Artist: Jesse McCrum
Pronouns: he/him/his
Art Submission(s): Digital Poster via Illustrator and DSL camera, “Pandemic Transformed”
Check Out More from this Artist: Instagram: @jessemccrum
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Jesse is an artist, academic, and a veteran whose experiences have impacted his vision, training, and experience as an artist.
We are glad to be spotlighting Jesse’s creations in this year’s showcase through digital presentation, and an interview about his journey of creativity, experiences, and thoughts.
Pandemic Transformed
We’ll start with describing your creative work/practice: What tools do you use? Do you have a routine?
I create post for facebook using Adobe Illustrator.
What does your work aim to say? Why do you create?
To inspire and support community.
Who/What are your biggest influences? Who/what inspires you?
Tarkovsky the Russian filmmaker is my biggest influence. I’m inspired by the remarkable formation of insight through meaningful effort.
How have you developed your practice? What challenges and opportunities have you come across? How has your practice changed over time?
I am grateful that I have access to tools and education.
“I’m inspired by the remarkable formation of insight through meaningful effort.”
What are you most proud of? Why?
I am most proud of right here and right now because that’s all we’ve got.
What is your dream project?
A long term series of work -visual and creative theater work.
How do you share your creative practice and with whom?
I share my work with communities, friends, and family. My work appears on pinterest, facebook, youtube, and around town. In the past my work has appeared in film and video as well.
Has living at Foundation Communities impacted your practice? If so, how?
Yes! I love foundation communities. It has provided the stability I need to grow.
What art/culture trend do you love right now? What trend do you wish you could forget?
I love hand drawn images of odd shaped beings. I wish expensive art would disappear it seems so irrelevant
What delights you? What brings you joy?
Flowers in a vase.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
If you want to go fast go alone; if you want to go far go with someone else.
What is the worst piece of advice you’ve been given?
Take people at face value.
What piece of advice would you like to give?
Life is partly biological and partly environmental and you can improve your environment. Biology isn’t so easy, but there are drugs that can help some people.
What’s your favorite way to celebrate?
Cheap champagne and hugs.
One of the best pieces of advice Jesse’s been given? “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go with someone else.”
What’s your favorite book/piece of writing, song/album, movie/TV show, play/live performance, piece of art, food/drink, place, or animal?
Cyberspace.
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up? What’s the last thing you do before going to bed?
Ride my bike every other day in the morning and hug my pillow at night.
“Culture is a kind of organism that requires cultivation and responsibility.”
Something that’s really important to you that has nothing to do with your work:
Justice.
What role do artists and culture-bearers have in society? What role could/should they have?
They are snowflake globes. Get into them it’s sacred, and goes way back in time.
What do creatives need in order to thrive? What do you need in order to be creative?
An audience.
What was the last thing that made you: Laugh? Cry? Blush?
The news made me go “oh dear”.
What are you really into right now?
Beans, rice, and lentils.
One thing/person/idea/group/event/place/etc. everyone should know about:
Good universities.
Who is an artist? What does it mean to be creative?
To express oneself, to give visualization to one’s thoughts is sacred.
What is culture? What does it mean to be a culture-bearer?
Culture is a kind of organism that requires cultivation and responsibility.
What question didn’t we ask that you wish we had? What question do you have for other artist, creatives, and culture-bearers?
“How do you feel about artists in other countries? Europe, Asia, Latin America? etc.”
Anything else?
We are all in this together.
Jesse was one of three artists to participate in our COVID-19 PSA Poster Series.
You can see the posters at the University of Florida Center for Arts & Medicine media resource library here.
If you want to learn more about the project, you can read more here.