The NOT REAL ART podcast celebrates creative culture and the artists who make it. NOT REAL ART is fresh, fun and inspiring. It contains material not suitable for pretentious art snobs. Guests include the world-class artists, designers and creatives who drive the $2T creative economy. NOT REAL ART is hosted by L.A. based art world insiders Man One and Sourdough who bring their devil-may-care attitude to discussing their mutual love — and hate — for the contemporary art world, creative culture, and everything in between. If you're an an arts professional or creative culture enthusiast, NOT REAL ART is for you!
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episode 54: The Fourth Dimension with Artist Cleophus
Our guest today is Albert Cleophus Willis, artist, designer, music producer and resident of the fourth dimension! Working as a multidisciplinary artist over the last four decades has provided Cleophus with an obvious wealth of experiences and lessons, way too much to fit into one podcast. His continuing journey through new ideas, traversing inspiring and unchartered territories and a commitment to practicality and making ends meet are just some of the ways in which our guest has kept himself busy over his life time. We chat about his three dimensional work, daily routines, art school and portraiture. We also ruminate on the digital age and the computer as a creative tool, its pros and cons. Cleophus opens up about the artist as a rebel and someone who breaks the status quo while the world around them is trying to categorize everything and he shares openly about the wealth of creativity that is present in his family and amongst his siblings. There is also a surprising moment in the conversation where Cleophus admits to working under an alias that we all might know! For all this great stuff and a whole lot more, tune in with us today, on the Not Real Art Podcast! For more information about artists, links and resources from this episode, please visit https://notrealart.com/cleophus/.
Key Points From This Episode:
- The array of work Cleophus has done over four decades.
- Creation of three dimensional artworks and legacy portraits.
- Influences, early years and finding a path to a career in art
- How he became an award winning producer at Motown Records!
- The digital age, undoing mistakes and using digital tools
- Artists as rebels and non-conformists; going against the grain and breaking the rules.
- A creative family, his upbringing and growing up with dyslexia.
- Parenting and allowing space and structure for kids to grow into their passion.
- How Cleophus came to design the cover for a Ray Charles album.
- Art by design and why Cleophus primarily considers himself a designer.
- Working under an alias; selling art online that did not interfere with his career.
- The Art Master company and how Cleophus ended up parting ways with them.
- Print on demand, Instagram filters and the rise of amateur art.
- Cleophus' hopes for the future, keeping on with the artist mentality he believes in.
- And much more!