And now you’ve all been introduced to a dear friend of mine, Mikey Jackson! In addition to being one of the kindest people, and the absolute king of witty puns, he is also a talented artist and local favorite here in downtown Phoenix. Recently he has been not only making art for people to enjoy in their personal spaces but has been contributing to community endeavors such as the Phoenix Beautification Project (http://www.keepphxbeautiful.org/aboutus/) and the Phoenix Film Festival (http://www.phoenixfilmfestival.com/).  

When I decided to profile a local artist for this latest blog, my borderline obsession with his work made him my obvious first choice. Luckily he was awesome enough to answer some questions about his own art and also share his thoughts on the downtown art scene. You can check him out at http://www.hellomikey.net/.   

Viva Phoenix!

Jenni

What medium(s) do you use?

Recently oil/acrylic on wood, but I really enjoy trying anything new. I've worked with pen and watercolor frequently in the past. I miss that!

Where do you show you art (galleries/street/1st Fri?)

I think my art gets most of it's exposure online, but I have also been fortunate to show my work at a couple galleries in the downtown phoenix area.

Who/what inspires you?

I try to soak in as much of my surroundings as possible. Most of the time it's hard for me to remember most of it so I take lots of notes and photos. Many things locally are inspiring, but I think when I see another local artist genuinely excited about creating something, that's very inspirational.

Describe downtown Phoenix's art culture/community?

It's exciting! So many people are doing so many creative things, and I'm always inspired by local artists. In the last few years I've noticed a push for more street art and murals. I think that's a great way to bring the community together.

small mural for Phoenix Beautification Project

Oil on wood

Watercolor