We’re looking forward to introducing you to Junior Gomez. Check out our conversation below.
Junior, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
For me, it’s energy. Energy drives everything I do. It’s the foundation of how I create, connect, and show up in the world. You can have intelligence and integrity, but without the right energy, those things don’t come to life. I believe energy is contagious, it’s what draws people in, sparks collaboration, and fuels creativity.
When I’m around good energy, I feel inspired to push boundaries and bring ideas into reality. It’s how I move through my art, my relationships, and my everyday life. Energy can shift a whole room, change someone’s mood, or turn a simple moment into something powerful. That’s why, for me, energy is everything.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Junior Gomez, a multidisciplinary artist and founder of Junior Designs based in Charlotte, NC.
My work bridges murals, paintings, and three-dimensional wood art. All centered around themes of awareness, perspective, and gratitude. I’m fascinated by how art can transform both spaces and people, so I create pieces that invite reflection, connection, and curiosity.
What makes my brand special is the energy behind it, everything I make is rooted in real experiences, growth, and storytelling. I started this journey after spending eight years in the corporate world, finally finding the courage to pursue art full-time. That leap changed my life, and since then I’ve been building a body of work that blends craftsmanship, emotion, and design.
I recently showcased my first major solo exhibition, “True Form,” at Providence Gallery, a milestone that celebrated years of evolution and exploration in my creative journey. Now, I’m continuing to expand my practice through new large-scale projects, public installations, and interactive pieces that bring people closer to art and to each other.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was someone who followed the crowd. I wanted to fit in. I wanted to be liked. I shaped myself around what I thought people wanted to see, trying to please everyone instead of listening to my own voice.
It took me years to realize that blending in was dimming the very thing that made me unique. I was playing it safe, following paths that felt comfortable but not true. Eventually, I reached a point where I couldn’t ignore that pull to create, to express, to live with purpose.
Now, I see that version of myself with compassion. He was just trying to survive, to belong. But through growth, failure, and courage, I found something more powerful than being liked: being real. And that’s where my art comes from today. That honest place of rediscovering who I truly am, beyond the noise and expectations.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Oh man, when didn’t I almost give up.
There were so many moments… times when the vision felt too big, the path too unclear, and the weight of it all just heavy. Being an artist isn’t a straight line. It’s a mix of self-doubt, risk, sacrifice, and constant reinvention.
There were seasons where nothing seemed to be working, where I questioned if I was good enough, if I’d made the right choices leaving a stable job, or if people would even care about what I was creating. But every time I reached that breaking point, something, a spark, a reminder, a small win pulled me back.
I think what kept me from giving up was the belief that there’s purpose in the struggle. That even the hardest moments are shaping the story I’m meant to tell. And looking back, those moments when I almost quit ended up being the ones that pushed me to level up the most.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
Inspiring others, that’s the belief I’m committed to, no matter how long it takes.
Everything I create. Whether it’s a mural, sculpture, or a piece of content, is rooted in that intention. I want people to feel something when they experience my work. I want them to walk away reminded of their own potential, their own light.
I know how it feels to doubt yourself, to play small, or to think your dreams are too far out of reach. That’s why I share my story, the risks, the lessons, the wins, and the setbacks, because someone out there might need that reminder to keep going.
If my art or my journey can inspire even one person to believe in themselves a little more, then it’s all worth it. That’s a mission I’ll never stop pursuing, no matter how long it takes.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say that I never gave up.
That no matter how hard things got, I kept showing up for my art, for my purpose, and for the people who believed in me. I want my story to be a reminder that perseverance and faith can take you places talent alone never could.
I’ve fallen, doubted myself, and started over more times than I can count. But through it all, I kept going. Not because it was easy, but because something inside me knew this was bigger than me, that my work, my energy, and my story could inspire others to keep pushing through their own battles.
If people remember me as someone who stayed true, kept growing, and never stopped creating, even when the odds were stacked against me then I did what I was meant to do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.juniordesignsart.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juniordesigns_/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/junior-gomez-36412562/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jrdesignsart
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@JuniorDesignsArt
