April 2013 Cover
Cover Arist: Joseph McSween (2H) 

Joseph McSween (2H) is a Seattle based Fine artist/Illustrator/Graphic Designer. His fine art falls under a mixture of contemporary genres including lowbrow, street art, graffiti , surrealism , and impressionism. His work explores a love for the female figure juxtaposed with rich textured layers seeking to reflect the emotion and inspiration found in the urban environment of modern society.

His current work is rapidly evolving with new realistic dimension and an expanding use of bright colors and oils. Being a color blind artist might be considered a disadvantage by many, but he chooses to see this as an important advantage to his developmental process. “Most of my earlier works were primarily in black and white focusing on the form in beautiful compositions between positive and negative space. Now that I have a greater knowledge over the years it has helped me gain a higher understanding of using color in conjunction with my balanced compositions to accentuate my painting process as a whole.”

His work has been exhibited extensively throughout the U.S. with 50+ exhibitions including L.A. Hawaii and NYC and also abroad in Australia, Belgium, Philipinnes and the U.K.

He was a founding member of Pocket Full of Monsters international artist collective. A member of Artsprojekt founded by Andy Howell and has been featured by such publications as Black Book, WILD Magazine NYC, Juxtapoz, Honolulu Advertiser, Arkitip, NotCot, I.S.M., Arrested Motion, Vinyl Pulse, Slam Hype, Daily DuJour, Fecal Face, Design you Trust, and on the Wurth Global Style Network. His work is held in private collections and by corporations such as Amazon.

thalo: Tell us a little about this month’s featured artwork, Vanity.

Joseph McSween (2H): Vanity was a step forward since I'm always trying to constantly push myself in new directions to stay motivated and keep from going stale using one style. I wanted to incorporate the female figure which I use throughout most of my works to try and translate the essence of beauty upon the canvas. Recently I was interested in collage so I created a collage and then I thought it would be interesting to paint the collage, kind of like my great grandmother would use different pieces to create a quilt. I really like to try and paint things I haven't ever seen done before. I've really strived to maintain my originality of style throughout my time painting. The painting with its red white and blue color scheme and the woman putting on lipstick also for me is a subtle reminder of the vanity of the society we live in. Sometimes I use subtle symbolism most people won't even notice but I leave it up to the viewer to choose which way there feeling goes. Most people look at art in a fleeting moment but if you take the time to appreciate it longer you might learn something from your acute observation.

th: In addition to traditional painting, you create murals, illustration and work as a graphic designer. Do you prefer one medium over another?

JM: I prefer being in the studio painting. This is what the majority of my time the past few years has been spent on. If an opportunity presents itself I try not to pass them up. So sometimes I do design work for clients, it's refreshing and also a challange to take direction from someone else after working on your own ideas for so long and sometimes trying new things spawns a wave of ideas within my own personal work. I'm addicted to painting, if I don't paint for a few days I'll notice I start getting a feeling of unsatisfaction with what I'm doing with my time. Then I'll paint something new and it's like ahhhhh all better I'm on top of the world. I'm always open for commissions so if anyone would like one they can always contact me. I've done work for people just starting to collect art and then when there a more advanced collector they usually return for another piece for there collection. Then then there are companies like Amazon that hold me in art collection at their headquarters. So it's a broad spectrum I work with.

th: When creating, how do you stay inspired?

JM: I stay inspired by being alive. What's not to be inspired about really. I can wake up, drink a f@ck!ng beautiful cup of coffee, go outside look and hear a beautiful bird, have a conversation with a beautiful girl and then paint her, stay up late and create something beautiful while listening to any kind of music I want. Maybe it's just for myself or maybe I can inspire other people. The Universe inspires me, we came from the stars and I appreciate everything about the little time we have here. Keep it simple.

th: What does the (2H) after your name stand for or represent?

JM:It came from my brother using it as a graffiti crew back when I was in highschool and I just kind of adopted it as my own street name after most of the affiliated graffiti artists faded away from the crew. I've probably been using that as a "street artist" "tag" name for around 15 years. I don't even really use it that often anymore because I sign my real name on my pieces but it's nice to have that link to my brother and the past and remember where I came from. I learned so much from painting by being into graffiti, it will always be apart of who I am.

th: What advice do you have for others who are hoping to pursue careers in the arts?

JM:That's interesting, I think it's really just who I am, I'm an artist. So for example, I once worked at a hotel in downtown Seattle. Of course I didn't like it, so during my breaks I'd be in the kitchen trying to paint with wine and coffee on their white linen napkins. It's not really a choice for me, the choice's I have are whether or not I want to be an artist or strive to be a really great artist. So I guess I would have to say follow your heart and go with what you love no matter what anyone else thinks. Be able to use positive and negative opinions as motivation to get better not for anyone else but for yourself

To learn more about Joseph Mcsween (2H), please visit his website. To watch Joseph painting Balance click here.