Meet Jack Currey: Visual Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jack Currey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jack, what do you think makes you most happy? Why?
To put it broadly: achievement is the most enticing, and gives me the most intense feeling of happiness. I feel that I am a very goal oriented person so depending on the task at hand it varies, but to source positive emotion and fulfilment from doing things feels great and motivates me to keep moving forward in life. It could be as simple as “I achieved making it through the day” or more along the lines of achieving desired intentions and effects in my art practice. Something about seeing the results of my efforts put towards a task, no matter the outcome it yields, offers learning lessons of what works/doesn’t work in how I operate. I’m still in the throes of viewing undesirable outcomes in a positive light more naturally, but I’m sure it will only get easier as I get older.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My art…. I am working on recalibrating what I am trying to say when I create. As I’ve gotten older I’ve noticed that creativity feels less chaotic and explosive compared to when I was younger. It feels more calculated though I still find myself having to place down many pieces of a puzzle and organize them to understand what I am looking for. As I’ve aged, I think my life plan has become significantly more refined, going from “Lets make stuff that is really fun to look at just because” to “How can I communicate my experiences, emotions, opinions, fantasies, imagination, etc. into a piece that is both fun to look at, technically remarkable, and at least somewhat relatable to someone out there.” I am wanting to create more to develop a connection with people, even If its connection by merit of enjoying viewing a piece I’ve made. I’d like to think that even if I am just an average person with mildly relatable experiences, the way I regurgitate and express my life so far and what goes on in my head is extraordinary. I feel that like everyone else, I am into things on both ends of the spectrum of popularity, and finding ways to articulate those interests (especially the niche ones) is so much fun for those who recognize what I am alluding to.

It is fun to be a part of something, its human nature to desire connection. To highlight the oddities of my life and who I am may help others in accepting themselves and their interests further. I was always the dorky kid who more or less didn’t fit in with the ‘cool’ crowd but wanted to SO badly – I like to think that I’m building a world where others in a similar position can find a sense of community even if its just the two of us. It’s been particularly difficult the last year, trying to buckle down and get serious about developing a career out of visual art. between marketing myself more thoroughly and developing my practice to function as a business with the sales of art and sales of my abilities through commissions. The extent of which I’ve had to read into how to legally sell art and where I will owe money has been a nightmare, but I try to remember that no great feat comes easy or without some level of pushing yourself to overcome an obstacle. The extended amount of downtime throughout the pandemic has helped me realize just how much effort its going to take to be a full time artist and make a living off creating. It will get easier as it goes on, hardships are less daunting when I tell myself they’re akin to growing pains.

I know if I keep chipping away at it, finding ways to market my work and turn it into some sort of commerce, I will get there – but I am incredibly impatient and trying to slow my roll and make sure I have a solid foundation set up. I have been so incredibly fortunate that there are people out there who are drawn to and purchased pieces I have made. I am thankful that things like Instagram and TikTok exist, because they allow me to showcase my work in a way that is very digestible. I wish I struggled less with showing my personality online in tandem with my art, but so long as I try my best to get out of my comfort zone I will be making many strides in the right direction.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’ve noticed that fun blossoms with more intensity when there is a lack of expectations. When looking to unwind and have fun, I lean towards wandering around and ending up somewhere more so than hitting specific spots. I know that is not an ideal mode of operation for a lot of people, but it helps me enjoy things more easily. I will say though, Museums, and hangout spots where people congregate are always so much fun to go and exist in. Smaller cafes, and local/non corporate restaurants are really great too. Stuff specific to the area I guess I’m trying to say. Something about the energy of a crowd of people looking to enjoy themselves in their day to day is so nice to be around. The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Myles M. He has been this figure of reassurance for the last few years for me. We used to work together more frequently but as life has moved on we are both on to our own projects. He is someone I consider to have really gotten the fire in my heart burning white hot. Through different projects and mentorship he has helped me really recognize my abilities, and is someone I can bounce ideas off of when I’m feeling stuck. I consider him a real tastemaker type of guy, he’s hip to sects of life that are inherently interesting so praise from him always felt really affirming.

Website: oualms.com

Instagram: Instagram.com/oualms/

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@oualms