MY CRAFT IS BEING MYSELF
Rarri Jackson - an artist
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?
My name is Rarri Jackson. I’m an artist. That’s the simplest way I would describe myself: an artist.
Do you think your work will keep changing, or have you found your language?
I’ve definitely found my language. I know I have my own visual handwriting, my own way of expressing what I find beautiful and how I see the world. But I still want to evolve. I don’t want to change who I am, because my craft is being myself, but I do want to keep getting better at articulating my vision and perfecting my craft. I always want to level up. I think I see softness in the world. I see beauty in places where other people maybe don’t always see it. I like mundane things: a rainy autumn afternoon, ice cream, New Balance sneakers, small everyday details. I don’t think my way of seeing is necessarily better than anyone else’s, but it’s mine, and I like to capture that in my work.
Do you think you need discipline to be creative?
I don’t think you need discipline just to be creative. You can be lazy and still be creative. But for the level I’m trying to reach, and where I want to go in life, discipline is very necessary. If you want to go far in anything, you have to do it a lot. Practice makes perfect, and if you’re trying to reach a high level, a lot of practice is needed.
What’s something you’d never want your art to become?
I never want my art to become bland, or something with no personality. I don’t even mind if people find it beautiful or ugly. I just want it to be me. I never want it to become something trendy, or something made only for what the masses want. I want it to be original. You can say a lot about my work, but you can’t say I’m not original, and that’s something I really value.
What’s something you’ve learned to trust more with time?
With time, I’ve learned to trust patience more. Sometimes things don’t happen when you want them to happen, they happen when you’re ready. Especially as a creative, not everything goes your way immediately. I’ve had to learn that through time, through getting older and maturing. I’ve also learned to trust that everything will be alright, and that things fall into place. I try not to worry too much about the future and to live more in the moment.
If you weren’t making art, what do you think you’d be doing?
If I wasn’t making art, I think I’d still want to work with people. I’ve always been creative, but if I couldn’t do anything creative, I’d want to do something that helps others. Maybe something like nursing, volunteering, working at a food bank, something that serves humanity in some way. But creativity is where my passion and my heart are, so painting really feels like the right profession for me.
If you could only use two colours for the rest of your life, which ones?
If I could only use two colours for the rest of my life, I would choose grey and red. Grey has always been one of my favourite colours. It feels serious, sleek, mature, intelligent, and beautiful to me. And red has something romantic, warm and powerful. So yes, grey and red.