Meet Jahmai Brown | Artist

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

Hi Jahmai, why did you pursue a creative career?
It all started when I was little. Art grew on me because my dad was an artist himself. I fell in love with it when I started to make work with my brother. My dad had an office area in my brother’s room and we would look up graffiti and cartoons on his laptop and we would draw what we saw. We were always drawing, even as we were watching movies and TV shows. My color palette comes from my obsession with 90s colors and shapes. The style, clothing, and design of TV shows that I watched as a kid sticks with me – Martin, Rugrats, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and In Living Color. These TV shows stuck with me and are a big part of my aesthetic today.

All through elementary and high school art class was my favorite. It was relaxing and a break from the other subjects. In high school I had an art teacher Mr. Parker, he challenged me to develop my skills further. At first I didn’t know there was anything like art school until my mom mentioned something about Kansas City Art Institute. I decided I wanted to pursue a career in the arts and learn more about the history of art and the materials I was using, and hopefully find a way to do art full-time.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My interests are in process-based explorations of color, material, and memory.
The materials I use are everyday items – found wood, clothing, newspaper and fabric. I’m interested in how many additive moves I can put into a painting. I’ve worked in fabric which considered pattern and texture both found and applied. This invited more material gestures that I still consider. Color is a continual site for exploration. Color in some ways transcends material and sets a playful mood for viewers.

For me, color is a strategy or a plan for a loose association which is satisfying. I’ll start with one color and then I’ll have a roll of hues to try out. I’m really picky about what color works so I’ll ease through every color and see. I want to make palettes of colors that are distinctive and that takes time.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Aaryon Bird Williams and Kevin Demery have been mentors of mine for the past few years and I had a huge influence on my career.

Instagram: @brownJahmai / @jahmai_brown_photography

Linkedin: https://linktr.ee/JBdbrown12

Image Credits
“Marsha” (Black and White Image) – Photo By: Jahmai Brown

“Chiefs Parade” – Photo By: Jahmai Brown

“Little One” (Little Girl)- Photo By: Jahmai Brown

“Grand Rising” – Photo By: Jahmai Brown