Meet Chris Justice

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Justice.

Chris, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Originally I started out as a singer/songwriter and touring guitarist in the mid to late 2000’s. I always had an interest in making art and did so as a small hobby since my high school years. In late 2010 something clicked inside me and I no longer wanted to make music professionally, instead I wanted to pursue art full time. Which I’ve been told is/was a crazy idea. I remember a very important moment in time when I walked to into Swenson Fine Art in Laguna Beach with my mother and discovered the art of Harry Gruenert, a German painter working out the Bay Area. He’s known for doing these beautiful color blocks on wood panels, similar to say a Mark Rothko painting just with more detail. I remember walking into this gallery thinking “this is what I want to do!” So first, I learned how to build wood panel’s from scratch. Then I learned how to paint and let me tell you it was not pretty at first….. In early 2011 I came across a color theorist and bronze sculpture out of Laguna Beach named Elaine Cohen and sought her out to teach me color theory and technique and ended up working under her for a little over a year.

My first 2-3 years, there was little to no money in sales, however I continued to put in my work daily in my studio at the time in a warehouse in San Clemente, CA. In late 2014, I met Real Estate Entrepreneur Howard Spunt who was opening a gallery in Santa Monica called P32 Gallery who took a liking to my work. In January 2015 we opened my first Two-Man exhibition with abstract artist Kimball Hall and a solo exhibition followed later that year. Since then, Howie has been a mentor to me. It was under his teachings where I learned how to properly conduct business and that was where I really learned how to make a living with my art. Fast forward to current day 2019, I have over a dozen solo exhibitions nationwide on my resume as well as being included in several critically acclaimed group exhibitions to date. Been featured in numerous publications and my work is celebrated in 100’s of private collections around the world. I currently live and work in Laguna Beach, and I have studios in Costa Mesa and Austin, TX.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Like any great journey, the road has definitely not been smooth. However, I have taken quite the scenic route (laughs). I knew that I wanted to make art for a living and I was aware that that probably wouldn’t happen overnight, but I was willing to go to any length to achieve my goal. As a matter of fact, I think it took me two years to sell a painting in the beginning. The big struggle for many artists is not only the constant push to make great art but finding the right buyers/collectors that appreciate the work and respect the artist’s story is a whole other animal that many artists I don’t think prepare for. An asset that I’ve always had on my side is 1. I have a sales oriented background, and 2. I was taught how to run a business firsthand by one of my several mentors I still rely on as confidants to this day. Truth be told I almost spend more time maintaining relationships with my collectors as I do actually creating the work. The current challenge for me now is I have not found many galleries that can sell my work as well as I can. That being said I wear three hats; artist, director of marketing, and director of sales (more laughs). The good news is I am in this for the long haul so I take it one day at a time. Just as long as I am making art on a daily basis, everything else falls into place.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am a contemporary artist specializing in Mixed Media paintings on Wood Panels. My work is a marriage of contemporary painting elements and modern graphic design concepts. I photograph a lot of textural ideas such as concrete, neon signs, and decaying architecture. I then build color palettes based around those images. The paintings are then executed in oil, acrylic, spray paint, and ink. The wood panels are all built in house. I like the idea of building something from scratch……

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The art world will always thrive. There is more talent in the world than ever before. I know we are gonna start seeing more independent artists such as myself that can work separately to the gallery system. I also believe that we will see more gallerists specializing in emerging talent.

Pricing:

• Paintings under 24″ from $400-$1,100
• Paintings 24″-48″ from $1,100-$3,500
• Paintings 48″-96″ from $4,000-$19,000
• Limited Edition Prints from $100-$350

Contact Info:

• Website: chrisjusticeart.com
• Phone: 949-632-1191
• Email: info@chrisjusticeart.com

Image Credit:
Photo of loft: Tommy McAdams

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