ArtVigilante Northwest: The Brave Take On Their Own Stories

"Black Portal / Don't Go Don't Go!"

2012

Acrylic and Spray paint / Panel

Artist Jared Tharp paints dynamic abstracts using vibrant color and geometric images mixed with a fusion of imaginative characters that take shape and personality in his own world presented on the canvas. The scenes in his work are both humorous and deeply thought provoking at the same time.

When viewing Jared's paintings I was intrigued by the outer worldly designs presented which begged my curiosity to take a closer look at the artist behind the work. There is an element of unguarded inventiveness that spills out through his work. Evoking my own imagination to create a story behind the scenes that I view, Jared's art does that. It inspires the viewer to ponder in wonderment.

There was really no beginning point of “becoming” an artist for Jared Tharp. He just was and is. As a child he drew constantly, infatuated with creating cartoon characters and whatever it was that developed out of his consciousness onto paper. He was this little machine, a drawing machine. He never questioned his constant need to create, it was just natural for him. His father is an artist and his mother is “nurturing as hell”. So Jared was set up with a dynamic duo of inspiring parents. Jared’s parents would express excitement and positive reinforcement towards his young work. His parents planted seeds of encouragement which probably plays a part in who he is today as an artist.

Jared's painting style has been an ever evolving process. He describes it as a “roundabout journey”. He began with a style similar to the “hot” comic book artists of the 90's. There was a time that Tharp aspired to be a comic book artist himself. After he completed high school he took a painting class at a junior college in Stockton, California. In this course he was introduced to the concept of making art just for the sake of making it. Jared found himself going through a transitional period and was confused with his own sense of expression. He wanted to paint superhero like figures but felt that the professors wouldn't be pleased with that type of expression on canvas. During this time he remembers feeling like he was “pretending” to be a 60's abstract expressionist painter, it was a phase of finding his own feet.

A major turning point was when Jared discovered art by the likes of Jeff Soto and Barry Mcgee. Jared describes their work as “art that has a young nerdy appeal.” This discovery was revolutionizing for Tharp, it opened the door for Jared to feel comfortable expressing himself using his own unique style. These artists he looked up to gave him the confidence to be the artist that he wanted to be. A lot of stereo types exist in the visual art world and many replicas of style based on prominent art history influence and institutionalism of fine arts are presented as acceptable, but it is the brave and adventurous that take on their own story. It is a beautiful thing when an artist, like Jared, is able to step out of that box and truly find freedom of his own voice through his art expression.

It's interesting how artists are attracted to certain styles, we all have a unique sense of what is beautiful or enticing to our own eyes. Jared is definitely inspired by other artist's and has a natural affinity for 1980's aesthetics. Color is very important to Tharp. You can see this in action through his work. Eye catching and color saturated contrasting elements, evoking personality through his choice of shade. Jared often finds himself admiring a color combination from nature, such as a flower or a certain textile might stand out to him and then he uses that color inspiration for his paintings.

Jared mainly works with acrylic as his medium of choice. He is comfortable with it so he uses it. Nevertheless, the more he works and experiments with other mediums the more open he becomes to trying new things and the evolution of his art continues to keep taking shape.

"Art can take any form and it means something different to everyone.” Jared does not have a solidified opinion on art, he is a believer that we all have our own views and attributes. For Jared, art is a romance that he is in love with. It is something that has always been there for him. Jared explains: “Love for people and things come and go...but art stays.”

Jared Tharp finds it difficult to sum up his message as an artist. He feels that his work often expresses a lot of negative themes like paranoia, fear, disappointment or heart break. Yet with all of the deep expression in his work he also wants to share that there is a “fun” element to it as well and he wants his viewers to see the honesty and good nature in his work.

View more of Jared's work at: http://jaredtharpart.com/home.html

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