INTERVIEW WITH ARTIST J RYAN JOBSON

Fellow artist and good friend, J Ryan Jobson is an art teacher and painter extraordinaire.  Ryan began his art education at The Art Institute of California, Los Angeles, where he studied graphic design.  Midway through his studies he moved to Houston, TX and enrolled at the University of Houston School of Art.  Jobson earned a BA in Art and his teaching certification and later went on to receive a BFA in Painting.

Ryan's work explodes with detail, color, and whimsy.  The intricacies of his designs allow the viewer to imagine whatever magical narrative they see in his work.

I recently sat down with Ryan and am pleased to present it here on Vision & Verse.

PK:    "Ryan, welcome to Vision & Verse, the Internet version of "The Actor's Studio"
          for artists and authors".

RJ:    "Thank you for asking to interview me for your blog, which by the way is really well
          written and very entertaining".

PK:    "Thank you, we appreciate the compliment.  Let me ask you, have you always
          wanted to be an artist?"

RJ:    "No, like most kids I think I wanted to be everything under the sun at one time or
          another.  This probably sounds awful, but I remember never wanting to be anything
          that required a lot of effort.  (laughing)  Somewhere in my teens I discovered that I
          really loved art...and taking what was in my head and putting it to paper or canvas,
          it just flowed from my hands."

PK:    "Do you have a favorite subject to paint?"

RJ:    "Honestly no.  I like to paint "conglomerations",  a mixture of subject matter, some
          related, some not.  The end result is always a surprise."

PK:    "What's your medium of choice?"

RJ:     "I'm partial to acrylics, but have worked in oils.  And there's something really cool
           about tempera paints...kind of no-frills, simplistic."

PK:    "What's your favorite color?"

RJ:     "Please....artists don't have favorite colors, or shouldn't.  To favor one color would
           be an insult to the rest of the palette."  (laughing)

PK:    "You're not well.  (laughing)  What stimulates your creativity?"

RJ:     "Name an artist the didn't  exhibit some form of insanity?  What inspires me?  As
           you well know, we artists are inspired by so much.  I find that reading triggers lots
           of ideas.  Sighs and advertisements also stimulate my brain."

PK:    "Let's stray from your work for a moment and probe into your personal space.
          Which would you choose,  wine or beer?"

RJ:    "Wine."

PK:    "Espresso or decaf?"

RJ:    "OMG...espresso...double!!"

PK:    "Summer or winter?"

RJ:    "Winter hands down."

PK:    "Travel by car or plane?"

RJ:    "Car, I love to watch the world go by."

PK:    "Rock n roll or country western?"

RJ:    "Rock n roll."

PK:    "Camping or 5-star hotel?"

RJ:    "Oh, I love aspects of both, but, camping."

PK:    "Dogs or cats?"

RJ:    "Dogs....I love yours, can I take her home?"

PK:    "No.  (laughing)  Talk or text?"

RJ:     "Hate texting....talk please."

PK:    "What's your favorite food?"

RJ:     "Is that an invite?  Depends on what you're having for dinner.  (laughing)  Seriously,
           anything Thai or Lebanese."

PK:    "Tell us what you like doing outside of your art?"

RJ:    "I recently took up yoga and meditation.  I like the peace of being alone with myself."

PK:    "Name something you dislike doing?"

RJ:    "I don't like having to explain myself to people."

PK:    "Who was/is the biggest influence in your life?"

RJ:    "Wow, probably a painting instructor I had in college.  When everyone around me was
          telling me the choices I was making regarding my career were wrong, he was telling
          me that my choices were right for me because I believed so passionately in what I
          was doing."

PK:    "Name one person, dead or alive, that you would like to meet and what would
          you say to him or her?"

RJ:    "John Lennon.  I'd ask him what he would have wanted to accomplish for the world
           had he lived."

PK:    "What excites you?"

RJ:   "What a loaded question....I'd say the sunrise, it gives me a wonderful sense of being
          alive...it's always the beginning of a fresh day, and that's like another chance at
          something wonderful."

PK:    "What turns you off?

RJ:    "People with no passion."

PK:    "What makes you laugh?"

RJ:    "The humor of comedians like Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Carol Burnett, & Phyllis
          Diller."

PK:    "Name and author of the last book you read?"

RJ:    "I can't recall the author.  The book was "Empty Mansions:  The Mysterious Life of
          Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune."

PK:   "What words do you live by?"

RJ:    "Live kindly and compassionately and whatever you do in life, do it passionately and
         the best you can."

PK:    "Do you have any advice for those wanting to be artists?"

RJ:    "Follow your heart, that's where art lives.  If you try to create with your brain, you'll
          end up failing."

PK:    "That winds up our interview, Ryan.  Thank you for sharing with our readers.
          We wish you great success and invite you to come visit us in the future with
          new works of art."

RJ:    "Thanks to you Parker, and Carol, for this opportunity and for creating such a great
          blog.  I had a great time."

Image above, "Melodious",  acrylic on canvas, 4.5' x 6',  by J Ryan Jobson, 2012.