a note show art, the outdoor art show. And she bought from me then. And because of that, four years later, this woman's in my studio. And that's where, that's where it's hard to tell people, like you might not sell something at this show, but if you stay connected and keep, keep plugging along something, something might happen. And that's the perfect example of, of that. So,
Rick:
So from our conversation, I really feel like what you are all about is you're someone who embraces the world and then you use your art for you to connect with other people,
Darren Jones:
All of your experiences, I guess pretty much it, you know, I've sort of not thought of it that way, but that would probably be a great way to, to describe it.
Rick:
Well, Darren, thank you very much. This has been incredible. Is there anything else that you want to talk about anything upcoming that you want to share?
Darren Jones:
Well, unfortunately due to the worldwide pandemic, all of the art shows that I currently were scheduled on are slowly all canceling. So I'm working away I'm following all the social distancing and quarantine guidelines. But I'm here in the studio alone. It's actually, I'm very fortunate there's nobody in this building, so I can come and go without seeing a single human. So I'm in here creating and I haven't started what my new collection will be based on what's going on in the world. But I'm gonna start. I've been and I think is how we connected in the earlier, the little segment that we did was I had been spending these last four weeks highlighting all my artist friends and teams that on my social media. And so I think you're going to start seeing a lot more virtual studio tours.
Darren Jones:
I thought of today when I came in the studio that I think next week I'm going to come in and hang all the work that I have created and do a little 10 minute, you know, art show. And so yeah, so I'm, I'm here. My art's available. I can do, you know, touch free deliveries and all that. But I think the most important thing is, is to support fellow artists who, who really like me do this full time and, and try to make the world beautiful and not getting a lot of support from anywhere else that, you know, for us to survive. You know, supporting the arts is a really cool thing right now.
Rick:
Okay. And your, where can people get in touch with you and see your artwork online? Where, where do they start?
Darren Jones:
So we're gonna start my website, obviously it's a great starting point. So that's Darren C jones.com. So D a R R E N C J O N E s.com. And I'm Darren Jones, art on Instagram and Darren Jones on Facebook. And I do a ton of social media. So if you want to follow me, my Instagram is really fun usually. So if you want to follow that, that's great. And then you can email me Darren Jones art@hotmail.com and I have a client actually I just emailed today that hopefully I'm going to do a virtual showing of a couple of pieces that they're interested in. And so there's lots of ways around figuring this out during this time to get you to see some art and have fun with it.
Rick:
Okay, great. And you are in, Darren is located in Chicago and your studio is in the Ravens where it's Ravenswood, right? Ravenswood, Ravenswood, neighborhood of Chicago. All right, well, Darren, thank you so much. This was awesome to get to know you even better.
Darren Jones:
Absolutely. I really appreciate it.