Meet Terrell Washington | Visual Artist

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

Hi Terrell, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I’m from Greenville South Carolina, a fast growing city with a renaissance of an art community. The South can either make or break you. Especially when you grow up being a black and effeminate young boy. I’ve had to learn how to ignore and repel ignorance while in the midst of building my self esteem. I’ve had to learn how to stand up for myself and thing were made more difficult because of my upbringing in the church. Though Ive always believed in a higher power, God, religiosity has always been tethered to my life. I was always taught by my elders that in whatever you do that is good, honor God through it. My older sister inspired me to draw and I can remember sneaking into her room to view her own works. I as well would get in trouble for screwing up the hallway and other rooms with crayons. My grandmother and mother also had a hand in my thinking as it was them who taught me how love myself and stand firm in my individuality, Bottom line, art and creativity grew in the marrow of my bones. It is a conduit for my reality and dreams and emotions. Throughout the years, I realize the power it has when I paint my very raw human experiences. Good, bad, the uncomfortable, the disturbing, the beautifu, and mysterious. It is my personal gift from The Creator that continues as a gift and will never cease to give. All of this has impacted my views on life and how I interact with the world.

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 is simply meant to make you stop, think, wonder, and dream. I’ve been told before by audiences how my work is prolific and how it gives them chills, almost as if the paintings themselves were alive and had a heartbeat. I set myself apart because I paint what’s in my soul and not what is in front of me. It takes a lot of initiative to get to where you’re going and honestly, I’m still taking steps to get to where I need to be. But again, it’s all about initiative. It’s never easy as it is a constant decision everyday to get up and be creative and put yourself out there. But I have learned that the more you network and make yourself available and actually connect with others, even if you leave the scene, someone will always come back for you because they want to see you win and the fruitfulness of your endeavors. So I suppose I’d only want the world to know that I’m here to share my gifts and reveal images that will shake the very core. Like anyone else I’ve had a hard life, so I’m just here to tell my story and others in ways that can’t be described with words.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Greenville is definitely booming a lot more than what it was some years ago. It definitely becoming a Charlotte NC and it’s amazing to see. There are plenty of sights and activities in the area that are amazing. A classic one is the Falls Park on the Reedy River where you can enjoy a walk by the waterfall, the Peace Center where you watch musicals and plays, a recently built UNITY park for families, the arts district in West Greenville, the Upstate History Museum, Spare Time, Dave and Busters, there’s plenty of clubs for the nightlife, gay and straight, it’s just such a cute little town. Places like Crab Dejour, The Lost Cajun, The Trappe Door, Ruth and Chris’s Steak House, just to name a few, are really great places to eat. And don’t forget about the Hispanic food trucks you’ll see around if you drive long enough.

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?
I want to dedicate my successes to my mother, my grandmother, my big sister, and artistic mentors who are by name, Amanda Wald, Ann Ricker, Adam Burgess, Rachel Norsworthy, Traci Wright Martin, Nick Burns, Diana Farfán, Diarmud Kelly, The Brandon Fellowship program and alumni, and all those who work, attend, has a studio, volunteers, and is a part of the Greenville Center for Creative Arts.

Instagram: _cindarelli_

Facebook: Terrell Washington

Youtube: Itzrelly

Image Credits
Anthony Modesto Milian