KARINEVARGA.COM the artist

home - exhibitions - gallery - bio - contact

My name is Jarrett Bywaters. I am 30 years old, married and have a 4 year old son. I have been interested in and creating art for over 15 years. My love for art began as a teenager as I quickly learned how to draw cartoon and comic book characters. After some experimenting I began using different mediums, styles, techniques, materials and subjects. Charcoal and colored chalks became my passion in high school, but by college my love for art grew toward the fine detail you can achieve with pen and ink and the cold look of black and white.      I have never taken any formal classes in art or entered my artwork in any competitions until recently. Over the last 2 years I have been working on my first serious collection of art that I hope brings me into the light with other great artists. My collection of 80 pen and ink, floral drawings has completely consumed my life for the last 2 years. But, now is the hard part, getting that artwork out there to be viewed and critiqued by the world.      In the last 2 months I have shown samples of my floral drawings at various galleries in and around the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area. I am also displaying my drawings on several art websites in hope to reach a broader spectrum of clientele. Despite a challenging economy and limited resources, I remain ecstatic to share my art with the world. I believe a successful artist is one that doesn’t give up and pushes forward even when they are greatly dispirited. A great artist will never stop doing what they are passionate about, even if it means a lifestyle of sacrifice and compromise.      In closing, I would like to say that what I have discovered in 15 years of raw art experience is that there is a fine line between a good artist and a great artist. A great artist will utilize their own very personal emotions and develop a style of art behind it that reflects who that artist is as a human and what that artist feels on a deeper level. My hope for my art is that you will be able to feel my love for art, be able to appreciate the beauty of art a little bit more and even spark your inner passion for art. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Q & A with      ARTIST JARRETT What was your favorite character to draw when you were a kid? - I think most kids like to draw cartoon characters or comic book type stuff and I was no exception. I really enjoyed drawing my own 'duck' comic book character and putting him in weird situations where you wouldn't normally see a duck. I also really enjoyed drawing landscapes and sceneries. I think by the time I was 13 I had already been drawing consistently every day as a hobby for 2 years. Do you have other artists in your family? - I do have a cousin that also lives in Pennsylvania that does some painting recreationally and just last year showed a few pieces in the Harrisburg area. I also have an aunt that minored in art in college, but she discontinued after graduating. I never really had any family members while I was growing up to influence my style or knowledge of art. Although all my family members for the most part have careers where they rely on there creativity and imagination. Pen and ink drawings can be quite tedious at times, how do you manage to stay focused and finish 80 drawings? - Tedious fits in to my lifestyle very easily. Having OCD and being able to sit and do something repetatively for hours/days/months at a time just feels natural to me and I quite enjoy it. My first series of drawings, the 80 florals, did take a great deal of focus and commitment, but I knew that the result would be exactly what I wanted and that was to breakthrough into the art scene with a statement of "I love doing this, and I will keep doing this". Favorite color? - That's easy. Blue, when it's contrasted beside red. I also like the feel of black and white, cold and sharp. Does your family support your choice to become a artist? - 100% My wife was attracted to me because I was an artist and my son thinks I'm the greatest which a real ego boost and motivator. What made you pursue your dream to become a great artist at this time in your life? - I've always enjoyed all aspects of art and I think once I had found the right medium and style and technique that I just couldn't deny myself the chance to do/be something great with this talent. Being 30 years old I kind of feel like I'm already behind in where I want to be, but sometimes it takes an artist time to really find the niche that can give them the drive and passion to decide 'this is what I want to do with my life'. What medium is next for you? - I plan on using pen & ink as my medium until I can become an established artist, and then, who knows. It only takes one strange and random thought to change what I think would be perfect for me as an individual, but for now it's definitely some tedious pen & ink art. Favorite artist? - I don't really have a favorite. I love looking at all types of artwork and I do a lot of, not really analyzation, but breaking-it-down in my mind. Basically if I can get a clear emotion or purpose then I can relate to that artist and they become one of my favorites. What is it like in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania? - It's great. I love all the people and there's tons of stuff to do. The art scene is really starting to become a staple in Harrisburg living and it seems like there are a bunch of great starving artists just waiting to emerge out of this area. It's a pretty exciting place to be when you are a young artist. Where is your dream home? - A hut out on the beach in the caribbean where it never gets below 80 degrees, sipping mai tai's with my wife while my son is washing my car. Just off the top of my head. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Check out Jarrett's Art on Etsy - Previously Featured Artist - STEPHAINE MACKENZIE - DARRELL BOLIN © 2010 karinevarga.com about - contact - advertise