Jordan's Perihelion: "Everywhere You Turn"
- Sheterria Sparks
- Nov 15, 2022
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 13, 2025
When I first met self taught painter, JBURT, it didn't take long for me to realize the "self" in this title was silently capitalized. Though an artist of few words, he doesn't come off as the shy person in the room by any means. But rather one of the most informed about the world around him, needing to say little to fill the present moment opting instead to observe and appreciate what the world is trying to show. And upon first glance at an unmistakeable JBURT piece, it's not hard to tell the world is showing him a little something extra that the rest of us can't see. Though I've had many encounters with the artist's work, I still find myself engulfed with each piece, observing deeply each time. This time while visit an art pop up hosted by the creative--gathering the most words I've ever heard from him--was no different. Most notable for the unique skin styles of each subject, Jordan makes it clear why his pieces are built to last. Not only for his abstraction, but for his dedication that prevails:
S: What is your name?
J: Jordan.
S: Where are you from?
J: I'm from Columbus, Ohio.
S: What is your astrological sign?
J: I'm a Leo, I'm a lot. *laughs*
S: What traits do you feel you display most vividly from your sign?
J: I'm very caring. I can be cocky at times but only when it's really time to talk that shit. There's no need to be cocky all the time.
S: How old are you?
J: I just turned 22 in August.
S: Who is your favorite artist?
J: Nigo is my favorite. I love everything he gives to the world--complete fire.
S: What is your preferred art medium?
J: Oil paint and pen. I can't pick between those two. Pen I love because you can't erase so you really have to learn to work with your mistakes, which is an acquired skill. Oil, on the other hand, is great because it's easy to mix in almost all cases.
S: When did you begin painting on a consistent basis?
J: I'd say I started taking it serious from the start. I began in 2016 and I never stopped, I haven't wanted to either. *laughs*
S: Where do you turn for inspiration?
J: I look everywhere. Mostly social media or other realms on the internet. But I also take a look into my real life experiences, especially as I've been growing older.
S: What does a week in your life look like?
J: I work an hourly job all week and after I'm off I make an effort to go to the gym and then get to my real work, my art. That's a daily thing, no breaks.
S: What has been your most difficult art piece to bring to life?
J: I don't really have any, I pride myself on being self taught and there's no difficulty when the work is produced from a place within. I work through the lens of my own vision. The only thing that I'd consider to be difficult is when I'm in the midst of having tons of projects at once--I just have to lock in.
S: When did you feel you were meant to follow a life path that encompassed art?
J: In fifth grade when I was doing graffiti art and everyone was into little stick figures. *laughs*
S: How do you cope with hardships?
J: I turn to art always. I just focus on moving through my pieces. Getting the next one out, and the next one, and so forth. That's all that really matters to me.
S: What has been your proudest moment in your art career thus far?
J: Having a gallery show with my paintings in it and remaining there for weeks. The fact that I was wanted in such a space just let me know, like one of the puzzle pieces in the big picture of all of this. There's more proud moments to come though.
S: How long have they been there at this point?
J: Since February of 2022.
S: What is your art ambiance like when you create?
J: I always have headphones in or music going on out loud. I also have this thing where I love to work when everyone around me is working, too. If my friends are recording or making beats I enjoy being in that atmosphere while I do my work. It's like energy that circulates our environment and it feels good.
S: Do you have any dream commissions? People you really would want to create art for?
J: I want to sell prints to some of my favorite artists, I don't really care who first. I'd rather not do commissions that don't go along with my style because it is apart of me, I want my work to circulate.
S: How would you describe your art style in three words?
J: Abstracted skin colors. *laughs* That's the only way I could describe them all.
S: Would you ever branch off into other creative realms?
J: Oh for sure, I have plenty of qualities that I can hold my own in across the creative boards. I can DJ, I craft clothing designs, and I even take up photography when I have the time. If I really committed to learning more, I'd love to dive into video editing, too.
S: How has art shaped you as a person?
J: *laughs* It's what makes me a person I'd say. It's all I think about everyday, it's my motive in life when I wake up. It's really a lifestyle.
S: What are you looking forward to as you develop yourself as a creative?
J: Becoming known for my style, it's everything to me and the most authentic part about me. More galleries, selling for thousands, but that's what everyone wants. *laughs* I just put the work in to get it, I feel like, more than a lot of people.
S: What has been your favorite painting to bring to life thus far?
J: The "Two Lovers" painting. It was just a photo I saw on Instagram. I rendered the image a bit, edited the skin tones and clothes. I enjoy the overall vibe of the piece and how much the colors play off of each other. It makes me think of red wine on a good night.
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