Today we’d like to introduce you to Damarco Randle.
Hi Damarco, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Born in the swamplands of Brinkley, Arkansas, my interest in art began at a very young age. I used to draw on the walls, copy anime I watched, and slowly got interested in painting. My parents didn’t detour me from creating, they gave me so much moral support. My art really peaked as I began watching a TV show called “Pappyland”. It was a program that taught young ones how to draw using basic shapes and having fun while doing it.
This allowed me to practice and try to perfect the craft. I then discovered Bob Ross’s program, which helped him develop techniques in painting. The years have gone by, and my high school art instructor recommended that I attend Memphis College of Art. Having learned so much to perfect my craft from the school, I am now a Memphis College of Art graduate with a major in painting and a sculpting minor. I earned a bachelor’s degree in Fine Art and it all started from a Tv show.
Since then, I have won numerous awards, assisting one of Memphis’s gifted artists Alivepaint who also goes by Jamond Bullock with murals at Bruce Elementary School, Richmond Elementary School, Gooch Park, Coca-Cola, Memphis International Airport, and so much more. I have now learned to absorb the art that I was taught, breaking boundaries within my mind to expand my knowledge in the field.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being a person of color, there were boundaries I had growing up, either trying to fit in, getting a job or just to exist in a life that did not want me as a person. Life was never meant to be easy or served on a silver platter. I had purpose and ambitions. Even though life wasn’t always an easy task, having to escape social battles through art meant to create no matter how hard life got. In other words, being an artist has really saved my life.
We all learn from our battles and use that to inspire ourselves and others. In doing so, I began to create attractive characters from my life to translate into a children’s book series. When will this book be finished? It all depends on how much time this life will give me. This will be one of my true accomplishments, to create and tell my story for the world to experience through my eyes as a creator.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
A few of my friends call me the Jack of all trades. I’m a quick study, once I learn how to do something, it gets added to my repertoire. Whether it be in painting, sculpting, fabrics, cake decorating, or cooking. My true specialty is painting animal portraits. I love to capture their personalities just by looking at a photo, but that’s just the beginning. The reason is, that before I wanted to become an artist, I wanted to be a veterinarian.
They need our help and sometimes are very appreciative/scared of that help due to them sometimes being mistreated. Animals have that instinct and can tell that you are a good person by the energy that you put out into the world. If there were a way for me to communicate with them, I’m all in. Being an artist, I must be open to different forms of creating. We live in a society where we don’t know what jobs will be available to sustain our lives, so it’s best to use that time wisely to learn and improve oneself. I try to live my life with an open mind. Creativity has a boundary once you put it there.
Since I love to learn different forms of art and creation, there shouldn’t be anything in life to stop me from being the best that I can be and not giving it my all. This in a way sets me apart from others because some like to live in doubt. Our lives are controlled by the fear of disappointing everyone around us to the point of it destroying our mentality. I do work best under pressure, because there is no time to think, just do.
Being under pressure motivates me because almost everything I work to accomplish; I go into competitive mode. When there is a chance to show what I can do, I want to be a part of it process.
What makes you happy?
One of the main things that make me the happiest is having a sincere support system. Since I am an introvert and do like to spend most of my time recharging from society and living in my bubble to create. With being alone, I do think a lot about how I would like to accomplish multiple ideas that may bloom into a giant project. What brings me the most pleasure is accomplishing ideas on my own without help.
Sometimes when you express your idea to someone, they kind of want to take all the credit once that idea becomes reality. The world is a big place and sometimes that does intimidate me. All I can be is myself, I’m not as outgoing as most, but my creativity speaks for itself. There are only a few people I love being around. These are my family and best friends Kevin Williams, Martheus, and Janet Wade.
Our personality complements each other to the point where it is like we are one person. In a way, I feel as if I am where I’m supposed to be in life without it being forced. Everything just happened naturally.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.DamarcoArts.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/damarcorandle
- TikTok: DaMarcoArts
Image Credits
DaMarco Randle
