Josh Beckett is one of thirteen artists selected as a Gallery 263 Small Works Project artist. This project presents artwork in flat files at the gallery and on our website. Visit Beckett’s Small Works Project page →
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I like to think I’m a very simple man with some complex idiosyncrasies. I grew up in West Baltimore, a place that’s pretty dangerous in a lot of ways. Gunshots and ambulance sirens were my lullabies at night, and playing games and reading comics were my days. My parents always pushed me to do my best in school in hopes I would leave home and become something more than our environment had to offer. I went to pretty good schools growing up, and when I graduated I went to college to be a paralegal because I thought it would be a safe bet on money and be a “good respectable” job. After a few months I was bored out of my mind, so I decided to take a leap at the one thing I’d always loved and secretly dreamed would change my life, being an artist. I moved to Beverly, MA to go to art school, and have been in the Salem/Boston area since 2018 still convinced I’m one opportunity away from changing my life forever.
What kind of art do you make?
I make primarily 2d works of art. I started using strictly graphite and alcohol based markers, and then shifted to digital art, and am currently creating with acrylic and spray paint. My work for the longest time was very commercial in both context and approach. I wanted to be a cover artist for books and video games, and so the primary focus of my practice was to build my skills in this regard. After a while I was introduced to tattooing as an art form, which allowed me more flexibility in content. In tattooing there was more opportunity to create art with more mature themes, as well as a big push for dramatic flair and a bit of showmanship. As a commercial artist I felt trapped thinking that the only time my art would be considered valuable was when I was recreating someone else’s identity. So in a very real way, I feel as though I make a lot of different art because I have had too. Now I try to make art that I think satisfies my own need for growth and acknowledgment of mastery, while simultaneously appealing to audiences at large that enjoy a bit of tongue and cheek humor in their art.
What concepts does your art explore?
Right now, I’m exploring three different concepts across my work. In the first body, Cliche Sad Boi, I’m exploring love and heartbreak. I’ve had my own fair share of disastrously failed relationships, and I’ve met plenty of people who have felt the same way. I don’t think it’s wrong to say that sad songs and romance movies aren’t going out of style anytime soon. But, as a person who struggles with anxiety, I find love and relationships to be pretty difficult to maintain. I think like most people I lose myself in my favorite sad songs and movies to process my own feelings. Inspired by what I was seeing and hearing, I have been adding to Cliche Sad Boi, a visual expression of my own fears and anxieties when it comes to relationships, and how they can be destructive and beautiful all at once. In my second body of work, Doodlez, I have taken inspiration from the cartoons and comics that I’ve consumed my whole life. Adding my own sense of drama and flair to these classic characters, it has become a body of work that allows me to add my own interpretations into each work, and try to add to the story they begin. In this way I never have to leave my inner child alone for too long, and am free to explore and create on my own terms. And lastly I have an unnamed body of work that explores the beauty I find in everyday black women. In this body of work I draw and paint the universe in the form of cosmic black women. They are always depicted as calm and radiant, as the center of everything. They are meant to be a visual expression and thank you to the women who I admire most.
Can you tell us about the work you have on view in your flat file drawer at the gallery?
images of work
All 5 pieces I have on view in my flat file come from the Cliche Sad Boi body of work. They are 5 limited edition signed prints of digitally created pieces. Although a small glimpse, I think they best represent the feelings of desperation, confusion, love, and eventual self love found in this body of work. They are also wrapped in this almost cartoon like aesthetic that is meant to be a comforting entry point for viewers. This soft opening covers the darker, more intense themes of the pieces, as audiences discover that each of these pieces are about the intense struggle that comes with letting go of love you thought you were sure about, and how these can warp your own opinion of self and others. In the same way you enter a relationship with the best of intentions, only for it to fail and the climb to reclaim yourself apart from it.
Where do you make your work?
Currently I work out of a studio at home. Nothing fancy. I was able to save enough to buy out my apartment and work at home after years of borrowing a friend’s studio space.
What are your favorite materials to use? Most unusual?
My favorite tool is digital drawing. I think because it was the first resource I had that blew my mind while I was young, it has left a big impression on me. It’s just the most comfortable tool in my bag. Next is spray paint because I feel the paint can think as fast as I do while I’m working. I think the most unusual tool in my bag are sharpie highlighters. I really enjoy drawing with them as a sketching tool. Since they aren’t really meant for that, I can turn my mind off and feel free to make mistakes while drawing.
What historical and contemporary artists inspire you?
As far as historical artists, I really enjoy the ideas of Leonardo Davinci. It really seems like he was man who was driven as an artist, and I think his opinions on what it takes to be an artist are still relevant today. I am inspired by dozens of contemporary artists. Some that I can think of off the top of my head are Chase Conely, Miya Bailey, Lavaughan Jenkins and Jonah Wall aka ThatShitDead.
When did you decide you wanted to be an artist?
Honestly, I knew I wanted to be an artist when I was in 5th grade. It was the first time I drew a picture and I could see people’s faces light up at the images I could create. That was the spark, and that became a fire when I learned about the comic book and video game industry. Suddenly it felt like everything I ever wanted was on the other side of being able to master these skills.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
I would like to take a moment and share my appreciation to Gallery 263, and you for this interview and opportunity. It’s always a reaffirming feeling to have people support my artwork. And I encourage everyone to take some time and look at my website, Hoodtendacies.com. Every sale helps, and I feel confident that after 10 mins with my work you will absolutely love at least 2-3 pieces. Thank you.