Jonathan Mayers was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he began creating artwork in his childhood.  His interests in absurd humor, Southern Louisiana environmental issues, cartoons, video games, Surrealism, and Underground Contemporary artwork play roles in how his work has come to fruition.  He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting at Louisiana State University in 2007.  Beginning in 2008, Jonathan has been working toward a Masters of Fine Arts in Painting at the University of New Orleans, where he was awarded a full assistantship.

Q.How old are you?
A.26

Q.What musical acts(if any) keep you going?

A.MF Doom, The Dillinger Escape Plan, The Mars Volta, and any Cajun/Zydecomusic come to mind at first, but there are various other genres and musicians that I enjoy listening to as well.

Q. What movies (if any ) never get old to you?
A.Lord of the Rings, the original Star Wars Trilogy, and I can watch Adult Swim’s Squidbillies (television show) and laugh my ass off for hours on end

Q.Do you do any work in other mediums?
A.Sure do. I’ve recently been working in mixed media including colored pencils, pens/markers/ink , watercolor, image transfers, collage, acrylics and oils.  I also fiddle with screen-printing and woodcuts.

Q.How long have you been creating?
A.Longer than I can remember.  As a kid I always drew cartoon characters and pastel landscapes.  After taking a hiatus for a few years, I really engulfed myself in creating artwork when I was about 19.

Q.Which artists do you feel you take the most inspiration from or admire?
A.I’d have to say Max Ernst, Jeff Soto, Hans Bellmer, Sandow Birk, Alex Pardee, Michaelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, Banksy.  Also, having and conversing with my artist friends creates communal inspiration, which I truly appreciate.

Q.What do you feel gravitated you towards the arts?
A.I grew up appreciating cartoon and fantasy imagery and was turned on to Surrealist artists, such as Max Ernst and Rene Magritte.  I also had a perverse imagination that was dotted with humor, which was sometimes dry and contradictory.  The best way to release the energy that had accumulated inside me was through creating artwork that was fueled by my interests.

Q. Where was your work first exposed to the public?
A.When I was in elementary? At the Jones Creek Library in Baton Rouge.  When I was in college?  Chelsea’s Cafe in Baton Rouge.

Q. What feeling do you think your work gives to the audience?
A.I feel my work gives the audience a sense of exploration and discovery.

Q.Your style of work looks like it is currently taking a new direction. The
lure series you submitted to us, while still very surreal, also has taken on the unmistakable emptiness of a     minimalist piece. Is this change a conscious decision by you or a natural evolution?
A.I’ve created minimalist paintings a few years back and felt compelled to revisit the idea.  The experimentation of this new media married with biologically altered elements of unknown origin and size in an unknown environment was logically the next step in the progression of my work.

Living in an area of Southeastern Louisiana with major refineries and sprawling new construction causing disruption of our land has made a large impact on my work.  I use surreal imagery spotted with the marriage of “man made” and biological entities to create subtle interestingly humoristic objects in my work.  My work, for me, is a focus on the balance of creation and the environment in which these objects reside – which are intended to relate to how our own human creations work within our environment.

Jonathan is currently showing in  Art Chaud at the Du Mois Gallery in New Orleans, LA.

A few of his past showings include, 2010 Space 2010, Alfred C. Glassell Jr. Gallery, Baton Rouge LA, Invitational – 2009  Notes From the Artistic Underground, LSU Foster Gallery, Baton Rouge LA – Defend New Orleans Art Party!, Style Lab, New Orleans LA.

If you would like to get into contact with Jonathan try his site www.jonathanmayers.com or add him as a friend on Facebook.

Born in San Francisco, California, in 1973, and raised in Texas. Art has always been an essential element in my life. My passion began as a child and grew in High School, where my art was exhibited in two student shows and published in the art and literary magazine. I went on to study fashion design at the University of North Texas, where I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts, in 1999. At UNT, I was awarded the Faculty Award for most improved student and the Stanley Heller NAMSB Award for excellence in men’s wear design. After completing my degree at UNT, I attended the Paris Fashion Institute, in France, and received a certificate of completion. When I returned from Paris, I showed small collections in two local Dallas designer shows. For the past 2 years I have been working in film. I received commissions to do three murals, several paintings and illustrations over the past fifteen years. I am currently residing in New Orleans.

Infused with references to fashion, music, nature, religion, death, and travels; my work fragments these elements into collaged images. Consequently, I create art that floats between fantasy and reality. A key element in my work is the aspect of people. With the use of bold brush strokes and color, my pieces showcase a figurative, expressionistic style. I incorporate anime, textiles and graffiti as well. Using acrylic paint, prisma color pencils, markers and relevant objects, my work can range from small illustrations to large collages.

My intention is to make a statement. Art that continues to combine my life experiences through collage, illustration and painting. Currently, I am focusing on the idea of recycling: bringing an objective status to something that was once discarded and elevating it to a position of artistic value. This work has a conceptual bias in waste, mass production and consumerism, therefore raising the issue concerning recycling items rather than discarding and abandoning them. This idea has evolved into updating older works and giving them new life. My goal is to continue exploring these elements by fusing art and fashion together with recycled objects.

Current work includes, May 2010 Blood Out, Feature Film. Set Costumer – Re-Kill & Seconds Apart Reshoots, Feature Film. Costume Supervisor/Key Set Costumer – April 2010 Scratching the Surface, Feature Film. Costume Designer – March 2010 Where Strippers Go To Die, Short Film. Wardrobe Designer

A few past showings include, 2009 “Untitled Show” 700 Club, New Orleans, Louisiana – 2007 “Soul Funktion” Artist, Zubar, Dallas, Texas -  “Trunk Show” F6 Gallery, Arlington, Texas – “Girls Rock” F6 Gallery, Arlington, Texas

The full scope of Dore’s work can be seen at  http://doreveronique.deviantart.com. Email Dore’ here.