Jim Huckabay talks about his piece After Covid, and how the pandemic influenced not only artists, but art itself.
I’m thrilled to be sitting here with you today, Jim! I was enamored by your piece, After Covid. Before we delve into the details of the piece, tell me a little bit about yourself and how you got started with the Mississippi Art Colony.
I’m thrilled to be chatting with you as well. I’m Jim Huckabay and reside in Shreveport, Louisiana. I grew up in an Air Force family, so we moved frequently as I was growing up. After pursuing a solid fine art curriculum at Louisiana Tech, I graduated with a BA in Advertising Design. Entering the profession as a junior designer in ad agencies, I became an art director, creative director and eventually began my own design firm. Business was good and eventually; my little firm grew into a full-service advertising/marketing agency.
Upon my exit from the world of business, I began working with watercolor (a medium I had become familiar with in commercial assignments), then transitioned to acrylics and oils. Currently, I work in both oils and watercolor.
What has your experience being a part of The Art Colony been like?
My experience has been delightful. Being part of Mississippi Art Colony, I’ve been given the opportunity to go shoulder-to-shoulder with accomplished artists. It’s inspiring to observe their individual/unique approaches to their creative processes. In turn, hopefully they enjoy
observing mine. I have been in the art field for several decades. At Colony, it’s a give and take – we share, we receive, and we will reap the benefits of our collective energy.
Your piece is titled After Covid. How did the pandemic affect, or even inspire you as an artist?
Well, many of us continued painting during the pandemic. The Art Colony sessions ended for two years, but I was painting at home using watercolors and oils a lot. One day, I was out at a local restaurant. In a way, it was one of the first times people were getting out and about and dropping down their masks since the start of the pandemic. I captured images around the restaurant that inspired me to paint them. In one of the photos, everybody had just finished breakfast, and there was a man seated alone finishing up his meal. He really captured the look of the whole scene. That man is the principal character in the foreground of the painting, and you can see that there’s a mask hanging from around his neck. Most of my pieces are nature-oriented, so figures like the one displayed in my image are kind of an exception for me.
What advice would you give to a young artist when it comes to advancing themselves artistically and learning about this field?
I would say that these days, there’s so much inspiration and instruction that can be found online. The internet and YouTube are tremendous educational resources that offer great materials to accelerate growth for individuals and their unique creative paths. In my opinion, it does help to attend specific workshops when you feel drawn to specific work that’s aligned with what you’re doing.
Richard Stephens was extremely helpful and inspiring to me during my initiation into the world of watercolor. I have other artists whom I admire, and I do indeed draw enthusiasm and momentum from them, but the end of the day, I am my own person and follow my path (and brush strokes) in my evolving style and approach to painting.
Find Jim:
Jimhuckart.com