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The Brazen team had the opportunity to work alongside “JJ” or @pinckjj on instagram on the work he does for @Found.Wonder.

JJ creates eleborate, vivid, and abtract pieces that he uses not only as an extension of himself, but also as a venue for engaging with the communites around him.

Rachel Marsh later followed up with JJ to learn more about his craft and voice as an upcoming NY artist.

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In as much depth as you deem necessary, how would you describe yourself and the ways you mobilize your craft in your community? 

Firstly I would say the connection between artists and their surrounding community is very vital to the growth of the per say artist. You’re in charge of voicing thoughts, collective confusion, opinions, curiosities and pain in order to produce a relatability for the audience. This can be freeing and therapeutic for them.

How did you come to finding your own unique sense of creativity? 

I’ve never felt comfortable blending in growing up. I also felt isolated in appearance (tall) in a lot of early environments. This induced the idea of uniqueness early on. Never saw that playing out in art though, I was playing sports all through adolescence & into my recent adult life

Why visual artistry –why does your passion lie here as opposed to another medium? 

My passions I would say are pretty equal. Painting just happens to be the cheapest version of expression haha (still very expensive). 

Once certain resources & timing are available you’ll see me doing more videography / cinematography / directing. 

How have people tried to define your art?

It has been so many beautiful interpretations of my art. One similar take from my audience is that depending on style, there’s a combination of chaos and flow. That reveals/ amplifies internal dialogue. Everyone sees something different, so in turn the audience now takes the position of the creator.  Heavy on the mutualism. 

How have people tried to define you?

People typically go off shallow fixations to determine who you are. I’m so many things like so many other people, so instead of focusing on defining myself I try to focus on being. To a lot of us titles insinuate status or accomplishments, people feel better putting things in boxes. Unfortunately people are not  boxes and unpredictability is the main dish. But we’re programmed to be shallow picky eaters ya know. 

Words can be so distracting.

What would you say to a younger version of yourself prior to Found.Wonder? 

Just continue to do your own thing. There’s only true  success in being authentic to yourself and to others. Your ego can appear as intuition, staying grounded will help distinguish the two.

“You’re a servant to others & that’s dope”

What do you hope your art will do/does for people who see it with a fresh perspective?

I just want people to feel! 

Life to me is a component of the best things you can never see. I focus on that as the main ingredient of presentation/ representation. I hope to inspire other artist to voice their art in ways they see fit.

As a self-taught artist with colorblindness, how do you feel this changes your own engagement with art–if at all? 

Color blindness is such a misunderstood diagnosis to the masses it always gives me a good laugh when someone asks me if I only see black & white haha. 

I personally can see all colors, the hues hit differently due to the rod/cones in my eyes. This makes you have to define colors in your own way. You get to reinvent how colors should be applied compositionally. An outsider would perceive it completely random which also cool.