Today we’d like to introduce you to John Coulter.
Hi John, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’m John Aaron Coulter, and I’ve been a multidisciplinary artist for over 20 years. I’m currently the owner and curator of “SharksEatMeat,” a digital space and artist collective that shares art and art news daily. “SharksEatMeat” is a free international hub for contemporary culture that includes art, music, articles and videos.
We’ve featured hundreds of artists from Los Angeles and beyond such as Andrés Gamiochipi, Rithika Merchant, Kevin Bongang, Motohiro Hayakawa, Vikki Chu, Kristen Liu-Wong as well as musicians such as Spaghetti Cumbia, La Mera Candelaria, El Santo Golpe, and Leo Mintek.
Recently, “SharksEatMeat” has expanded into providing video game content. Several games that I’ve created, “Chupacabra,” a retro rhythm game with music from some of Los Angeles’s hottest bands, and “Birdie at the Museum,” an art-education game, are available for free. “SharksEatMeat” also has upcoming videos and articles on art and culture in video games.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
An artist’s journey could easily be likened to Odysseus’s derailed trek. Not every project finds a home quickly. Many paths on the labyrinthine creative road can lead to dead ends. You learn from each project and carry on; however, the destination is often just beyond the horizon.
The ability to adapt or pivot, while standing firm and staying true to your own artistic vision, is crucial. An artist must observe and evolve, but not bow to trends in the marketplace. Shifts in my own personal career between painting, to animation and game development, reflect changing times.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have an established and decorated career in several art fields, and am sought out for painting, music production, and animation. Recently I’ve been publishing video games and apps under the moniker “Aibioweapon” in conjunction with “SharksEatMeat’s” upcoming “Art and Games University” program.
The indie gaming scene is an incredibly important art space.
As a young artform (in contrast to painting,) digital media is a new frontier with the most room to grow. With shifts in the art industry and economy, commodities such as paintings are a luxury few afford, and avenues for live music, film, and animation are sporadic. The gaming industry has fared better, with record sales in recent years.
However, major studios and AAA developers have lost ground with controversial practices, such as; pay to win, scammy loot boxes, massive file sizes, patches, not actually owning purchased media, shovelware, high costs and complex subscription tiers – behaviors which have alienated casual consumers. Once trusted titles have suffered because of stressful crunch-time and layoffs. Where Hollywood and major gaming developers have misstepped and misgauged their audience, indies such as “Shovel Knight,” “Stardew Valley,” “Shinobeetle,” or “Cuphead” offer a more personal, thoughtful, and artistic experience at a fraction of the cost and none of the aforementioned hassles associated with larger studios.
Accessibility and earnestness make the independent gaming scene distinctly avant-garde.
My unique multidisciplinary history with music and animation affords me the opportunity of a fluid workflow that streamlines production as a solo developer. Single-mindedly controlling the art, music, and code, grants me the freedom to present a cohesive interactive program. Placing extra artistic details in environments, ensuring code is smooth and efficient, and creating soundtracks that are both fun and align with the action on screen is an enjoyable and rewarding process. However, games need not only look and sound exceptional, the gameplay must be engaging and interactive in fresh and novel ways. As with painting or music, artistic expression is a window to include an important story or message that educates audiences on something you are passionate about.
I’ve built art and music-themed games, as well as skating games and sci-fi shooters, that showcase my past experience and allow those talents to shine in a new territory. I look forward to developing and sharing larger games and apps.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My brother, Mark Coulter, has always been a talented collaborator I can lean on. He has been the drummer for our band, Los Coulters, for 14 years, and worked as an editor, videographer, miniaturist, and beta-tester for various projects.
Angela McCormick, hair stylist and photographer at AKM Studio in Hermosa Beach, is also someone I can rely on for artistic support. Their creative insight, vision, and feedback on many projects has been invaluable.
Ivan Flores of Discos Resaca Collective has been an excellent client, patron, and collaborator.
Pricing:
- Price upon consultation.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sharkseatmeat.blogspot.com/
- Instagram: @sharks_eat_meat
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0rwwnIWAQk&t=11s
- Other: https://aibioweapon.itch.io/
Image Credits
Portrait of John Aaron Coulter by Angela K. McCormick. 4 art images are copyright of John Aaron Coulter.
