Today we’d like to introduce you to Jimmie Houston.
Jimmie, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
Art has always been the one thing that made sense to me and allowed me to believe I can be or do whatever it is I wanted. As a child, I spent hours drawing cartoons and fast cars with my older brothers. Words can’t express the magic I felt with a sharp pencil and a blank piece of paper in front of me. I was too young to make sense of it, but it just felt right. The more I drew, the better I got and the more I loved it. I could spend all day creating a world that transcends the limitations of childhood and those are the things that a young boy dreams of. As a colorblind artist I had spent my entire life dreaming of a world filled with color. However, by the time I got into High School I came to the realization that art school may not be in my future. I knew this was not good enough, so I needed a new plan. After a much-needed word of encouragement by a very special teacher of mine, I realized my story didn’t need to end there. I made a choice to use all of my God given talents and put the same effort into my schoolwork. In April of 1994, my hard work paid off and I was rewarded with a partial scholarship to the Art institute of Houston. It was surreal. Working my way through school at a classic car restoration shop, it was only a matter of time until I discovered an airbrush. Since then, much of my work has been done on cars, but I found less and less time to do any at all and slowly life got in the way. Only God knows how I let this happen and in 2016, I got my wake-up call. I found myself a blink away from a head on collision with an 18-wheeler. To say the least, He got my attention. I looked up in my rearview mirror in disbelief, but my eyes focused directly on the black wristband that I had stretched over it reading “I am Second”. I put it there as a reminder that I am only here because of Him and He reminded me of that swiftly. When I got home I knew I needed to refocus and after watching one of my favorite movies called Second Hand Lions, I knew what needed done. I knew that I was given a second chance and my fate was in His hands, so I decided to pursue my dreams the way God intended, with the courage of a Lion. So here I am, a Second Hand Lion, back to my roots doing what I love and always believed I would!
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I’m a multi-disciplined artist, focused mostly on painting and illustration, using a combination of various mediums and tools. Typically, my art is created with Acrylic and other water-based paints, markers and colored or graphite pencils. Most of the time you will find me using an airbrush, a palette knife and other unconventional methods that will bring out unique and interesting textures. When you look at my art, I hope it inspires you to move. I paint to provoke emotions and if studied long enough, there will always be more than meets the eye. My early influences were Pablo Picasso, Georgia O’Keiffe, MC Escher, Salvador Dali and yes, Bob Ross! My work always starts out loose and undefined with no restrictions. Gradually, I add what is missing and build up layers of balance until it becomes itself… I prefer to enjoy the dynamics of the process and to do this I must step back from time to time. Anytime I am working on a new piece, I am reminded that this is a collaborative effort between God and myself. This is why I do what I do and will always be the true inspiration and focus of my work.
Artists rarely, if ever pursue art for the money. Nonetheless, we all have bills and responsibilities and many aspiring artists are discouraged from pursuing art due to financial reasons. Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share with prospective artists?
Everyone’s journey leads them down their own path. My thoughts are to enjoy the ride, instead of the cost of admission. This ideology will create balance and is called the speed of going slow. Stay true to yourself, have fun and let your art do all the work!
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
The best way to view my work and to stay up to date is by following me on Facebook, Instagram or visiting my website. Nearly any piece of art I create can be purchased and am currently in the process of working on a few pieces that will be displayed at various shows. These will be posted on my Facebook news feed when the time comes so stop by and click like!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.2ndhandlion.com
- Phone: (936)232-5977
- Email: the.2nd.hand.lion@gmail.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/2ndhandlions
Image Credit:
All photos and artwork are property of Second Hand Lion.
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