Jay Greig, an American Artist with a Graphite Pencil

Jay Greig is a visual artist with academic and contemporary influences, who has been in the market for more than a decade. He creates works on different platforms and techniques. Since he was little, Jay always had an attraction for graphite pencils and for that reason, he brought this characteristic to his work. The renowned Carson City hyper-realistic artist specializes in reproducing photographs with the help of a graphite pencil. Each portrait has a reason, a story, there is someone who laughs, dreams, cries, suffers and is happy like any human being, but manages to unfold and capture the best of himself on a sheet with graphite pencil.

He has been drawing since he was 15 years old, and since 1999, he makes a living from the payment he receives for his works. His style is one of the most recognized for its abundance in details and great realism. Jay Greig is recognized as one of the best artist of his genre.

We went to his studio to learn more about his trajectory, market vision, how he managed to turn his passion into a profession, and get some tips for the up and coming artists who are looking to make an impact on the art scene.

Check out the full interview below:

Q: Talk a little about when you decided to do art professionally. What were the challenges you faced in that period and what is your view on the market considering the current contemporary art scene?

Jay Greig: Look, the decision to make a living as an artist really came when my profits from art became relevant, that is, when they were able to pay the bills. However, since I was little, I have always been involved with art, first musically, then doing art for communication, which evolved into illustration, and visual arts, which resulted in today, where I’m happy to say I make my living 100% of art.

I believe that we live in the best time for art, for the expansion of culture and for artists to be able to thrive. There is a lot of talk about the democratization of art, which is an art thing permeating more social layers, that is, it is people having more contact with the artistic world through a brand, a packaging, through more exhibitions, cultural activities, so I believe it is the best time because of this and because of the speed of information. With the internet, the whole world can get to know your work, and if you know how to communicate, see yourself as an entrepreneur, do the right marketing and work hard, the world will be available to you. So, I believe it is the best time.

Q: What were the main challenges that you experienced throughout your career? How have you overcome this to get here?

Jay Greig: The biggest challenges were the financial ones. Of course, there is a challenge for you to take a course to learn how to draw, to make a network, however, these things happen and end in the sale, which is the most complicated. We invert the process, the artist is "a little high". The entrepreneur perceives a demand and creates a product or service to satisfy that demand. We first create this product / service and then work on demand. Therefore, it takes a long time before you can monetize your art. For some it never happens. So for me, that was the biggest difficulty and that is why I think it is the best moment, because the moment allows the destruction of this obstacle. If you know, if you dedicate yourself, see yourself as an enterprising artist, the moment makes success possible.

Q: What are the fundamental skills for an artist in the current scene?

Jay Greig: The fundamental thing for art and for everyone is to be relevant. If you are relevant you will be noticed, there will be demand for your work and your dialogue will be celebrated, praised in the scene. Therefore, it is important to always seek relevance in your speech and your technique.

In my case, I know that the important thing is not my job, but how my work speaks of those who are seeing it. Therefore, this is one of the techniques I use to be relevant and do a job that matters to society. This is one of the skills you have to have for your job, for you to be good. This is necessary, it is default and it is not negotiable, your work has to be good.

On the other hand, you have to see yourself a little more as an entrepreneur in the field of art and work on this part of sales, communication, marketing, networking and relationships. It is to understand that you will not ruin your work because of this, you do not need to have a commercial job to sell, you need to be commercially strong, and for this there are several techniques.

Along with all that I mentioned, your work has to be evolved, with an evolved technique and a relevant dialogue for society. With these two things, and a third, which is a lot of work, no one can hold you back!