Today we’d like to introduce you to John Sevey.
John, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I am Johnny Vex of Vex Nation. Alternative Catholic/Christian Wear, For When You Really Really Want to Sin, But Cannot. Hi! When I was young I was always pushed to do Art by my family and my grandfather, who wanted me to go to France and study art there, I did not, but sketched and painted from time to time. I did go to college and studied art and attended a class at F.I.T. (The Fashion Institute of Technology) in Manhattan when I was in High School. I was in the High School Play and helped design a set piece for it. I have worked at 4 Houston Theaters, volunteering for two or three when I had free time, The Alley Theater, The Main Street Theater, The Little Room Downstairs and The Pearl Theater. I really did love art and have indulged myself in The Arts, being brought up on Musicals, Theater, Opera and Plays by my Uncle and Grandfather and Grandmother. I am a big Museum Hog, being brought to the MOMA in N.Y. by my Uncle and going to Museums in N.Y; LA ( high school field trip), and in Houston, Texas. I was a late bloomer though, as in regard to doing mass production and pan media production art.
One day though, I just sat down and started painting patterns. I found that if my patterns revealed parts of a picture, mind you this is free-form painting, I would stop and focus on the patterns I created, like it was a Rorschach Test and paint the rest of the picture in. I always found that in those crazy moments that I had, when I thought the picture I was painting was too mundane, I would hastily find a painting tool and go coco-nuts on the painting. This turned out to be a good strategy. Like Haiku. I sat down for four years and painted a lot and more. I have about 100 paintings that I practice with, using different colors and techniques. Not finishing all of them yet though until they are museum quality. I love metallic colors and use them a lot. After four years of completing my four years plan, I thought to myself that it would be great to put my art on clothing and find people to show them off. I found a great online editor and found online clothing makers that sell the clothing that you make. I love using them.
Paom https://paom.com/search?type=vendor&q=johnnyvex+tag:public,
Cow Cow https://www.cowcow.com/artist/vexnation777, https://www.cowcow.com/artist/vexnation6,
Arts Add http://www.artsadd.com/store/vexnation,
and Art of Where https://artofwhere.com/artists/vexsace. Of course, I could make clothing for myself, but what about models I said to myself. I happened to get lucky on that one. I happened to get introduced to my main photographer Emily Thornton of Theory of Em Photography https://www.facebook.com/Theory-of-Em-Photography-522867744860663 and Ashur Boodry, my main model.
Right now, I have eight plus photo shoots, a lot of them with Ashur in them and I love meeting and talking to new models. My two Main Facebook pages that show my work and Ashur’s and Emily’s are Vex Art and Vex Nation. My clothing and the Art that is on those pages and are fully created by me. Only seven pictures that I have designed come from a photograph taken of me. Right now, I have over 7,000+ pieces of art on my Computer that I have designed for use, and on Vex Art, you can see that my FB Timeline has over 23,000 pictures of my Art/Fashion/Photo Shoots and Audio Curriculum. That is a lot. It is a great accomplishment to me. I never did get to France but there is always the Future… You never know what’s coming next, right? Pray Hard, Paint Well, and Make People Happy. That is my Advice. Be Well and Have a Nice Day.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It was a Bumpy Road, as always. Bumps can be fun and then not. We moved around a lot as a kid, so making art was the way I made new friends. I have lived in New York, California and Los Angeles. Plus, I have traveled and been to Indiana, Florida, and Colorado. I have been to both Disneyland and Disney World. I have skateboarded and snowboarded my fair share of mountains in Maine and Southern California. Working jobs to me was never a struggle to get them but the struggle of working them was hard because I always choose the hard jobs. I am a Great Auditor, Librarian, Legendary Doorman/Bouncer, Vet Tech, Federal Work Study Student because of it. My Mom and Dad and whole family consist of hard workers. And when we traveled, we packed the trucks ourselves and drove rather than fly. I do have a lot of people that I can get in touch with from back in the day to give my clothing to as gifts. I did have a lot of Girlfriends too, but with moving, you have to leave them behind and meet new ones. One memory that sticks out with the work that I did that will make you laugh was that I would come home at 4:00 am from work to sleep until the next shift and by the time I would go to bed a Rooster that sat on the fence, about 20 feet from my window, would give out his oo oo oo, for about a half an hour leaving me so annoyed, I said to myself, welcome to Texas. It was pure he doubles hockey sticks. I have many fond hilarious stories about my life. so yes, it was bumpy., From the East coast to the West Coast to the Gulf Coast.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am so very proud of myself that I have the ability to pay attention to details and that I can count fast. That helps with paintings, I have also worked with the Dewey decimal system as a Houston Public Librarian while going to college, so that made homework easier and my focus honed. I do specialize in art and its applications. That came with time. I have used many different forms of hypnosis and spiritual rituals to make my mind more receptive to a more spiritual art life, using Hermetic (Golden Dawn) rituals and other Societies rituals. I do have a favorite Egyptian Spiritualist book that has lots of applications and I have used it for the last 25 years. It deals with the Egyptian Gods and meditations on them. I have a lot of alt religion books that give me ideas for art and I am at the stage where I can set up paintings and sketches I want to do by using a small amount of books. I love and respect all religions, me wanting to be a priest since I was 16 years old. My strength in God has been the reason behind all my successes in work and in art.
I am trying to reach into the realm of religious paintings, but with a twist and that I cannot tell because it is a new twist and its secret. I find the more I pray and fulfill my religious duties, the better my life and art and fashion progress. I love audible.com and my mp3 library. I just finished a book on Catechism and am starting my study of Crowley. The internet is great for all religious manners but I put that aside to focus on my own personal library. It’s time to write my books and poems and stories. And to make my own tarot, I can make about seven Sets. What sets me apart from others? My History and Family. My Determination, my Will to Live and My Optimism. Plus MY Prayer Habits. I pray on my knees about 24 days out of the Month. It only feels natural to me to do it that way. I was Christened as a Baby in Our Lady of Peace in Lynbrook, N.Y. It’s a Big Church. Very Nice Looking too. Remembering that gives me a Majestic Feel. I use it even with other Spiritual Paths to Comfort People. From Reiki to Happy, use it all. Amen.
What were you like growing up?
I was funny. A good Skateboarder and Snowboarder, a Great Hiker. I love swimming. I played soccer for my middle school. I loved playing baseball. I made friends easily. I read a lot. I had four jobs all year round during my school years, after school, from 6th grade to 10th grade. I worked at a Deli, I was a paper boy, I worked at a printing press, and was a busboy. I was nice. I liked climbing trees. Roller Skating, playing in the snow. Drawing, painting. Making ramps and a Half Pipe, skateboarding ramp me and my friends made in my backyard. I loved spending time with my brother. I loved going out to eat with my family. I loved visiting family. When I was in the car with my family, I used to keep an eye out for skate-boardable places and I would memorize how to get there. I read a lot of Rolling Stone, Mad Magazine, Ninja Magazine, Fangoria and Phantasmagoria Magazine. I was really into Horror Movies. I love Phantasm and The Fright Night Movies. When we moved I would, I would stare out the window for hours pretending that there was a little white man running ride outside my window, keeping up with us. I had the chance to see a lot of nature and hills and mountains. I was very close to a lot of people too sleeping over their houses so the next day we could go on our youthful adventures. I do remember my first taste of Manhattan. I never saw a city so beautiful and archaic. Los Angeles to me had an exceptional nightlife. And Houston is this nice well-balanced city that offers a lot to its people peacefully. Lot’s of Cows though!
Pricing:
- Clothing From $19.99 and up to $250.00
- Art from $25.00 and up.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://paom.com/search?type=vendor&q=johnnyvex+tag:public
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnsevey/
- Facebook: Vex Art and Vex Nation
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/john_sevey
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB6KZN3M3_J3zgqh0Yh6Mgw
- Other: https://artofwhere.com/artists/vexsace
Image Credits
Ashur And Emily.
