Today we’d like to introduce you to Derrick Burnett.
Derrick, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I remember listening to the sound of the city I grew up in at night. I lay in bed and count gunshots or hear sirens throughout the early morning. I said to myself; I wanted more of this, I could be more than this. Gary, Indiana has a rich history in creativity…. C’mon the Jackson family was from here. So why couldn’t I do something amazing with my talent? Art and Music were my outlets as a kid, and the golden era of Hip Hop would shape my ideas of aesthetics as a visual artist. Being in such close proximity to Chicago was the perfect playground for an artist. I spent a lot of time at the Museum of the Art Institute of Chicago and occasions I’d skip school and go hang out downtown (kids stay in school!) These experiences would prepare me for a life in art. I was fortunate to find something I liked and was fairly good at, so I made a choice to pursue it.
Cut to…I’m an artist, art instructor, and lover of music arriving in the Conroe-Woodlands area two weeks before Harvey. In this new chapter of life, my wife and children are my greatest loves and the Houston metro area is our home. We love it here, it is so culturally rich, and the beautiful weather is a plus. No more blizzards, feet of snow and below zero days. Just new opportunities and experiences to meet with some of the country’s dopest creatives. Thank you, Houston.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
The work I create is mixed media. I focus on the portrait and figurative compositions currently. I make these pieces on canvas, doors, hoods, speaker boxes, or table tops. Anything I think I can work my style on, I use. The mediums are various types, but the work itself focuses on joy and pain and the misrepresentation that black people experience in the contemporary sense.
My paintings seek to explore contemporary African-American Portrait as a representation of black identity while using images that reference stereotype and cultural appropriation. It addresses ideas of diversity using traditional and non-traditional ways of using symbols. I would say that I borrow from the language graffiti, abstraction, and the urban environment. I want people to sometimes feel uncomfortable when viewing my work. I don’t want to just make beautiful things art should shock you sometimes.
Have things improved for artists? What should cities do to empower artists?
Never be afraid of the word “No,” you may hear it once or twice, or you may hear it a lot. When the “yes” opportunities begin to happen for you embrace those with respect. Choosing a life in the arts means daily practice and dedication to hone your skills, social media now makes it easier for artists to seen by a wider audience. There are more opportunities to showcase your work, join groups and find other like-minded creatives.
Houston has a great and growing system of grants, fellowships, fairs and galleries for various styles of art and that makes Houston a great city in which to be creative.
Contact Info:
- Address: The Woodlands
- Website: https://derrock.wixsite.com/rock
- Phone: 214-881-6279
- Email: derrock@yahoo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/derrock1906/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derrockart
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/derrock1906
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
