Reflection 6

During an artist studio visit with Awwful Aaron, (His website) I got to see how personal his creative process really is. We met at his studio in East Cleveland. There were works in progress and finished ones. Aaron talked a lot about how Cleveland itself influences his work. His style is loud and bold, but also really thoughtful. He uses a mix of cartoonish characters, abstract shapes, and rough textures to say something deeper about identity, community, and emotion.

He explained that some pieces start from a really spontaneous place, like a sketch, and then slowly build into something more layered and intentional. He also showed us some of his earlier work and talked about how much he’s evolved, not just in style but also in how he approaches art as a job and a way of life. He attended the CIA for some time, but he does not have a degree in art. He uses this experience to show that being “successful” in the art world does not need to come with a traditional college degree/

Being in his studio made everything that DJ does feel real. DJ is always in communication with new artists, returning ones, or local artists. I appreciated how open he was about the ups and downs of being a working artist in Cleveland, and how he tries to stay connected to the local art scene. The visit made me think differently about what it means to make art, especially in a city that isn’t always seen as a major art hub. Aaron showed me that creativity can thrive anywhere if you're honest in your work and stay grounded in your environment.