Meet Michael Jermaine Doughty | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michael Jermaine Doughty and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michael, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I’m from the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia. I grew up in North Philly in a neighborhood called Nicetown, but it wasn’t so nice. North Philly is probably the toughest part of Philadelphia. I grew up watching a lot of my peers fade away, either by drugs, jail, or violence. After seeing all the chaos around me, I wanted my story to have a different outcome, so I chose to put my focus into my creativity instead of the streets.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Growing up, I never really understood art. I used to see splatter paintings priced at ONE MILLION DOLLARS, and I had no clue what the painting meant, why it was popular, and why I should care. I just knew I never wanted my artwork to confuse people. I wanted to make artwork for the average person in my culture, and that’s what I do now.

Today, I create my art with “the people” in mind, and I want them to walk away with an experience. Whether it’s current social issues or black/pop culture references, I make art concepts where viewers can laugh, cry, think, reminisce, or get angered. My ideas have helped build my audience, and I’m most proud people understand my vision. I’ve seen plenty of success, especially when a celebrity supports me. I would say Will Smith (pre-smack) has been the biggest support for me. He posted my work to instagram, and I was able to make the local news, generate income, and be an inspiration to all the aspiring artists in Philly.

Although I’ve seen success, there’s been some tough days. There’s times where my art doesn’t register at all, but I appreciate failure. It helps me understand the areas I need help in, and it makes me better. I want to be one of the greatest artists of this generation, so I continue to push through no matter what.

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.
There’s a lot of things that make Philly great, but I think Philadelphia’s food network is the greatest part. I would take them on a cheesesteak tour, starting at the famous Max’s cheesesteaks, which was featured on the Creed movie, and, I would end the tour at Larry’s on 54th street which is my personal favorite. Then, I would have them try Rita’s Water Ice (aka Italian Ice). It’s a Philly staple. If there’s more room for food, I would take them to South Street.

And since I’m an artist, I have to take them to one of the best unknown places in Philly. It’s the Graffiti Pier. A lot of people don’t know about this gem. It’s an abandoned pier filled with graffiti. Every time you go, there’s new graffiti artwork painted over the previous work. And, the structure of the pier looks like a jungle gym. It’s an awesome experience and great for photoshoots.

And of course, Philly has a ton of historical landmarks and venues, so I would have to go to all the hotspots. There’s the Rocky statue, Art Institute, Franklin Institute, Eagles stadium, Reading Terminal, Love Park, Spruce Harbor Park, etc. There’s plenty to do in Philly. We would need more than a weekend.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First, I want to thank JESUS. Nothing without Him.

I have to give a shoutout to my future wife, Morriah Young, who was also on Season 43 of the show Survivor. She’s been by side through some of my darkest days. I want to give a shoutout to my late mothers, Muriel Graves and Deborah Doughty. I was adopted, so I want to thank my mom, Muriel Graves, for raising me, and I want to thank my biological mom, Deborah Doughty, for bringing me into the world. Lastly, I want to thank my best friend, Justin Richburg. He’s been a huge inspiration for me because he’s an artist living thee dream.

Website: www.bymiked.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morethanmiked/?hl=en

Image Credits
Byron Purnell