the street is our gallery

James Cochran, aka Jimmy C, creates murals painted entirely from blobs of spray paint. James unique technique and superb murals can be seen in many places around the world.

ISSA – Hi James, can you introduce yourself?

(James) – Jimmy C, Australian artist based in London.

– where does your tag name come from?

It is an abbreviation of my real name James Cochran

– What do you consider yourself? Artist? Street artist? Anything else?

Artist, painter working in the studio and on the street.

– How did it all start for you, and what it is today?

I was involved in the graffiti scene in Australia when I was a teenager. That is where painting on the street began for me, along the railway lines in the night. I later went to art school and developed my painting from there, but I always kept a relationship with the street.

 

-What Is the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?

Tell myself to behold the new day, and let it be full of love and creativity. Then I go search for coffee.

-Street Art is mostly a form visually stimulating art. To add another meaning to it, what music would you choose to accompany your art work?

Interesting question, and since my Art often gets equated to a form of Impressionism, then it would probably be an impressionist piece of music like Ravel’s Onadine piece for example. But it could be anything, a percussion style of music like jazz or manouche swing kind of suits the act of painting when I am putting down a sequence of dots. For the meaning in my work, then the music would be different again.

-In Any form of art, inspiration is critical. What inspires you?

It has been people for the most part, the individual in the context of the city. More lately I am inspired by nature and our connection to the cosmos.

-Before Going to paint, what is on your checklist to take with you?

Paint, caps, mask, design.

-Do You have an artist that you admire and why?

There are so many out there. Right now I like the work of Faith 47, Evoca1,, Zumi, Swoon, for the social and spiritual element incorporated into their work, then I like artists such as Nove, Alexis Diaz, C215 and Borrondo for their technique in depicting the human subject.

-Which cities do you think are the most inspiring for Street Art?

London and Sao Paulo.

-Do You have other passions besides art?

I am passionate about many things, but even it is reading a book or visiting a gallery, they seem to be related to art in someway. There is always the pleasure of enjoying food in good company, then as a contrast, I like activities where I cease to think, such as doing yoga or being amongst nature.

– Which is your dream project – ignore costs, realistic thinking and all means.

I often wondered if I could increase the scale of the dots that I paint so I could paint a large scale mural. I once considered using fire extinguishers to do this but it is complicated, so one would need large scale spray cans in a variety of colours.
Also to create spray paint that is completely chemical free and non toxic, even beneficial to the environment, a spraycan that emitted clean vapours as well as paint.

– Does your art include symbolisms, messages or repeated patterns?

Most of my work is made up of dots and circles, so in a sense these are repeated patterns. The circle for me symbolises the idea of cycles and the feminine, but also makes references to atoms and planets. The main message in my work is the idea of interconnection.

-What Is your reaction when you realize that someone has vandalized your creation?

When you paint on the street you cant be precious about it. It is a gift of expression that you must part with.

-What Do you believe people first think of, or feel when they see your works?

I think it is the colour that they like, or perhaps a quality of expression in a face.

– If you were a president what would you change in the world?

A better distribution of wealth along with greater opportunities for education, then focusing on the environmental condition of the planet.

-Do you have any Interesting projects for the future?

I head to Lisbon in a couple of weeks, then I have the event in Montpellier where I will hope to be collaborating with my friend L7M from Sao Paulo. Later in the year I have a project in Miami. I have never painted there before so I will look forward to that.

Thank you James 🙂 .

See more of Jimmy C street art on facebook here.

Artist has a website. You can also follow him on Twitter and Instagram

Our JimmyC Gallery here.

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