Meet Jerrell Steed | Artist & Business Owner

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

Hi Jerrell, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Growing up as a kid, I feel like I’ve always had the entrepreneur spirit, and it all came from a box of items given to me to sell door to door. I remember going to a row of houses in my neighborhood, the first few houses I went to either didn’t answer the door gave me a nasty NO! or was peeping out the blinds pretending not to be home. I was determined that I’d keep going and that I was never going to give up, after knocking on eight to ten doors someone answered finally; I sold an item out of the box I was caring around that were full of products I was so proud and happy that I had earned my first dollar and it felt really great to me. I did not stop until I sold all of my products, I even started changing up my sales pitch, I noticed I got better and more confident, now I felt like I could sell anything. I immediately started a lawn service and shortly after that I began selling my art that I made while attending a performance arts school where my focus was visual arts. I Rhode the bus home from school every day with my art and sometimes I would stop by the New Orleans restaurant for a bite to eat, everyone at the restaurant called me Black Picasso I was only 13 at that time, and I was selling my art to Restaurant owners, Librarians, frame shops and locals in my community. When I got old enough, I got job pushing carts and bagging groceries at the food market. My younger self always taught me I was a hustler and I had ambition to do whatever I put my heart in I always had a job or somewhere to work and sometimes I got laid off or fired for me being late for work, after my last time being fired id decided that I wouldn’t allow a job to ever fire me because I was determined to make myself a boss that way I could make my own money and my own time. This new transition was not easy but it was definitely worth it in 2017 I opened up my very first art gallery called Picasso House of Designs and we lasted for six months. 2yrs later, two other artist and I opened up The Artist Art Cellar, that business as well was an awesome business but didn’t last a very longtime, However while working with other artist, we inspired and learned a lot from one another after that ended; I got info about a new concept that was way of making art in a very chaotic and therapeutic way that I was already doing with own my own art work so I researched lot of other messy art ideas that would go with creating art and I opened up PICASSOS SPLAT ROOM now I’m a year in business and I’m already working on a pop up that will be a 2nd location at Stonecrest Mall this is very exciting to me because I don’t own the very first splatter room but I do own the first black owned splat room and have had the opportunity to send splat painting back to people who have visited from all over the states. That is a very great feeling to have, it’s almost like when I made my first dollar selling product out of that brown box.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve been an artist far longer than what I can remember, it almost like I came into the world ready to paint it. I am considered to be a well-rounded artist I love doing all forms of art painting is one of my favorites, my art has taking me many places and it’s really only the begging I have had the opportunity to work with cities and business in multitudes of art projects using my artistic talents. Being an artist is a beautiful thing but if you don’t have the right people in your corner, life can be very depressing. you really got to be careful who you listen to. I’ve seen and heard so many gifts die away due to lack of support the term starving artist really bothers me but it’s a true fact if you don’t know how to use your talents. I believe that going through the process and learning about myself is how I have been able to overcome challenges and most importantly just knowing everything will work itself out if you follow through. One about coming to Picasso’s Splat Room to create, is it teaches you about trusting the process but have fun while doing it; and product creates itself. The best work created I think is something that is created naturally and is not over thanked that is why I feel like every kid is an artist because when they create its simply about having fun.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend visited me, we definitely got to make it to the Picasso’s splat room amongst all things first things Then I would go find the best chicken wing spot, because you can’t come to Atlanta and not get some wings and depending on the vibes especially if they loved art, we would go to the trap musem. Atlanta also has a lot of night life activities to do! so maybe a popular lounge they are also a lot of other experiences in city that I haven’t tried and wouldn’t mind checking out like the rage room or ax throwing. I think we would definitely have more fun on weekends though depending on the weather it’s a lot to do here so some of the experiences would be new for me as well.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to thank God first for my gifts, my parents for allowing me to soar and be the great man I’ve become my daughter for giving me the motivation I need to keep going everyday my teachers for recognizing my gifts and helping reach the potential I needed to be at to get this far in my life. My best friend Jody for being there to help me put together my dream business, alongside of all the people who pushed me when I didn’t know if I should give up or keep pressing forward.

Website: picassossplatroom.com

Instagram: picassossplatroom@gmail.com

Other: @Picasso_blac artist page

Image Credits
all rights reserve, I certify that I have permission to use 8 of the photos used in upload.