We recently had the chance to connect with Hunter Jay and have shared our conversation below.
Hunter , 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 are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
I took a soft pastel class recently because I thought it would help loosen up my painting style. It certainly did that, and it changed my approach to my stylized realism more than I thought it would. I posted some of my small studies from the class on my social media sites, and instantly the interest was high. People actually wanted to buy the studies, which came as a complete surprise to me.
As a result, I am diving into the soft pastel and oil pastel world a bit deeper. I was afraid of it before; I had no idea how to begin a work in this medium, and I was so invested in acrylic painting that I didn’t want to devote much time to it. But now I see how both things can exist at the same time. It’s been a fun ride so far, and I have a lot to learn, but I am certainly no longer afraid of it.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a fine artist living in Asheville, North Carolina, driven to create works that are evocative of mood. That goal comes first, before any technical aspects of it. I believe that is where my art evolves from; a point of view, to make the viewer think and/or to provoke questions.
Much of my work is optimistic in that way, and to be honest, I do sometimes get criticism for it. Here’s my take on that: This beautiful world we live in is full of cruel moments. There is no escaping that. I don’t negate the work of those artists who choose to convey this. But as for me, I like to offer the alternative, a view of hope, and what might be, for those unfortunate ones who may not know it exists. Even in my darkest work (and yes, I do have some) there is an element of that hope that can be found. It might be a point of light in the distance; it might be a glimpse of a butterfly’s wing, but it’s there.
I work in multiple styles, depending on what it is I want to communicate. A stylized realism, impressionism, and abstraction. I experiment consistently, and in that way my work grows and matures.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
My father, a pastor, devoted himself to his calling with passion. He didn’t view it as work in a traditional sense, though. He thrived on learning and studying. Our house was chock full of theological books. Any spare moment was spent reading them. He wanted to share that joy with his congregation, and nothing thrilled him more to be asked a hard question. He didn’t claim to have the answer. Instead, he would say, “I am not exactly sure. I have some ideas. Let’s jump into this together and see what we can find.” He cared about people. He sacrificed so much to help others.
When I was a teen, I complained about my part time job at an auto parts store. I felt unappreciated. I asked him if he ever felt the same way. His answer, and I paraphrase, because I was 15 at the time:
“I work because it is a privilege. I may never see the rewards of my work. That’s not my responsibility. My responsibility is to make the most of what abilities I’ve been given, and to be thankful that I have that opportunity. It grounds me. I serve a purpose. It doesn’t matter that others may not see that purpose. I know my purpose. You will ultimately find yours. Until you find it, you give your all to what is set before you, and you will find a certain kind of satisfaction in it that no one else can. I hope that makes sense.”
At the time, it didn’t really. But you know what? I remembered it. And I blindly followed his advice. As the years passed I began to see the truth of it.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
If I could take a step back and tell my younger self anything, it would be this:
“It’s your life. You don’t live it for the approval of your parents. You don’t live it for the approval of your friends. They don’t live inside your head 24/7. You do. Do the thing you want to do, and not what is expected of you. If you accomplish that, all these people whose approval you’re worried about will obviously choose one of two things. 1. They will desert you. or 2. They will admire and support you. But I almost guarantee that more of them will fall into the latter category.
When you try to live by what others expect, the results might outwardly appear acceptable; even noteworthy. But it won’t appear that way to you. Instead, all you accomplish will feel very ordinary. Aspire to the heights of your dreams instead. Your unique approach will reverberate in others on a profound level.”
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?
The public version of myself is honest. Sometimes others tell me I share too much, or I am too blunt, or too vocal about things I am passionate about. Sometimes I hear, “you’re way too forthcoming about your embarrassing situations.”
Why wouldn’t I be passionate about things that are important to me, though? Why wouldn’t I share that? I feel like in sharing all of these things, it opens the door to communicating with the rest of the world at large, with people that might be afraid to share those same things, but can definitely relate. But because I do make myself vulnerable like that, it gives them the freedom to do likewise. And where otherwise we might be strangers; divided…we make a human connection, whatever it might be. And isn’t that why we’re here?
At the same time, I must confess that others can find me “mysterious” at times. As much as I want to be as forthcoming as possible, there are times when I subconsciously hold back. It’s not on purpose, however. It just happens. It’s not that I am withholding because of a fear of rejection, but because I haven’t yet formed a firm opinion yet. I’m not going to share an opinion that isn’t formed. Sometimes my silence can be interpreted as the opposite, because I can also be so vocal.
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 story I would like told about me after I’ve gone:
He was a creative person, bringing things to our attention that we’d never thought about. He did this visually, through his art, but also through his sense of humor, in his writing and in person.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hunterjaygalleries.com
- Instagram: @hunterjaygalleries
- Facebook: Hunter Jay Galleries
- Other: @hunterjaygalleries.bsky.social
Image Credits
Hunter Jay
