Interview with visual artist Carlos Gee
Tonight our guest is Carlos Gee, a graphic/visual artist located in Baltimore, Maryland. We have conducted an interview with him to revolve around his motive, purpose, and passion behind his art.
What is your story before becoming a graphic and visual artist?
Before even considering becoming a visual artist I was just you’re a simple kid, I’d go to school, come home maybe draw or play games. Then during high school, I took up Boxing thanks to my cousin I truly owe him a lot for opening up the pathway for the experience, it was a very impactful point of my life. As any martial art, it trains in discipline and self-discovery, training in those helped in the long run more than I could’ve imagined. It basically raised me, I’m not sure where’d I be today without it. About a year after graduating from school I dropped Boxing as a profession due to issues with the gym staff I then strove for art short after and here I am today. But those moments will never be lost since they’ll always be a part of me.
The Beauty in All
What do you think is the purpose of a piece of art? How do you achieve this purpose with your creativity?
I think the purpose of a piece art is personally subjective, an artist can create a piece just to necessarily pass the time or aim for a certain goal, such as self-expression or to take place as an activist movement. For me personally its self-expression, self-reflection, perception on things, and kind of an abstract visual of activism. I achieve this by studying basic technical aspects of drawing that also flows into painting opening a wide range of visual results, it allows for more freedom in the creation process. This way I can easily aim at the subject matter rather than “How do I create this?” but more or less “How do I want this to look and give a certain emotional response?” that composes well with the subject.
How passionate do you consider yourself in art creation?
I consider myself very passionate, I’m under the influence of the desire to improve and open up great opportunities for others. I believe I can do that with art. Creating an opportunity is also an art to me, it’s like creating something from nothing or few resources. I feel if you’re not as passionate about your fellow people or artist you're missing something, but that’s a risky thing to peruse when many people view an artist as an individual craft when it can also be teamed based. I truly believe if I can make it in some great position I can carry the few that kept up along because there’s a lot of undiscovered talent out there, no need to take the spotlight alone. I don’t see businessmen doing it alone? They seem pretty successful, no? All of this drives my ambition into a strong passion.
Carrying Cities to the Sun
Do you always have a motive behind your art? Why is it important?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. When yes I like to fuse my emotional response to my perception of a subject. Mainly women and some mental illness because I believe people see it but overlook it, though I kind of dislike the visual representations that focus on women; it's biased without input information from an actual woman and that’s highly necessary to truly represent. It’s just a perception from the outside, sometimes you gotta go in the house... It has to come from someone that’s been on the battlefield. Sometimes I want to make a cute visual because no one wants to always be in a bad place, sometimes it’s a dark place hidden in the warm visual. I tend to see that a lot. I believe it’s important to take note on things many people experience and throw them around even though people tend to ignore them. Sometimes.
Drowning in Attachments
Which are your top 3 favorite pieces?
Carrying Cities to the Sun, The Beauty in All (stained-glass), and Drowning in Attachments. Those 3 I believe I’ve had the most emotion placed in them. “Carrying Cities to the Sun” is a reflection of my want to help others and the perception of women bringing their children the most warmth possible and that a universal for most women. “The Beauty in All” was born from a drawing session listening to Oddisee’s album called “The Beauty of All” which an instrumental-based album. Sounds itself evoke many emotions. “Drowning in Attachments”, I realized I was drowning in attachments and I think we all are. It’s kind of scary sometimes, but if we’re not attached to something how do we really get things done?
