{"id":24159,"date":"2025-07-31T18:23:12","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T18:23:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/?p=24159"},"modified":"2025-08-01T01:05:15","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T01:05:15","slug":"justin-just-simmons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/2025\/07\/31\/justin-just-simmons\/","title":{"rendered":"Justin &#8220;JUST&#8221; Simmons"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"24159\" class=\"elementor elementor-24159\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2442264 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"2442264\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-07e5d98 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"07e5d98\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 22-05-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p>Year of birth: 1979<br \/>Where do you live: Fort Worth, TX<br \/>Your education: Digital Art Graphics and Graphics Communication<br \/><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/fineartamerica.com\/profiles\/justin-simmons\/shop\">Website<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/Justinjustsimmons\/\">Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ba77ef1 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"ba77ef1\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f927606 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f927606\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-24150 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-Unnamed-4.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1050\" height=\"737\" srcset=\"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-Unnamed-4.png 1050w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-Unnamed-4-300x211.png 300w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-Unnamed-4-1024x719.png 1024w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-Unnamed-4-768x539.png 768w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-Unnamed-4-600x421.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\" \/><\/h4><h4 style=\"font-weight: 400\">Can you tell us about your journey from graffiti to canvas art?<\/h4><p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Transitioning from graffiti to canvas has been a challenging yet rewarding experience. Spray painting is fast-paced \u2014 you\u2019re working on uneven surfaces with cracks, textures, and unpredictable conditions. On the other hand, mediums like acrylic and oil require a slower, more patient approach. Learning to control a paintbrush and understanding how each paint behaves took time, and that adjustment wasn\u2019t always easy. It pushed me to grow as an artist.<\/p><h4 style=\"font-weight: 400\">How did growing up in Muskogee, Oklahoma, shape your artistic voice?<\/h4><p style=\"font-weight: 400\">It wasn\u2019t so much the city itself but the era I grew up in that left a mark on me. The rise of Hip Hop culture during that time was full of creativity and expression. Movies like Beat Street and Wild Style, along with the TV show Good Times, laid the blueprint for how I saw the world and helped shape my identity as a painter.<\/p><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-24151 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-Blackstreet.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1050\" height=\"969\" srcset=\"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-Blackstreet.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-Blackstreet-300x277.jpg 300w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-Blackstreet-1024x945.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-Blackstreet-768x709.jpg 768w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-Blackstreet-600x554.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\" \/><\/p><h4 style=\"font-weight: 400\">What spiritual elements do you incorporate into your work, and how do they influence your process?<\/h4><p style=\"font-weight: 400\">I draw a lot from Christianity as a foundation for my work. Biblical stories, themes of redemption, faith, and morality give me a deep well of inspiration to explore. They often guide the mood, message, or symbolism in my paintings.<\/p><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-24152 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-1000000855.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1050\" height=\"771\" srcset=\"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-1000000855.png 1050w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-1000000855-300x220.png 300w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-1000000855-1024x752.png 1024w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-1000000855-768x564.png 768w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-1000000855-600x441.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\" \/><\/p><h4 style=\"font-weight: 400\">Your paintings blend street style with fine art \u2014 how do you balance these two worlds?<\/h4><p style=\"font-weight: 400\">I look to artists like Frank Morrison and Kevin \u201cWAK\u201d Williams for inspiration. They\u2019ve shown how to fuse the raw energy of street art with the polish of fine art. Using bold, saturated colors and urban influences helps me keep that street vibe alive while elevating the work into gallery spaces.<\/p><h4 style=\"font-weight: 400\">How has digital art impacted your creative practice alongside traditional painting?<\/h4><p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Digital tools have become a helpful part of my process. I often use Photoshop or design software to enhance my pieces for prints, books, or promotional material. When I have extra time, I like to experiment with Adobe Flash animation to create visuals that promote my shows in a more dynamic way.<\/p><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-24153 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-1000000854.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1050\" height=\"520\" srcset=\"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-1000000854.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-1000000854-300x149.jpg 300w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-1000000854-1024x507.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-1000000854-768x380.jpg 768w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-1000000854-600x297.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\" \/><\/p><h4 style=\"font-weight: 400\">What artists or movements outside of graffiti have inspired your work?<\/h4><p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Music is a major influence. Hip Hop artists like Wu-Tang Clan and MF DOOM, jazz legends, and gospel musicians all play a part in fueling my creativity. I often listen to music while I work \u2014 it sets the tone and gets me in the zone before I even pick up a brush.<\/p><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-24154 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-1000000853.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1050\" height=\"1166\" srcset=\"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-1000000853.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-1000000853-270x300.jpg 270w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-1000000853-922x1024.jpg 922w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-1000000853-768x853.jpg 768w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Justin-JUST-Simmons-1000000853-600x666.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\" \/><\/p><h4 style=\"font-weight: 400\">Do you see your art as a form of activism or social commentary?<\/h4><p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Absolutely \u2014 my work touches both. I use my art to highlight social and political issues, creating a space for conversation and reflection. I also enjoy collaborating with artists from different communities and cultures, using our collective voices to speak on what matters.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Year of birth: 1979Where do you live: Fort Worth, TXYour education: Digital Art Graphics and Graphics CommunicationWebsite | Instagram Can you tell us about your journey from graffiti to canvas art? Transitioning from graffiti to canvas has been a challenging yet rewarding experience. Spray painting is fast-paced \u2014 you\u2019re working on uneven surfaces with cracks, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24159","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-interviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24159","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24159"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24159\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24477,"href":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24159\/revisions\/24477"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24159"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24159"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24159"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}