C. spoke wth Stephanie Swilley of Creative Nexus Community about Art and of course community via Zoom. 

There’s no such thing as coincidence. It also happens to be the week of Halloween and we were granted the opportunity to have a quick chat with John Rogers the prolific artist behind Ghoulorama (cue The Munsters theme music.) Below is a brief pick of John’s beautiful brain about art life, process and inspiration for creating pieces which elicit a visceral response until thoughts invade the feeling party and the mind attempts to wrap its tentacles around them.

How’d you arrive in your current place of creativity? What have been some remarkable moments for you thus far regarding art as a father, husband and purveyor of Ghoulorama.

When I was younger I really wanted to be a writer. All the time I spent at bookstores, libraries, and poetry readings exposed me to art. I played with collage for a few years, and when I was 20 I decided to try painting. There was an immediacy I enjoyed about it and I was hooked. Almost overnight I was painting and drawing on a daily basis. I started buying and stealing art supplies and my mom gave me a ton of arts and craft stuff she had since the 90s when she was a Girl Scout troop leader. My skills have improved over the years and I'm even more prolific. I'm much more focused than I was when I was younger and much more confident in my abilities. (I turn 40 next month.)

I've had too many amazing moments as a husband and a father to count. As the purveyor of the entity "Ghoulorama"... (I really just prefer "John" but friends have been calling me "ghoul" for 20 years now), I think the most remarkable thing is that other artists buy my work. Many artists I respect and admire, who's work I love, have bought work from me and it's hanging in their home or studio.

Incorporating text in art pieces hasn’t always been accepted and or recognized as ‘legitimate’ in Art. Why’d you choose this means of expression? What comes first, the text or the image when you’re conjuring up new pieces?

I never really thought about the "legitimacy" of using text in a painting that much. When I started making art, I dedicated myself to studying it as well. No one was around to say "do this, don't do that". I saw text in cubism, pop art, conceptual art, and all over the art of the 80s and onward so I just figured it was fine. The text was very natural to me because I started as a writer. Some people think of my paintings as memes, and some are literally just memes I painted, but much of the time it's like a footnote. The text that accompanies a plate in a book, or handwriting at the bottom of a Polaroid. Sometimes it's my own words, sometimes they're from a song or a book. Sometimes the text comes first, sometimes the image.

Why do you create multiple iterations of the same painting? Has this action much affected your creative process outside of these works?

It started out as an exercise, just to see if I could do it. I always liked the idea of replication and repetition. My dad was a copier repair technician for a long time. Some of my favorite artists also have painted multiples of their work and have a strong work ethic, and I'm inspired by that. Andy Warhol and Steve Keene both come to mind. Different methods, different price scale, but hard working and no qualms about painting multiples.

To be honest, I also like selling ten paintings instead of one. I know I could make prints, but I would much rather sell you a painting. I can stand behind the quality of it and I think it's much more special. There's too much mass produced stuff, I'd rather sell you something handmade.

Is there something you’re interested in doing or plan to do you’ve not done artistically yet?

I physically can't think that far ahead. I take care of my kids during the day and paint at night. I'm kind of fried when it comes to long-term plans for art.

Is Halloween everyday for you Ghoulorama? 

No. I'm pretty normal looking. If I had to describe my clothes, I'd say it probably looks like I'm about to go hiking most of the time. I don't have any tattoos. Except for our two menacing black cats (and my studio in the basement), our house is fairly normal. My wife and I watch a lot of scary movies,  and I have since I was a little kid, but that's about as Halloweeny as we get.

Do you have one piece which was difficult to part with? What is your relationship with your work post creation?

Honestly, no. I can't think of one. I'm glad they live somewhere else where someone can enjoy them. My relationship with the work? I paint it. I let it dry. Touch it up if necessary. Take a picture of it. Varnish it. Let that dry. Bag it up and put it on a shelf. I need the room on my drying rack (i.e radiator pipes) for the next wet paintings. 

What knowledge from your experience would you share with any artist reading this text?

Don't quit your day job. I didn't come from money and I had to have a decent full-time job that I didn't particularly enjoy until my art could even come close to supporting me. And even when I quit my job, it was a gamble. It still is. 

Will you continue to paint till you cannot paint any longer?

That's the plan.

Add a original piece of John Rogers to your collection today.

You're welcome. 

My favorite moments painting outside involve engagement with children. Giving them permission to pick up art and ask questions is such a beautiful experience. Encouraging their creativity and indulging their wide array of inquiries is a delight. I’ve come to hold the belief that everyone is my sensei. No matter the age of the person I benefit immensely with each connection. There’s no such thing as small talk. It’s a matter of how you choose to appreciate or not, communication with others; especially with regards to Art.

A special bonus with youth is inviting them to paint too. It takes a village to raise a child they say and I fully support that notion. Through this action and giving children your undivided attention while chatting are invaluable assets when performing the role of an elder effectively.  Parents for the most part are tremendously appreciative of the time and care I take. I’m sure they even glean useful methods of communication with their children based on the examples I give.

On those days I’m out where the interactions with people passing by are sparse, it only takes one enthusiastic small human’s affirmation to motivate C. whilst reminding me of the value I bring to the world with this practice of simply being available.

C.

C.ommunity (for me at least) involves showing up and participating in any form of action which assists and or brings value to a situation. Being willing to step in when extra hands are needed. Eagerly a participant sans the motive of some sort of reward in return. 

Popped out to a pop-up in Crown Heights to experience an exhibit of art and music co-curated by Okai (@okaimusik), a member of my community in Brooklyn. I brought my camera because it would be a good opportunity to capture candids and I love being able to pass anyone photos documenting an event even if there are people there to document it. My friend Rich (@haitianrich) who’d normally be taking stills was filming. There was no dedicated photographer. 

Sometimes people have a difficult time knowing how to fit in various community situations. This for me always involves at minimum two things: 1. My awareness of what I definitely have to offer. 2. An awareness of what assistance is needed and whether or not I can wholly accept the responsibility of whatever work that needs to be done.

I'm a natural team player who by default arrives ready to get hands dirty. A success for the community is a success for C. 

I was able to contribute more than being a body in a space at the event which alone is valuable when we speak of community support, but I also have material to contribute in the form of documentation of this experience that for the most part will only be a memory for those who attended. The moment can live on through the videos recorded by Rich and the stills I captured. Also benefiting continued promotion of the album that was released which was part of this as well as the art on exhibit and it’s creators.

Think about how you can bring value to your own community especially through the things you enjoy doing the most and do well while also being open to assist in things which may not be in your purview, within reason. Engage in this exercise mindfully thinking on how you can show up in the healthiest way which suits the occasion and is comfortable for you. 

Sometimes just stick around to fold up chairs after the function or help tidy up to get the venue back in the order it was in before the engagment began. Simple.

C.