'Artists can move people in powerful ways, and change lives by offering a new experience.'
Devon Rodriguez is an artist from South Bronx, NYC. Whilst still in high school, his realist paintings of subway passengers gained him attention. As an empathetic observer, Devon records stolen moments and brings character to what otherwise may be overlooked in everyday life.
Do you prefer to work in silence or does certain music inspire you?
I tend to switch it up throughout the day. Sometimes it’s music, or a podcast (Joe Rogan Experience is a fav), or if I’m interested in a particular topic during that time then I’ll listen to a bunch of YouTube videos on it. Right now I’m interested in writing a memoir on my childhood and how I became an artist . I’ve never written anything ever, so I’m listening to other memoirs for inspiration while I paint. It’s scary to do something new, and be an amateur at it but I’m just compelled to do it at the moment.
Studio life can lead to isolation, how do you address this/ keep a balance?
It’s sometimes struggle but I’ve gotten used to it. I just pretty much say yes every time my friends invite me out. I think I’ve learned to enjoy coming out of my cave whenever I choose to.
What is your favourite/ least favourite part of the creative process?
I love observing the world, observing people, thinking about art, and pondering what I’d like to make into a painting; sometimes more than actually painting the painting. I consider my daydreaming, thinking, and planning as all parties of the work. So that’s probably my favorite part. After that, comes mixing colors and achieving the colors I want. I put a lot of my focus on studying color theory and having a good handle on my color mixing is extremely fulfilling. Then comes actually finishing a painting. My least favorite part is probably when I spend way too much time on one piece and I start to run out of gas. It becomes harder because I always have to maintain the same amount of focus and care until the end. Painting to a high standard is always my daily goal.
Nature versus nurture- do you believe you have inherited abilities from creative parents, do you have creative siblings? Can you identify environmental factors or influences which led to your choices or directions?
For me personally, I do think I inherited abilities from my dad. He was a super talented tattoo artist, mainly focusing on Traditional Japanese. He didn’t stick around to teach me anything but there’s no coincidence that I’ve always loved to draw and always thought about art. Ever since I could remember I’ve always stared at the walls in the Bronx, thinking about the color schemes of the graffiti, the line work, the design, the style, etc. And watching cartoons growing up, I was just always fascinated how people drew these characters by hand, or I’d notice some brushwork in the background and just be so enamored. I drew the entire time, and whenever my teachers would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up I always knew I’d be an artist, without a doubt. Once I got into the High School of Art & Design in 10th grade, my whole world changed. I’ll never forget during my first year, walking into the lobby gallery of oil paintings done by the AP illustration class. Knowing that doing high level work like that was possible within a year or 2 gave me endless inspiration and motivation. I was introduced to oil painting in 11th grade and I haven’t stopped painting since.
Detail a moment which was the highlight for you, thus far. Probably when The NY Times asked to interview me for a profile piece. I always wanted my work to be out there on a large platform but it doesn’t happen to everyone, no matter how talented they are. Art is a passion of mine, and rarely do passions bring notoriety, so I feel extremely lucky to be in the position that I am in. What do you hope to convey through your work? I hope to convey my fascination of people. I love watching them and learning things about them. I want my paintings to translate my experience of observing people and contemplating their interactions with each other. I paint the quiet moments that impress me in my everyday life.
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