Meet John Jahni” Moore | Creative spirit manifest in the flesh/artist/writer”

We had the good fortune of connecting with John “Jahni” Moore and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi John “Jahni”, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
It was in me to do, to go against the odds. Not in the sense of base defiance but a knowing of who I am and what I am to bring to this planet. Anything else would be a denial of my purpose and anything that does not fulfill or operate on purpose is somewhat expendable. In fact it’s a liability in that if it does not serve the intended purpose, it slows down or halts progress. So as an artist, a creative, I have to be aware of the necessity of what I do and the role it is to perform in this space we called life. When I do what I do to the best of my ability in the sense of remark ability I in turn, give others permission to do the same. I knew in order to do this fully, I could not resort to weekends, days off, and spare time. I need to do this in my prime time. So I relinquished my fears and doubts and surrendered to the call.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m not ecstatic about discussing my art as a business. However, I also realize that in order to do it the way I do, I have to be as creative on the business side as I do the time in the studio. As a visual artist, my main area of operation is painting. Painting my work. I have no desire fill in areas that people need to fill a space. My work bears my marks and signature. People hire me for what I specifically bring to the table. You don’t buy a Janelle Monae album just because you need music in your life. You buy Janelle Monae’s music because you want her vibe in your space. I paint murals, commissioned works, and do gallery shows that speak a language that I want to hear. I don’t focus on what set’s me apart, I just do me and I’m automatically apart. In the early days I chased the market. Now my intent is to shape the market. My work is about a lifestyle, a way of knowing and living in this space. My studio, located in a vintage church sanctuary, is called C.H.U.R.C.H. That’s an acronym for Come Help Us Restore Cosmic Harmony. That’s what I am about through and through. Not just what I do but what I am. Any challenges I have or had will be met with the knowing of victory because of the past challenges that have been left in the dust. I cannot say what my legacy will be. However, I am working by example to inform that we are all created sacred, with an inalienable right to greatness. The only one who can truly defeat you is you. It’s all rooted in the mind…

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?
That depends on whether you are talking about the city I live in or the city I’ve visited. Since you said the area, I assume you mean my city. First we’d go to C.H.U.R.C.H. That’s a great kickoff because I know the inspiration there is overflowing. From there we’d go to a mom&pop spot to eat, like maybe G’s Country kitchen or Saks. I want you to getable up in that local flavor first. I’d show them around town all the buildings that are going up like crazy. We’d go to Mid City, a living entertainment community for anything from live music, to Dave & Busters to rock climbing ot Top Golf. . We’d spent some time at Bridge Street Town Center for some shopping and browsing, maybe catch a movie. I would take them on a personal public art tour guide which contains many of my own pieces. We’d visit Lowe Mill, the largest art co-op in the country, and I’d introduce them to some fellow artists- top notch peeps. If your a drinker there’s a million craft breweries and night spots. Form the eclectic Campus 805 to the mysterious more upscale Catacombs. We’d take some time to go on one or a few of the myriad hiking trails we have in the city. My favorite is Wade Mountain West. Huntsville is located in basin with mountains all the way around. Then there’s the Space and Rocket center if they’re into that. The weeks about up and we are still checking out new stuff as I share my vision for the city.

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?
Of course I’m throwing out my main shootout to my parents. I know most people might say God but parents are where we develop our first impression of what God is like. My parents were hard working people. They still are. Although they could not give me all of the creature comforts growing up due to our financial challenges, they did instill in me a solid work ethic, a well rounded value system, and the creative edge. My father, a commercial painter by profession, can build or fix practically anything with his hands. I was with him when he went into into the hardware stores. I hated it. My Mom is the crafty one, from yarn to fabrics and glues, that stuff was always around. She took me with her to the craft and fabric stores. I hated it. Little did I know, I was already on my journey, carried along by way of their creative interests. Presently, I love fabric/craft stores and hardware stores as they are key players in my art making. So to Henry and Susie Moore, I’m letting you know that this southern born “different child” is vying to be the best crop you ever raised. Trust me I aint done making you proud. I’m making good on your investment!

Website: www.jahnitheartist.com

Instagram: @jahnitheartist

Linkedin: John “Jahni” Moore

Facebook: John Jahni Moore

Youtube: John Jahni Moore