APP: You recently participated in a Basketball Art Project with the Atlanta Hawks and Amy Parry Projects. If you had to pick an “Artist Dream Team,” who would it be?
JC: The best of all time: I’ll start with one of the first people I studied in high school, Chuck Close… his work amazed me. The things he said about “Showing up to work everyday and not waiting for inspiration,” spoke to me. Of course, Basquiat. And Kehinde Wiley, I would put up there as one of the top living artists. Representation means a lot to me, to see another black male artist working at that scale— his work is phenomenal. Going left a little bit, Banksy. I grew up in a world of graffiti and hip hop, his work is profound work on the streets. And my wildcard is Peter Ferrari, that’s my guy. I love his work… he deserves his flowers, he’s very humble…I love to give him his flowers when I can.
APP: As a muralist and painter, do you find one more fitted to your aesthetic?
JC: I don’t prefer one or the other. With outdoor murals, weather is always a factor, and the elements. But it adds to the challenge, and I love a good challenge. I love to tackle things, face adversity, and then complete them. In the studio, I like to crank out a painting and live with that piece in my creative space. But I also like climbing ladders, dealing with the weather, and beautifying the neighborhood… That’s an important part of what we have to do as artist: extend ourselves to our community.
