Phoenix Artist Jesse Perry: 100 Creatives

Phoenix is brimming with creativity. And every other year, we put the spotlight on 100 of the city’s creative forces. Leading up to the release of this year’s Best of Phoenix issue, we’re profiling 100 more. Welcome to the 2014 edition of 100 Creatives. Up today: 35. Jesse Perry.

Jesse Perry’s a Renaissance man of sorts.

The downtown Phoenix artist has a well-rounded résumé of painting murals and smaller scale works, performing stand-up comedy, and dabbling in film. And then there’s the fact that he works at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel as the establishment’s art director and curator.

See also: Mesa Comics Artist Josh Kirby: 100 Creatives

For the 29-year-old, art is almost all-encompassing. He says he spends four hours a day painting, in addition to his full-time curator work at the hotel. And his current projects give just a glimpse of what he’s up to apart from that.

He’s working on his final-round project for MonOrchid‘s Thermal PHX competition, painting a private mural, spending a few days in San Francisco, where he’ll participate in a Bill Murray art exhibition titled “The Murray Affair,” showing a portrait he painted of the comedian wearing Joker-style makeup, and he’s readying a stand-up set for an August 28 performance at Stand Up Live.

And in the midst of all that, Fixed Heart Films is creating a documentary about Perry and his “journey in downtown.” From the looks of his current schedule, that seems like it’ll be quite the trip.

I make art because I always have. Ever since I was old enough to hold a paint brush I have created art and can’t imagine my life without the creative spirit. It is something I find in every area of my life from cooking, to conversing, to working and so on. “Art” is who I am and it is how I have survived this long.

I’m most productive when I have too many things on my plate with deadlines quickly approaching. I find I work best under intense pressure because I don’t second guess myself simply due to the fact that there is no time to do so. I also find that when I have momentum, it is easier to stay in that creative groove rather than stalling and starting on projects all the time.

My inspiration wall is full of… I enjoy collecting artwork from my friends, other artist I respect, colleges I have worked with, as well as any piece that speaks to me. Combined with a few of my own pieces, my collection hangs on my walls, which you can barely see, for me to see every day and be reminded of my journey through life and inspiration. On my figurative wall of inspiration I keep all my clippings of my achievements and awards to remind myself of the linear progress I have made as an artist so I can muster up the courage to take that next step those few times I am afraid to.

I’ve learned most from paying attention to those around me and using my moral compass to associate myself with what I believed was the right path for me. So I guess my answer is…. others. I don’t think I have ever been asked that question. It’s difficult to really say that I have been inspired by or learned the most from one individual or one area of my life as every experience is a culmination to creating the person you are now. I suppose if I had to narrow it down, it would be other artists. Seeing a world of transforming color cascading through art history books and then transcending to the walls that surround my everyday life is truly an inspiration that keeps the fires of my passion to create lit.

Good work should always reflect the artist. As an artist grows their career, has more opportunities and gets more work, they will find that a small percentage of that work will be specific commissions or even logo work for businesses, while most jobs come from the style of the artist and they are generally given 100% creative licence. On these occasions it is easiest for an artist to see themselves in their work because it all them, but on those occasions that an artist is requested to do something out side their comfort zone or exact style, it important that the artist still be able to see themselves reflected in the work that they have learned or grasped a new concept that they can take back and incorporate in to their own style.

The Phoenix creative scene could use more commitment! I see so many good artists out there without the follow through. You know who you are and you know what it will take to elevate your work to the next level. If you don’t know, go to every art show you see an flyer for, enter in to every call to artists available, join every social network out there and paint your ass off every day. This goes out to gallery owner/operators as well. You set the scales of professionalism for artists in the downtown scene and it is you who they look to to be guided, coached, and pushed outside their comfort zone. Finally, this goes out to all the art supporters in the scene. Showing your support is more than a “Like” on Facebook, you have to actually show up to the event.

See the 2014 edition of 100 Creatives:

100. Bill Dambrova
99. Niki Blaker
98. Jeff Slim
97. Beth May
96. Doug Bell
95. Daniel Langhans
94. Nanibaa Beck
93. Nicole Royse
92. Ib Andersen
91. Casandra Hernandez
90. Chris Reed
89. Shelby Maticic
88. Olivia Timmons
87. Courtney Price
86. Travis Mills
85. Catrina Kahler
84. Angel Castro
83. Cole Reed
82. Lisa Albinger
81. Larry Madrigal
80. Julieta Felix
79. Lauren Strohacker
78. Levi Christiansen
77. Thomas Porter
76. Carrie Leigh Hobson
75. Cody Carpenter
74. Jon Jenkins
73. Aurelie Flores
72. Michelle Ponce
71. Devin Fleenor
70. Noelle Martinez
69. Bucky Miller
68. Liliana Gomez
67. Jake Friedman
66. Clarita Lulić
65. Randy Murray
64. Mo Neuharth
63. Jeremy Hamman
62. La Muñeca
61. Kevin Goldman
60. Emily Costello
59. Kerstin Dale
58. Vara Ayanna
57. Nathaniel Lewis
56. Ruben Gonzales
55. Lisa Poje
54. Bobby Zokaites
53. Frances Smith Cohen
52. Julie Rada
51. David Miller
50. Xanthia Walker
49. Kyllan Maney
48. Cary Truelick
47. Constance McBride
46. James D. Porter
45. Allyson Boggess
44. Abigail Lynch
43. Ashley Cooper
42. Jaclyn Roessel
41. Brandon Boetto
40. Melissa Dunmore
39. Gavin Sisson
38. Rossitza Todorova
37. Monica Robles
36. Josh Kirby

Editor’s note: This post has been modified from its original version.

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