Joshua Cousin shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Joshua, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What battle are you avoiding?
Funnily enough, creativity within a work/life balance! I work a part-time job that can be very physically strenuous. So, I’m in this constant battle with myself in this push and pull between wanting to create things and wanting to just give myself a break.
It’s a daily thing, especially if inspiration strikes. If I sit and get an idea, I tend to put my all into that illustration; every ounce of creative energy I’ve got, then BOOM! I’m wiped out and feel burned out for a while. It’s hard for me to relax because I feel like I’m wasting time. But you have to take care of yourself. As I say to myself, I’ll say to the viewer: You’re not running out of time. The right pieces will come to you at the time you need them the most. Remembering that has not only brought me a lot of comfort, but it’s quite literally kept my head on straight. Hopefully my words of comfort can do the same for you.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Joshua Cousin. I’m currently 28 years old, and I am an illustrator. I was born in Durham, North Carolina, where I spent a good chunk of my life. I was accepted into Durham School of the Arts my middle school years, through the end of my Sophomore year of High School before moving to San Francisco, California in 2013! I don’t say this a lot, but I grew up pursuing everything BUT art! Piano classes, tennis, vocal, even the guitar at one point. However, I always found myself coming back to art; specifically illustration. I
doodled on every piece of scrap paper I could find instead of focusing on my studies. Once I moved to San Francisco, I remember falling deeply in love with comic books from artists such as Jim Lee in “Batman: Hush” and David Finch with his work on “Knight Terrors”. I decided to take art seriously and submitted a portfolio to some art schools! From there, I was accepted into California College of the Arts where I graduated in 2019 with a BFA in Illustration! I’ve had my work featured in Self-Designs Art Studio in Sacramento, as well as Cecy’s Art Gallery here in Durham, NC! After COVID, I saved up from my freelance commissions, moved back to my hometown in late 2021, and the rest is history!
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My friends and family have really been there for me in ways I can’t explain. It’s a short, silly answer, but it’s true.They’ve also pointed out how I make myself look sad in every self-portrait I make! You get so normalized to something because you see it every day! Sometimes it helps to have a different perspective, or I guess in this case, another set of eyes.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Every day, if I’m being honest. Though, it’s hard to keep from giving up in a world where AI is getting scarily accurate. These past few weeks have been so crazy within the art community. So many people are at risk of losing jobs in the wake of these programs. Then you have people like me who are actively trying to FIND work! My kind of work is already hard enough to find unless you “know someone.” I’ve had so many opportunities dissolve, so many connections fizzle out, and a lot of people just not reply to my emails. But as disappointing as it is, I try not to beat myself up over it. I try to use it as a motivation to push myself harder, and I turn my frustration into a piece. I’ve found that when I’m upset, bleeding my emotions into that drawing really helps it emulate a manifestation of what I’m feeling. Maybe that’s also why I’m always so sad in my self-portraits. To me, it’s like getting it out of your system before wiping the slate and starting again. I’ve also been blessed to show my art to some of my idols! I was able to talk to Sam Raimi, and got to hear him gush over my drawing I had him autograph back in 2024. I’d stayed up so late working on it and to just feel seen to that extent made me want to cry, being able to tell him how HE was the reason I got into art. The same happened this past July in Nashville, TN! I went with some friends to see Coldplay (if you didn’t know, I’m the biggest Stan for them out there) and Chris Martin saw my portrait of him in the front row on C-Stage, and smiled at me! It’s the little things that keep you going and keep you creating. I know things will get better soon enough.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
MAN. The public version of me is a neat version for sure! Almost like a customer service voice when you answer the phone at work! The REAL me? Biggest nerd you’ll find in NC, and I say it with pride! An avid lover of videogames, and as one of my friends put so eloquently: I’m a music mutt! I listen to and love all kinds of music, especially when I’m drawing or working. The real me also loves to cook; I view it as another art form, and it’s an extremely satisfying way for me to relieve stress oddly enough. The two really start to blend together especially once I get comfortable around you. So, beware!
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
The main thing I’d love to do and inspire long after I’m gone isn’t even anything over the top. I just want someone at their lowest to be able to see my work, see my story, and use it as fuel to keep going and not give up. Life can be so overbearing and quick at the same time. I just want my art to allow you to hit pause and take a breath and enjoy the present moment. Like a warm hug from an old friend that you haven’t seen in the longest time. It’s so easy to worry about the future and cling onto the past. I want my legacy to remind people to be/stay present.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.jcousinart.com
- Instagram: the_insane_mr_j
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-cousin-1033b1101?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
- Other: Tiktok: Jcousin29
