Jamie Lee Hartley, wiry rebel of paint and noise.

1. Most artists have a favorite medium, what is yours? If you work in multiple media, which one is the most enjoyable for you? 

In the music part of my life, I like the bass as a favorite medium. I like to play it loud and proud, and with a lot of effects. I carry that same motto over when it comes to painting. I’ve never taken classes on either, and so I just kind of make it up as I go along. In painting, I like using acrylics the most, but I use oils, water colors, melted crayons, and just about any fucking thing I can find that will give me the desired effect, and hue I’m searching for.

2. Do you have any secret shortcuts? I mean, do you use odd tools, techniques, or anything else that isn’t strictly status-quo for your medium? How did you figure out that it worked?

I don’t really know of any type of shortcuts to take in painting, although I did recently discover the using pencil to sketch and idea, that I plan to paint in a lighter color, also doubles as a nice shading effect if you paint over the pencil lines inside an hour.

3. You’ve sold work before? What was the first thing someone bought from you, that you made? How did it feel to sell that piece? Are there pieces you keep hidden away, or keep for yourself, and why?

I can’t remember the first painting I sold, although I’m sure by now I’d think it was horrible. Having anyone interested in something you do as an art form is always a good feeling, so when they want to give you money for it, I say fuck yeah. I need the beer money anyway. I try not to keep anything I do strictly for me, but at the same time I don’t paint pictures solely for the purpose of selling them for money.

4. Working with people is sometimes the hardest part of art. How do you deal with (commission requests/demanding tattoo clients/bad art ideas/people asking if you have a real job)?

I’ve been burned on too many commissioned pieces. I don’t do those anymore. Fuck that. Plus, usually the people that want commissioned pieces want shit I don’t care to, or know how to paint. So they can fuck off as well. Just saying. And anytime someone asks me if I have a real job, I say yes… To try to stay alive.

5. What jobs did you have before you started arting? You don’t have to list them all- but were any particularly awful, or interesting? Did those jobs influence the way you approach your art now?

I’ve had all sorts of stupid ass “jobs”, the most interesting was the porn business, and the most rewarding would be construction. Oddly enough, both have a lot to do with wood and laying pipe. I think every job I’ve ever had, has influenced my art. Being at some shit hole you’d rather not be in, is always a good place to think and dream up new ideas.
6. How long have you been working in (the favorite medium you named)? Do you think there are any new ideas in that field that are worth pursuing? for example, 3d printing for sculpture/assemblage, rotary machines for tattooing, digital work for painting, etc

I’ve been playing music since I was 15, I’m almost 38. I still like to write, play, and record in an analog format. I’ve only been painting seriously for about 12 years, so I’m still learning all types of new shit in that medium.

7. How do you feel about using projectors, tracing, and photographs as reference for your work? Do you use these? Do you think it’s cheating if you use your own sketches or photographs to start out with? And, what do you think of camera obscuras, camera lucidas, and other optical aids like grids, for perspective and proportion?

I haven’t ever used a projector, or traced in my paintings. I’m not against it I suppose. Matter of fact, if any of you have an old projector you want to give me, I’ll try that shot out.

8. Have you taken any formal art classes? Have you had a mentor help you? Do you have “spirit artists” to guide you? (artists, living or dead, who you do not personally know, but to whom you look for inspiration or answers)

As I stated earlier, I’ve never had any formal training in any art format I’ve taken up. I have had the pleasure and honor of knowing some amazing artists in both music and painting, tattooing, etc. that have all encouraged me to just go with it, just fucking do it. They have always been my constant source of inspiration. I’m looking at you Erich Daoust, Anji Marth, Will Lindsay, Mike Sheidt, Harvey Anton.

9. Do you make prints or reproduce your work? Do you like galleries? Do you hang your art in bars or coffeeshops? How do you feel about public exposure to your work? Does it make you nervous to be in a spotlight, or do you enjoy it?

I currently only use social media to show my art, but I’d hang it in a gallery any time. Being in the spotlight isn’t really my bag, but I’ll hold it if nessecary.

10. If you earn your living with art, how many hours a week do you work? Counting research, sketching, cleaning up, framing, promotion, etc. Do you think you get paid a decent wage for this? Do you think it matters, as long as you’re enjoying the work?

I don’t make a living with any of my art, but I live through it.

11. When you began with (favorite medium), what was the hardest thing to learn?

Fuck man, everything about painting has been a pain in my ass to pick up, to learn, but if it were easy, I wouldn’t do it.

12. When you began making art, what was the hardest thing to do? What mistakes did you make? Do you have pictures of any of those mistakes you can share? How did you solve that problem?

It took make forever to figure out how not to paint blotchy lines. I still have problems with that, but water helps a bunch.

13. Do you have a site where you sell your work? which site, and how do you like it?

I sell my shit through my Facebook page, which is Facebook.com/abstractionpainting

14. Anyone you want to give a shout-out to? One or two names only…

I gave my shout outs already, other than those, my mother Chris McCoy fucking rules the high seas.

15. When you aren’t working, what are you doing with your time? Do you have any hobbies that are totally apart from your creative work, or does your art tend to creep in to your recreation time?

when I’m not working on my art or music, I’m thinking about working on them. It never stops. I dream about the shit I want to paint, and then go from there. DMT helps with that too.