Meet J “Slim” Robertson | Creative Director & Studio Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with J “Slim” Robertson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi J “Slim”, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
My entire brand, as it is today, is centered around showing my black Queens & Kings in a beautiful authentic light. Without any crazy filters or body modifications, I just want to show our blackness in all its melanin glory. I truly believe we don’t have enough positive representation, or representation period, in the media in a natural way and I’m doing my part to change that one frame at a time. I not only want to show models & clients in this way, but I also want to give every opportunity I possibly can to other black creatives like me, to do what they do best and not only receive the shine they deserve but the respect and pay too.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I believe what sets my art apart from others is that I am not afraid, or better yet I don’t shy away from trying new things and experimenting. I also take inspiration from pretty much everywhere and try to go in the complete opposite direction of trends. I honestly create things that I would want to see, and it has worked well for me so far. How I got to where I am today wasn’t easy but it really wasn’t hard either. It was a journey that I needed to take in order to find my passion & purpose. I would say my path to where I am today wasn’t uncommon. I went to school for one thing, which was graphic design, then grew past it, lost love for it, and in the process found a love for photography and capturing my black folk beautifully. During this journey, the most important lesson I have learned is to find out your purpose, stick to it, and not chase the money. Because if you are just in it for the money, without any type of purpose you will ultimately fail, or just end up unhappy.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This is a really tough question because in all honestly, Raleigh is kind of lacking compared to other major cities. This is really a, you make your own fun type of place. So If I had a friend coming into town I would be making sure I was hosting some kind of game night at the house, with good drinks, people, and vibes. Outside of that, we could go to the driving range at top golf, then out for drinks on Glenwood South bar hopping. And if we wanted to dress up and eat out the best spot to eat fancy is definitely Perry’s. The food is phenomenal. We could also visit the NC Museum of art or the contemporary museum of art (CAM) in downtown Raleigh.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are plenty that deserves credit in my story of success. First and foremost I have to thank God for bringing me through many failures and by doing so showing me that I am truly walking in my purpose. Of course, I have to shout out the black women in my life, specifically my mother and my wife because behind every great black man are quite a few great black women. Also very very special dedication to my daughter River who motivates me to keep going even when I feel tired or stressed for her sake and our future. Finally, I have to give love to my family, friends, and supporters across all platforms that give me love without asking and spread my work to the masses.

Website: https://www.theslimcreative.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theslimcreative/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheSlimCreative