Interview with Jesse Reno

1)First of all,..can you present yourself..?

1)Jesse Reno - selftaught mixed media painterborn 1974 - Teeneck NJ USA.drawing since i coul hold a pencil painting since 2000.

2)Do you think of yourself as an artist,or what?
2)I consider myself an artist. i generally paint 7-10 pieces a week.. I’vecreated over 700 works since 2003..I’ve been a fulltime artist for the pastthree years… It’s pretty solid down to my root I’ve always drawn, and itseems that’s what I’d rather do than most things since I was about 5.. I’dfinish whatever else I had to do so I could draw.. now painting has takenthat spot… I feel it’s my teacher as well as my escape the thing thatalways works me out of where I am… at this point I feel my work guides meby forcing me to see what I’m thinking about.. you can deny your thoughtsbut when you paint them all week you cant help to see what’s on your mind..

3)What is creativity?
3)Creating. manifesting your thoughts, ideals, and ideas into physicalvessels so others may experience them..


4)Does your environment influence your art,either in style/format orinterference?
4)I have noticed my art seems to reflect my enviroment.. It seems thefigures I paint exist in the enviroment I am in or most thinking about..much of my work deals with nature and mans effects on it.. the enviromentswithin the paintings exemplify this.. I think it’s the struggle I face inmy own head about living in a city and longing for the wilderness.. Istruggle with this a lot.. I obsses over the organic and natural order ofthings and there relationship to mankind’s systems which move everythingfurther and further from natural..


5)What are some of your influences and inspirations?
5)I’m most influenced by the art of primitive cultures.. As in primitivecultures my creations search for pureness.. They are my visual diaries,free from the concerns of technique, preconceived ideas, meaning, orconcern for what has come before.they come from within, and manifest as expressions of the world that surrounds. Like gods created in ones ownimage, a reflection of self. It is an inward inspiration that comes morefrom personal need than desire.. They outward inspirations come from allmy experiences - travel, interactions, films, books, conversations, news,just about anything I take in can influence the ideas within my work.. Theartists who has most influenced me is Chris Giordani.. "paint what yourbrain tells you to." if you dont like what you paint, paint over it."-Chris Giordani


6)What's your favourite mediums(pen,charcoal,paint,canvas,etc.)to work in/on?
6)I use acrylic paint, oil pastels, colored pencils for the most part andwork on wood and canvas.. I like the feel of pushing to hard with pencilsinto wood. I like canvas best when painting with my hands as you get a lotless splinters.. sometimes however you push the pencil through thecanvas.. sometimes I also use photo transfers, silkscreens, watercolor,markers, and collage elements in paintings...


7)Who are some of your favourite painters/artists
7)Chris GiordaniMike McgovernAshley Montegue

8)How long does it normally take you to complete a piece of your artwork?8)I general work on 7-10 pieces at a time and I usually finish most ofthem with a weeks time.. It’s hard to add up individually as I jump frompainting to painting.. This keeps me from getting to caught in oneidea.. I feel it keeps me more open to change and following work. rather than coming up with an idea and refining it until it is done anidea presents itself and you experience it..

9)What else are you interested in besides visual arts?
9)I’m into recording, producing and playing music.. I play - guitar, bass,synthesizers, samplers, drum machines, scratch records, and like to playeffects live.. I love recording or improving live.. besides that I prettymuch skateboard with my dog, or find time to go to the coast and hike..

10)Got any new projects planned?
10)I’ve always got something in the works.. I just finished up work on a newcoloring book being put out by AnotherSky Press. It’s 40 pgs and will beavailable the middle of august.. I’ve got shirts, and silkscreen prints onthe way as well.. I’ve got shows every month into next year. I’ll be livepainting in San Jose California august 18th. I guess the biggest project Ihave in the works is a book of my artwork I hope to have finished by earlynext year.. At this point im looking at 150-200 pgs full of my paintingsand words..

11)How would you describe your art to someone who could not see it?
11)Urban primitive - figures, animals, and creatures struggling to live in anunnatural world..


12)What other talent would most like to have?
12)Not sure.. I feel like you can teach yourself anything.. I don’t feel likeI have enough time for my current list of ideas as far as painting andmusic go so I cant really think of anything else I’d rather do..

13)What are your most beloved items?
13)Experiences.. I’d say paintings but I’ve gotten very used to letting themgo.. I’m most into moments and experiences so I’d say travel, nature andcreating..I don’t own much I care about really it’s mainly about owning my time for me..

14)Favourite books?
14)I don’t read..


15)Do you remember the first draw you made?
15)Not sure but the earliest drawing I can visualize is a blue pen drawing ofmy dad..


16)What kind of music do you like and do you listen.And is the music important for your art.?
16)My taste jumps all around, I listen to music all the time and it definetlyinfluences my work.. When I hear music I automatically see feel all kindsof things.. It influences my thoughts and moods which are my paintings..so I’d say music is very much a part of my work.. Some of my favoritethings to paint to are - Nuetral Milk Hotel, Tom Waits, Radiohead, Beruit,Miles Davis, Mum, Elliot Smith, Pole, Gasp, Beck, Beastie Boys, Gangstar,Rachels.

17)Any advice do you have for artists?
17)Always push yourself, always do your work for yourself, always pushyourself to work.. The only way to get better or reach the creations yousee in your head is with practice.. If you do something 100 times you willget better. It is our own lack of ambition that keeps us from our goals..

18)Your contacts.E-mail..Links...
18) http://www.jessereno.com
jesse@jessereno.com