Young Lion
To persevere and adapt as an artist is one of a creative’s most important skills. Broadening one’s scope of purpose, maintaining a level of self-awareness, and applying lessons learned in failure is paramount to consistency and meaningful production. As I found myself soaking in that vein recently, looking for a tangible standard to reflect on, I kept coming back to one example. I kept coming back to someone I met almost ten years ago now, that over the course of our friendship has proven themselves to be, if anything, dedicated. Dedicated to not only art, but this very theme of self-improvement. Not only to improve for one’s own self- worth as an artist, but to be worthy of being a part of the very cause they are championing. And that brings us to Black Rectangle Digest’s first entry and artist profile, on BRC’s founder and my friend: Joshua Blue.
Born from the collegiate art school scene, Joshua has been honing his craft since an early love for giants such as Warhol and Pollack inspired him to pursue life as an artist. The standard was set, and the standard was high, and the guy has had no plans of backing down since. When I first met “Blue”, as he was affectionately known around campus, his personality was larger than life and rivaled only by his apparent fearlessness to speak his mind. In his bombastic youth, Joshua planned to follow in the footsteps of his heroes, creating work that openly challenged and questioned the rigor of art academia. At his heart the guy was and is a punk rock kid. The young man I met on a college campus in Charlotte, North Carolina wasn’t taking shit from anyone and he was going to tell you just that with a finger in your face if you tried to. He was going to do things his way, it was going to be bigger and better than your idea, and he didn’t give a fuck if it didn’t follow your rules. He was writing “I Will Not Make A Difference” hundreds of times in a row by hand on the back of discarded advertising banner, exploring the existential crisis that is our early twenties. He was hosting art shows out of the garage of the house we rented together. Inviting every interesting soul he could connect with to take the discussion about art to the next level and emulate the communities of his heroes: The Factory of Warhol and Black Mountain Community College of Rauschenburg and Kooning. He was up at all hours of the night at Kinkos printing fliers for my bands shows and throwing the best damn parties you’d ever danced at. He was fighting. He was seeking. He was preaching art and truth.
That was the unbridled forest fire of a singular ambition that I met ten years ago. But now his flame looks more like a glowing and well managed campfire. His light is still burning as hot as ever, but his conviction has been tended to and sculpted. How’d we get here?
In an attempt to find the next challenge for himself, Joshua moved himself to the West coast with plans of art world domination. What happened instead was a re definition of success and a chance to test his mettle as he faced real artistic adversity for the first time. A slow crawl through the completion of his first short film. Honest attempts to build relationships in the art scene of Portland, Oregon. These amongst other trials and tribulations culminated in a self-examination, an ego check, and a professional and personal move to the more modest Oregon town of Salem, where we can find him now. He calls success “the single most evolved concept” in his life over the past ten years. Before, recognition and ultimate fame were the driving forces behind the work. Now, through answering the call of his own will and pushing himself to participate in a scene with strangers his purpose has been molded into a clearer and more sincere vision: Build a brand from the ground up. Create work. Plan an event to share the work. Repeat. But this brings us to the most useful and endearing facet of Joshua Blue’s vision as an artist. It’s not just about showing his own work, it’s about creating a space to promote that of others. And it always has been. Joshua has always been about the bigger picture. The greater and larger cause that is promoting and breathing life into communities at the ground level. He is an independent art movement’s fiercest champion and defender. He will stop at no lengths to ensure the authenticity of a product with his name on it. The entire reason you’re reading this piece is his creation of the Black Rectangle Collective. A space to share, promote and discuss art and creativity.
In his sincere bravado and willingness to take a step back, look at himself and say: “How can I be better?”, my friend has gone from brash and ambitious art student to mature and focused maker. An unflinching will hasn’t hurt him either. He’s taken the time to find his voice and adapt it to not only work for him, but for others as well. That kind of broader vision is the kind of dirty work that makes the wheel turn, and I thank him for doing it.
Well, I couldn’t think of a better place to start. A better first story to share with all of you. At the heartbeat of everything here at Black Rectangle is the will of Joshua Blue. And frankly to witness it the past decade has been an honor. So, I’m looking forward to introducing the stories of all the artists that are a part of the Collective here, and maybe even some unsolicited opinions here and there (you’re welcome).
Talk to you next month,
Chase Ricker
