And welcome back to the Truth in Us Art. I am your host, Rob Lee. Thank you for joining me. And today, we are running it back, and I'm welcoming back my next guest, a Baltimore based artist who believes that art is a vital force for preserving history and fostering community dialogue. Through their work, they explore the sensibilities of the black diaspora, urban landscapes, and the power of art to unite and inspire.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Oh, and let's not forget, it's a running joke that this guest and I look alike? That we might be the same person. I don't see it. Please welcome Quirky. Welcome to the podcast.
Qrcky:Hey, man. Thanks for having me again.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Yes. This is what? 3rd time. Right?
Qrcky:3rd 3rd time's the charm.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:3rd we'll get it right this time. I think we'll get it right.
Qrcky:We'll see. We'll see.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:So, you know, for for those who undipped, could you reintroduce yourself in your own words? I'd I'd love to hear, you know, what you're what you're doing now because I find, like, we get these artist statements and sometimes they're outdated. It was somebody in this research. Right? We're you know, this is we recorded this in 2024, 4 2025, and their artist statement was from 2018.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And I'm like, yo.
Qrcky:Oh. That's that's a
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:while ago. So, you know, if you will give us sort of the latest dope.
Qrcky:Okay. Well, my name is Corky. I'm a Baltimore based artist. I primarily, dove in black and white paintings and sculptures, 3 d animation and computer graphics. My focus and what I'm well known for is my stripes series where I do black and white paintings that give the illusion of depth and the peace and it's been my bread and butter.
Qrcky:I've always tried to, when I produce something, make something. I don't wanna look like anyone else out there and this series definitely highlights that.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Has there been any sort of like big shifts tonally or how you do your work? Because I I know in one of the earlier interviews that you and I did, the the the sculpture piece wasn't as as prominent as it's become. And I know this sort of interview in the in in the in the intermediary, the sort of second one that we did, sculpture was a bigger thing. I remember the 3 d printing was a piece. So, you know, talk about sort of that shift from maybe where you were as purely visual and painting to, you know, where it's at now.
Qrcky:Well, right now, I'm working on several sculptures right now, and I'm starting to get into silver and gold, actual silver and gold. So I'm gonna start doing a lot of electroplating or actually give me a kiln to fire us and things. I have recent 2 clients, somebody wants a banister piece, but she want the the, the sculpture to be of African descent. Yeah. Usually, they had these angels with white features and things like that, but she wants her to be black.
Qrcky:Then I had another client and shots out to, a black art genius over there on Utah Street. He helped me with a client who wants a sculpture outside her wall of another piece of black women features down there. Her next to the neighbor has a little, I guess, a chair outside her wall. Yeah. And she wants one exact same size, but a black features.
Qrcky:And it's been exciting. I love I love working on projects that I don't know how I'm gonna do it. It's just just I'm just flying by the seat of my pants and constantly experimenting and breaking stuff constantly. But, yeah, with the sculptures, I have something in the pipe that I'm pretty excited about that I would share with you, but I'll send you samples to see what you thought and run, run, run, poke, you can understand my thought pattern by doing it this way. But if not, I'll give you the rundown why I'm doing it.
Qrcky:But yeah, sculptures have been, it's been fun. It's just when you've been by yourself like myself for so long, experimenting is like having a relationship. You're like, dude, what you wanna do tonight? You're like, oh, we're gonna switch it up a little bit like, oh, come on, man. It's it's just like II really love my art so doing the same position and the same stuff all the time it gets bored.
Qrcky:You gotta keep it lively.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:My man's talking missionary art like
Qrcky:oh, you know exactly 100% all the time I mean don't, I'm If you treat your art like it's your relationship, I preach this all the time to younger artists, that you will make time for that person. You will put in time for that person. But if you treat your art the same way, she reciprocates. Yeah. So the more I pour into it, the more opportunities she bring me and hopefully more money to keep my location where I have right now.
Qrcky:So it's a beautiful relationship.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:That's great. That's great. One other thing in this sort of like introductory piece before we get into it because we're we're kinda lightweight touching on some of the stuff, but I I I definitely wanna get one of those sort of surprising or unique facts about you that, you know, we're in this era of, like, almost oversaturation and overdelivery, and, I try to I try to stay, you know, a little with a little mystique, a little bit of the weekend when he first dropped. But, what is one of those details about you that maybe you don't share too often, but it's definitely, you know, part of YouTube? Alright.
Qrcky:I paint under another name nobody knows about. So I am a fork, but I also paint under another name no one knows. And that following of that particular artist, is starting to grow. And it's interesting to to have that split personality in the art world. I'm really, really enjoying it.
Qrcky:Just I just wanted to see if I can do it. And another thing about me, most of the paintings you see me do, I might have painted over another painting. Like, I I do it like the impermanence of the art or just the fleetiness of the art. So I never get bogged down with artist block. If I see something, I stare at it for a while.
Qrcky:Like, you know what? I'm good enough that I can paint over it and think of something better. And usually if you bow with my paintings, you ask me, I'll tell you if there's another painting under there. Sometimes you can shine a light since it's black and white and see the previous painting behind it and I love that. I love that.
Qrcky:So you're getting 2 quirky's for the price of 1.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Well, like, look, going with the pun in a sense. I mean, but it
Qrcky:Fair enough.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:There's one thing I wanna touch on before I move to this next question. One, I like that anonymous thing. I keep playing with this idea of doing a podcast where I'm interviewing myself, but I will be in character as an artist.
Qrcky:100%. Yes.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And I just keep not doing it, but I think this might be the the year that I do it. And sort of the other thing, going back to the the sculpture piece, when you were just describing, you know, sort of the client, I was immediately thinking of I was like, can you just do a bust? Like like NFL Hall of Fame style. I was gonna need my giant head in gold.
Qrcky:Credit, you know, if you buy the electroplating gold then I'll do it. We could do actual gold and the actual silver electroplating silver is expensive as hell, but it actually when you touch it, it's like metal. It's like it's it's amazing. So, yeah, if you buy it, I'm good.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:We we will talk. Look. I don't I don't treat myself to anything. Right? So I will cheat treat myself to my ego.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Okay.
Qrcky:Alright. Fair enough. I got you covered.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:So this this next question I have, is, you know, one of the themes I'm very curious about in this this branch of of interviews. I told you a little bit about sort of attrition and things of that nature. So I want to hear about how do you maintain and evolve your creative voice while navigating some
Qrcky:of the unique challenges and expectations like of doing creative work?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:We're in this year and we hear all the time there's less art funding or people aren't buying work or in those sorts of challenges that are there just the day to day cycle of kind of rejection or, you know, your ego gets hit all the time, at least, you know, from a lot of folks.
Qrcky:Full disclosure. Like I recently, I plot for stuff in Baltimore all the time, the song, honor and pies, baker, but I never get them. But what happens is outside of my state, like in Atlanta, I got accepted to do some work for the mayor in Atlanta. I've got work in Massachusetts and stuff like that. So if you stay in this area, you're just the state.
Qrcky:Because the people who tell you no this year, when they see you growing and keep moving to other places, they'll say yes next year. And you have to build a a callous. Yeah. Like, it's just about numbers. So when you get that no, alright, move on.
Qrcky:You will say yes to me next year or you will notice me next year. So I keep pushing forward. I've never let it sit with me more than 2 seconds. Then if I do start feeling something, I sketch it out. I draw it on, take that energy and put it into a piece.
Qrcky:Yeah. I don't care if your girl broke up with you, caught your man cheating, your car broke down, you lost your house, Take that energy that will be just negative and put it in the painting and somebody will see your painting and think it's beautiful and purchase it from you. It might take time, but you constantly do it. You constantly do it.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:So what I'm hearing is you it's like you're not dwelling on it. You use that that energy for for change, for creating
Qrcky:Fuel. Yeah. Yeah. Fuel. It's just like you told me no this year.
Qrcky:Maybe it it could be the person who's, doing the jury in that day. Right. You know, they they're more into, like, landscapes. So my stuff is not gonna vibe with them or better yet. I'm not gonna name the location, but it's Maryland, not in the, the actual gallery.
Qrcky:Sure. Submitted, one of these black and white pieces I have behind me and the lady wrote back and said, we don't accept sculptures. I'm like, this is not a sculpture, it's a painting. And I wrote back, say, hey, thank you for the compliment but this is not a sculpture, this is a painting. Yeah.
Qrcky:She's like, no, no, we're not gonna accept it, come to find out. They're a little more racist in their selection.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Oh yeah.
Qrcky:So if you live dealing with a system that was never there for you, whether it's grants or being accepted, why would I expect anything different now? Right. So just because somebody says no, doesn't mean reflect on your work. It could reflect on them and their biases and stuff like that. So I never take it too seriously.
Qrcky:I know my work is good. It's not super great but it's getting better every day. And if you're only in it for the rewards or the money, then you're in the room for the wrong reasons because when they're not there, it's not gonna sustain you. It's like being with a girl because she looks good when she has makeup on. Or when she takes it off, do you still care about it?
Qrcky:I still care about my art without makeup on. Yeah. You see what I'm saying? So I wouldn't, I have no choice.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Right.
Qrcky:Because like, let's say you're not in the mood to pain. Much like most people are not moved to have relationships, but or have relations. But if you in a relationship with somebody, sometimes you gotta get up and make them dinner. Sometimes you gotta get clean behind and you gotta do something. You might not wanna do it, but it builds that relationship.
Qrcky:You need to start having a relationship with your artwork. If you keep just trying to pimp out there, trying to sell her or just try to get her in the show, you end it for the wrong goddamn reason. If I don't sell another painting, or I, like when I first started, I didn't sell art. I just hung it on the street because I had to get my emotions out. I wanted to paint, I wanted to create.
Qrcky:And I still have that drive. I'm just thankful people are willing to pay for it now. I'm very blessed. And you just, there's so many people who would talk themself out of a creative career or a creative feeling. Like, oh, I got other things to do.
Qrcky:Like, no, this is therapy. This is the best therapy you ever have. I'm I'm so at peace. I'm so level headed. I'm happier than I've been in my entire life at this moment in my life.
Qrcky:I'm I'm being dead serious.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:It's great. It's great. And and I find when I I do this, and I I got this this question that's gonna come up in a second that really touches on the number, but, you know, I find that folks like seeing sort of the agitation that's that's kinda baked in. And when I don't have that sort of I'm gonna bug out, you know, about sort of maybe a piece of rejection or sort of lack of acknowledgement, of of what it is, of the merit that's there, or someone as you you touched on, kinda like playing it down that it doesn't have the sort of merit or what it is. I've been told, oh, well, you know, I've been told by sort of arts funding folks, oh, you do journalism.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I've been told by journalism folks, oh, you do art. I was like, it's it's neither. It's
Qrcky:They're putting they're putting you in the category that it's my job to do that. Yeah.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Yeah. And and I've had other people who are of the community who've been on or they kinda get it, and they're not necessarily a patron per se, but they support it. And they're like, you're doing anthropology. You're doing this. They're really diving into what they feel like it represents, even the the terminology of, like, this is a living archive.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And that feels closer to just something that's disposable, and it's it's important how to categorize it, but your thing around getting one's feelings and one's emotions out, that's the thing that I think we start off with sometimes. Like Mhmm. For me, I was tight about and we've and I've talked about this over and over again, There was an emotion that drove the onset of doing this series, but eventually you run out of that that sort of steam or it's not at the same level. So the thing that drives it now and it keeps it rolling is sort of curiosity and being able to engage in these conversations. It's like, yo, I get to talk to my friend Quirky I haven't talked to in a couple Exactly.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:No months. Exactly. I get a beer too. Absolutely. I got beer.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I mean, I got Japanese beer on deck. That's what I drink these days. Discuss. We'll we'll I'm bullish. Okay.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:We'll discuss. So when we last spoke, you know, have any have there been any, like, experiences or challenges that have influenced and changed how you go about your work? Like, I'll share this. It's, you know, 5 years, right, for for me. You know, actually, we'll be in 6, but over 800 episodes at this point of this podcast.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And I've refined it. I've re refined the process, and I got past some of the things that used to be there. I was talking with, sort of someone in the scene earlier today, and I was like, yeah. I used to be nervous about interviews.
Qrcky:Oh, yeah. Full step up.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:It's going into it or even second guessing questions. And now that process is so refined where I'm like, man, I can do this with my eyes closed. So, you know, talk about that. You made
Qrcky:it easy. You made it very easy for me to do interviews. Because it, like, we were always been cool. Mhmm. So every time we talked, it was like meeting up with a friend.
Qrcky:So I'm not really thinking about the camera and what I'm gonna say or flight night. I have an idea Yeah. But my my what my work is about and what I'm not about. And long as I stay true to that, I I'll have to play to the camera. I don't have to worry about anything.
Qrcky:I can just speak my mind and it just flows from me, but I'm talking to with a friend. So it makes it so much easier that we're having this conversation. So when I do have interviews outside of this, I might get a little nervous or I have to speak in front of a bunch of people. Like I have a show going on called Midnight Marauders and there was a room full of people. And the very moment I said, my name is Corky.
Qrcky:I like the pain. And that was it, and it broke the ice and everybody started laughing. It just made it easier to talk. So thank you, God, for allowing me to, stretch my feet and my legs in in this world because I appreciate you.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:No. Thank you. Thank you. It's, this is great. Like, I I do a bit too because I still, like I don't do a lot of the in person stuff, as far as far as in front of an audience, and I have to try to use humor to diffuse it.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:So I'll say something like, I'm Rob. I'm an Aquarius. And I was like, what are you talking about, bro?
Qrcky:Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:But it Yeah.
Qrcky:I just love it. Humor is such a great way of just going about the world. And, yeah, man. I I enjoy all your podcasts, so keep it up. And I'll and I'll say this other thing.
Qrcky:You you said one of
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:the really most interesting and it sticks with me sort of things, earlier in this sort of, like, 5 years, and it stuck with me. And I and I'll mention it. I'll share it with you now. When I was, you know, sort of in that that 2022, I believe, you know, got the whole best of Baltimore thing. And it was like congratulations, but also, like, keep your head on straight.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Don't get too high. Don't get too low about us. And I think that's important and an important thing to to stick with because, you know, some of us do that thing. Essentially, you you peaked at high school. It was like, you're 45.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:You you what? Poke high?
Qrcky:You out there? I was about to say it. Goddamn it. Oh, goddamn. I missed that show.
Qrcky:Well, yeah. Go ahead. I'm sorry. No. No.
Qrcky:No. No.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Something like that, I think it's it's important to denote that. So when again, going back to some of those things that kinda serve as noise and distraction of you got really good, you know, you got really high and that was a really good moment. Acknowledge it, accept it, enjoy it, do your 2 seconds with it. And then the one that kinda sucks, do your 2 seconds with that, but find why you're chasing the thing, why you're you're doing the thing. That's also a part of that refinement.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I used to go through it, man. Like, wow, this sucked. I am I'm not good at this and so on. But with time, that sort of callousness and and age, it's just like, cool. I'm going to this next interview.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:But
Qrcky:Yeah. Yeah.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:But on the other side of it, and I'm trying to get better at this. I wanna hear this this from you. I I find that I'm not celebrating the wins at all. Like, you know, each 100. Right?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Like I said, 800 interviews. I haven't celebrated episode 100, episode 500, let alone episode 800. It's just kinda like, they're great. They're a milestone. I acknowledge it, but I'm moving to the next one.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:They're still special, but I'm kinda moving to the next one. And it's it's like trying to enjoy that and balance that a little bit better. How does that work for for you when you're you're you're working on, you know, you're putting in those days? How do you keep sort of that specialness there and those things that make you feel like, I'm really happy to do this, and I'm really appreciating this moment?
Qrcky:Well, again, if it's relationship, I don't I don't count all the orgasms. I'm just happy. I have one. You follow what I'm saying? I'm happy.
Qrcky:The relationship is what makes me happy. Yeah. So when I get those those olds, they're great and I'm not keeping a list. Oh this no no no no no I I'd much rather move on to the next and build on a relationship. I'm not counting.
Qrcky:I had that a buff and said I'm not counting the oil gases.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:That is that is great.
Qrcky:Dude, don't remember. It's nice to celebrate it when it happens. Don't get me wrong, but we have more work to do. I have more time to spend. There's no different than cooking.
Qrcky:Yeah. And I might get this dish perfectly right, but I can make it better. And that's what's the chase of, I know I'm never gonna get perfection, but I enjoy the chase. I enjoy the chase like what did you ever say? I don't know what I would do if I caught it.
Qrcky:It's just like, I just yeah. It's just I I can't stop. I love what I'm doing right now. And then to have relationships that I've had, they prevented me, literally prevented me from this pursuing this person I was becoming. And like, it's not like I was watching sports and doesn't like I dream or go to strip clubs.
Qrcky:I wanted to pay. Yeah. And they don't. To have this freedom, again, I feel great all the time even if I don't get recognized for it.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:So you would have been a, a great pupil for JK Simmons' character in,
Qrcky:Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:oh, oh, oh, oh Whiplash.
Qrcky:Whiplash. That is my pictures. I freaking love that movie. And it's just I don't mind being a pupil and constantly learning. I don't care how old I get.
Qrcky:That the discovery is something new. Like right now, I'm actually working with jewelry, making jewelry Yeah. For the first time and I'm enjoying it. It's not perfect, but I'm refining it all the time so I can deliver a product to, like, a young lady I might be dating or something like, hey. I can make your own earrings.
Qrcky:Like, dude. Who does that?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And it's it's something that, as as I was you was touching on, it has that specialness that's that's in there.
Qrcky:And Yes.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:You know, when I'm I try not to gas myself of when I'm doing this, but it's just like you're not gonna do the same interview with somebody else. This is Yeah. The interview that we're doing. And, you know, that's the the specialness in it. So it's almost to use the the sort of analogy we've been discussing.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:It's like, I guess if you're dating me, it's different than dating someone else. And Yeah. It's not a replication or something that it pales in comparison. It's just a uniqueness that's that's there. So in it, I'm thinking of this.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:You you were touching also to the the sort of jewelry piece. So, you know, if you will, since that you could touch on that one since it's it's it's a new process or sort of where you're at with your, like, a certain medium that you're working in now. But speak when you create a process. Could you walk us through sort of, like, what the process looks like now, and what are the part? Please.
Qrcky:Well, no. Well, usually, if I wanna think of something different or work on something different, I go for a walk. Baltimore is full of these visual things all the time. It's it's always something going on or a nice nice walk in the park or just a car ride. I come up with like 4 ideas just off the top of my head, but your talent will only take you so far.
Qrcky:Your genius happens when you're constantly working at it and you'll do something that, oh, I didn't see that before. That's why every, usually my breakthroughs are just constantly because I'm constantly working with my art all the time. It's fertile ground for genius to come in. I know I'm talented, but that doesn't make up what I'm doing is different. I mean, I can make a, Picasso, I can mimic a Basquiat any day.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Yeah.
Qrcky:But that was their genius. Just because I have the talent to do something or I love people who can do the photorealistic things. I like that. But there's photographs. What makes you different other than it looks like the photograph you just took it from?
Qrcky:Yeah. I understand the skill, but where's the genius part of it? Sometimes it could be the color, the execution or the depth of field you put in it. 100%, I can see that, but I need more. Yeah.
Qrcky:Yeah. It's like hearing a Drake lyric, I guess a Kindred Law Marl lyric. It just, it's so much more soulful and filling to the soul. Yeah. That's the work I'd gravitate to.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I'll I'll use this term to sound hokey and I and I think I'll before I say that, I'll I'll make that comparison. Like, I could do a hokey goofy sort of barbershop style podcast. I could do the sports podcast. I could do any of those things because I know that, you know, to your point, the the the skill Yeah. The talent, you know, blah blah.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:But, you know, there's something that requires a little rigor, that requires a little depth, that requires and this is the term I'm gonna use, a little magic to, you know, add something that I think is a contribution to what that story looks like, whether it's the story of Baltimore, whether it's the story of this is a half a page in the story of quirky. Right? But a page or a part of a page nonetheless, we're not trying to do something disposable and it's something that that matters. I think that's the the intention that's there.
Qrcky:Just just because it's easy and popular don't look good. So I get I know, but there would be I see a lot of I went to an art show with this guy. He was real cool. Work was good, but all he did is news. So are they buying it because the work is good or you're painting news?
Qrcky:If you're painting the same style any other way, will people respond to it? Like, and don't get me wrong, if you start painting Kendrick Lamar right now, which people do, you will get attention, you will get exposure. You will get the thing you want. But are they buying it because your work is good or he's good?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Right. Right.
Qrcky:Like, when, like so I try not to do that anymore. I try not I try to do people I see in my neighborhood, primarily. If you walk past my house and I stop you, most likely I wanna paint you and she hope hope she doesn't spray me with mace or anything like that. I have a business card there. But, yeah, that that's usually the case.
Qrcky:I love painting people like people.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I'll make sure I stumble past the studio. Oh.
Qrcky:I'm doing well there a lot.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I I stumble through that a lot.
Qrcky:Yeah. But I I haven't painted myself in a long time, so why have I
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:But that's a good point though where, you know, you you you have sort of this this is a thing that's sitting there. This is sort of how we go about these things. Like, I I joke about it. I try to use humor again where let there be, you know, like a famous person or a rapper or someone pass, you know, here, here's or or this or this. I I make that consideration in doing this podcast.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Like, I'm the booker, you know, doing all of the stuff, producing all of the stuff. Right? I could just go out for everyone who has this thing happening. There are some instances where it might be really timely. Someone's got a thing that's happening or maybe a referral.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:But also, I'm curating this in a way that who am I interested in talking to? Who do I think is a fun conversation? And it may not be the person that's the first person when you think of a Baltimore artist or the first person when you think of a sculpture or whatever the, you know, thing may be. And that's where the sort of taste comes in.
Qrcky:You know
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:what I mean?
Qrcky:Oh, I like it. I admit, when George Floyd was murdered Mhmm. It took me a year and a half to get my emotions out and to paint something. I didn't wanna do it in the heat of the moment. Sure.
Qrcky:And, I was thankful. I had it up in, I think, in, I wanna say it was in Philly, and I guess, I guess his brother saw it and was interested in the piece and reached out to me. Like, that was the greatest film ever. Right. That's all I needed.
Qrcky:I wanted to express myself. I wanted to get my emotions out by the way I felt, but I didn't want to use somebody deaf to raise myself up high. I would never unless the family came out to me directly and said, we need you to paint something, then I'll reconsider. But I don't like that type of work. And and
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I and I I appreciate you saying that because I, you know, I've talked about it on this pod before. Like, you know, there was the motivation in starting this podcast because of Elijah Cummings and the the whole back and forth And having the opportunity to interview Maya Cummings afterwards and sharing that with her, that your husband, your late husband is one of the reasons that motivated me to do this. I don't like saying do this work because that feels weird. But to approach this and approach it in a way that I have as a rebuttal, you know, really to the naysayers and with, you know, sort of that regime being back in place, you know, it's one of the reasons that emboldened me to continue this because I was thinking of sunsetting it and moving on. You know what I mean?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:But I thought it was still really important to counter some of these things. It is not saying, hey, you know, here's this issue with this regime, but it's more so let's have these conversations in many ways as a response to people are saying stories don't matter. People are saying this community doesn't matter, and I posit something otherwise. And I think having a more robust and and more fleshed out story matters.
Qrcky:Well, you're recording our history, which in the past doesn't seem to happen or wasn't taken value to, or it's manipulated by others to fit their agenda. So when they come back, hopefully in another 50 years watching your videos, it's like, hey, I remember that guy or I knew of that guy. And there's 2 black men out of the conversation, intelligent, articulate, beautiful. This is representation we need, and I'm glad I hope you don't stop. Don't stop.
Qrcky:Just keep going.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I'm here. It it keeps me. And so there there was one other part before I moved to this next question I wanted to, get from you. What part of just macroly speaking your creative process, and I know, like, you know, you know, there's different things for sort of different meanings, but what's what part of it goes unnoticed, like, or doesn't get sort of the fanfare that you know, because we're so output driven. Right?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Like, did you make a painting? Did you make this sculpture? For me, it's like, did you make this podcast? I'm like, yo. Me writing these questions, having a notepad is wild.
Qrcky:You've been in my house several times, but I don't think you've been in the basement. So in my basement, I have artwork no one's ever seen, period.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I appreciate it. Nobody's ever seen it. So
Qrcky:Okay. Fair enough. I I accept that. But everything I make or everything I do with my love is not for everybody. Yeah.
Qrcky:You see what I'm saying? So let's say I just had a birthday and and say I don't make it to see 57 or 58 or something like that. Yeah. I have this record for my kids of what I did, what all it's about. And I wanna leave a legacy, a true legacy that I produce.
Qrcky:I don't know if any too many artists produce at the levels I do, but if I'm not getting sex that week, I'm painting. And like, dude, I'm I'm busy. Dude, oh, it's it's the the draw has broken. I I found somebody, she's like, she's real cool. And like, dude, this is great, but, regular sex messes up an artist.
Qrcky:So I was really prolific before she came along. But now it's man, you wanna what? You wanna lay in the grass? That was good to me. You're like
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:a you're like a boxer. It's just like looking broke my streak, you know.
Qrcky:Oh, we'll do. But I admit to it. Luckily, she stays far enough away that I can continue like, I can't date a girl in Baltimore. It's not gonna happen. No, no, no, no, no.
Qrcky:I love Baltimore women, but man, I got weaknesses too.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:That's great. So,
Qrcky:I've been thankful for this, this isolation in my time. I'm thankful for the time, like the last 4 years of me just focusing on my art and loving myself as an artist without depending on relationships. So it's been beautiful, but again, I don't think I'd do it for the likes or the follows. I'd do it because I have no choice. It's the best therapy I've ever had.
Qrcky:So I guess that's the best way I can say it. Sorry.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Got it. You got it. Okay.
Qrcky:So I have this
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:this next one is, like, you know, really 2 2 real questions left here. This one's a 2 part, though. So I think resilience and and reluctance often shape, I think and I and I say not purely with the creating portion, but sort of the overarching from, you know, beginning the germination to sort of the the blooming. How do you balance, like, showing up consistently even though maybe some moments where it's like I got low energy because we all have it. Like, yes, great to be feel really happy, and I have a pretty deep well myself.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And, you know, being showing up consistency, having those sort of low energy moments or even knowing when to I need to fall back a little bit and reassess. Yeah. Because I know for me, I'm one of those people, like, I look at the strengths thing. Right? They have these, these different strengths that we have.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I'm an achiever. I'm able
Qrcky:to get a lot of
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:things done and I find sometimes when I'm seeking collaboration, somehow folks are tapping into that ability to achieve and I'm like, let me let me pull back a little bit. I can get a lot of stuff done, but let me pull back.
Qrcky:Well, I tell you what, there are times I don't show it to like, I have a lot of shows going on all the time. And a lot of times I don't show. Neither is because I know what the curator in the gallery is about, and they just want me because I'm the new thing possibly. There was an event in DC where a bunch of young people got together and we painted outside, and they asked me if you wanna be a part of it. And I thought I looked at the group and sorry about the day.
Qrcky:I said yes. And I had it was it was fulfilling for my soul Yeah. To be out there. It it felt good to be out there and it was just good for me. So usually I don't if the environment is good and the people are good, then I'm I'm down.
Qrcky:You got my support 100%. Like, the solo show I'm doing at, great, Chesapeake Art Center. Yeah. They're a nonprofit. And so if I sell a painting, I keep a 100% of the profits.
Qrcky:But they have daycare. They have art classes, they have wood making classes, they're teaching people. And I'm sitting there and saying, you know what, every painting I sell, I'm gonna give you guys 20%.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Oh, yeah.
Qrcky:Period. Because it's that type of environment. Now if it's a gallery who's trying to take 50% from me and just using me like I'm some girl on the street, then I try to stray away from those people. But if you're doing something positive, you're a fundraiser like Stem and Vine. They they, they had a situation.
Qrcky:I donated a painting. Yeah. And that's for them. I wanted them. There's so many positive stories in Baltimore of people helping each other.
Qrcky:I try to gravitate more to those things. Got it. I will sell the painting eventually. I hope to get into, BMA's and the Walters and stuff like that. I would love to do those.
Qrcky:Don't get me wrong. But when those small people trying to start out, and if my name can help them sell a painting, and they can fund their project for a few more days and stuff like that, I'm always down for that. That's being a decent person and hopefully picking the right people and the right venues to be at is been an art form for me on its own, and I enjoy it.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:That's that's good. It's some hearing, like, you know, kind of being selective of where you're you're putting that Internet. And, you know, I'll I'll have one suggestion and one request. I think they're all together. I think they're the same thing.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:When you have those instances where you don't wanna show up, right, do you just have, like, a spare pair of, like, white framed glasses where I can just go Yeah.
Qrcky:Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you can definitely walk in as me. It's like you're You got so much taller. It's like,
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:you don't know what you're talking about, bro. Did you make this? I did not.
Qrcky:But I I I wouldn't mind that. I wish I could have a bunch of doom bots. Thing. Yeah. Yeah.
Qrcky:Yeah. Doom bunch of doom bots walking around. I could do that. Matter of fact, for this last shot, I even thought about wearing my MF Doom mask. But, yeah, I guess that would be ideal, but, yeah, they they want me to speak.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I was very close. You didn't you don't know this. I was very close this past Halloween of going
Qrcky:I would have made you one. I have I have 2 masks. Do I have one over here? No. I took it upstairs.
Qrcky:I have 2 masks. I I would have made all of 3 d 50 1.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I was gonna pull up to one of these, like, I think it was maybe something that one of the one of our space, maybe creative alliance or something. I was gonna go with you.
Qrcky:But alright. You gotta alright. So I've noticed as soon as I take that off the glasses Uh-huh. I'm like, Superman. Like, who's this guy?
Qrcky:But yeah. And see? But nobody rec don't recognize me without the glasses. They see the glasses. It's like, like, Rodney Dangerfield's tie, the red tie.
Qrcky:It's like the whole suit is just the aesthetic.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Yep. I I wanted I wanted to have a art gimmick that is just like, as I pull up to these functions, I was gonna do, I had it for a little bit, but I gave up on it. I was always wearing Carhartt and then, like, ridiculous handkerchiefs. That was a bit that I was doing by just Carhartt jackets? Like, oversized sweatshirts, like, oversized crewneck with, like
Qrcky:But what happened in the summertime?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Look. I do what I do.
Qrcky:I'm like, wait a minute. Carhartt. Isn't that heavy duty? I'm like, oh, alright. You know?
Qrcky:Summertime, I'm at the beach. I
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:So and and, actually, you've you answered, actually, these next 2 already because as I'm as I'm looking at them. So I'm mean, just throw like sort of this wild card into sort of like wrap things up and kind of close things out before I move into the rapid fire questions. You know, what what would
Qrcky:be next for you? Like as far as in the next year?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:You know, what wanna
Qrcky:show in Europe.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:You wanna show in Europe?
Qrcky:Yep. I'm working on, right now, a place in Belgium. I'm working on a show for there. I wanna go international. Again, Baltimore, DC, Virginia, it's a great artist hub.
Qrcky:But you if you wanna make a living, you've gotta be everywhere. And as soon as I start moving out more to the West Coast or other events that I can submit to and hopefully get my work in there, get your work out there. Get to let the world see it. That's the biggest advice from anybody. If you're just doing shows right here, collaborate with other people, and you can't find your tribe, god damn it, make it.
Qrcky:Find somebody else who'd be interested in your work and keep pushing.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I relate so much, in it. And, you know, with some of the things I was sharing before we got started, as far as some of the different snafus, that it's just like I'm just going to keep doing. I'm just going to keep riding on it and whatever it may be, whether it's, well, I'm going to do this trip over to the West Coast for sake of argument because I do this media thing and, you know, at certain points, we may not have sort of the infrastructure set up for it. And I've had folks who are, you know, gatekeepers or bank bank tellers, if you will, who may tell me, why would you do that? Why would you leave Baltimore?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:You know, why would you even think about looking outside? I was just like, it's it's always here. So when I'm doing this, that's why I make some of the decisions that I do and that's why I really fight for that independence. You know, it's just like, sure, you can turn down really large chunks of money and funding and opportunities because it may not fit. I'll you know, I've said it before.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I'll take less money or less of an opportunity to be able to realize a vision because that's the thing that's that's keeping me interest. That's the thing that makes me want to do it. If it was just, hey. Do these interviews with this set of people. It's just more control, and I'm gonna be able to select the folks that I wanna talk to, whether they're here or abroad, to be able to blow it up because and I'll say this, that when I leave and go to other places, I'm going there as Rob from Baltimore, as a representative from here too.
Qrcky:100%. 100%. I rent Baltimore all day.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Yeah. Heavy. And and that's the thing that if you just stay in sort of this, I don't go over west. You know? So do Go.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Go. I
Qrcky:It's about what did what did you say about money? It's not about the money. It's about sending a message. And that's more important. Like, I have a feeling, I'm not I was speaking to the distance that, the projects I'm gonna work for and do in Atlanta might make Baltimore look at me in another way.
Qrcky:Because maybe they haven't I don't think they had set me as a a son here yet because I am a transplant. But, if I go Atlanta start blowing up, like, well, we we had this guy the whole time. Like, no. No, you didn't. I try to be a part of certain groups here.
Qrcky:I try to help out as much as soon as possible. And the gatekeepers make it very interesting here. That's the only thing about it. But This this is why this is
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:why we're versions of doppelganger because I am fucking good. And they're like, you must be quirky. We don't like you either. It's like, what?
Qrcky:But, dude, I tell you what, if they if anyone wanna go battle towards me to, like, actually produce some stuff, I'm like no other in this area. I I am willing to bet that. I'm I'm really I'm a real problem sometimes.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:It's it's like, it's like that thing that action, Bronson said that got himself, got him in trouble when he's like, yeah. Ghostface ain't rapping like this. Oh. That's how
Qrcky:Don't get it twisted. Don't get it twisted. I was listening to him with Alchemist beat. Goddamn, he sound like ghost. But Right.
Qrcky:Ain't nobody ghost, man. I'm sorry. You you could you could say don't worry. He has his own lane. He had this TV show about eating and stuff, which I enjoyed.
Qrcky:I did as well. That Ghost is a beast, and the fact he came out his mouth.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Uh-huh. But you know what? It that's that's what it is, Latav. It's just like you have to posture. You have to do that thing.
Qrcky:And Sometimes you gotta pop out and show in the phone. So Yeah. That's
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Let let me move into let me move into these,
Qrcky:Rapid fire stuff.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Yeah. These rapid fire ones. So
Qrcky:I got a few of them for you. Oh, shoot. Actually, I got 3.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I got 3. So here's the first one. Networking and small talk can feel like hidden skills, especially when you're not up for it. Like, I had someone who's like, yo, Rob, I saw you the other day. Did you not remember me or is it where you just weren't banging with it?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:So what is a topic in sort of that small talk realm? Because people will talk trap you. They see you, like, oh, hey, man. Quick.
Qrcky:Yeah. What's something that you
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:that you already have, like, queued up? It's like, look, I got 10 minutes of material in this particular area, but did I need to move on?
Qrcky:It depends on who I'm talking to. If I'm talking to a young artist, especially anybody from my down, I give them the time. I know even if I have to go somewhere or I might have the patience because I was at that spot at one time, 100%. So this is the websites I use, here's the 3 d programs I use, this is what I recommend at this time, this is what I suggest you submit to. I give anyone on the chance.
Qrcky:If you're an older curator, then I'm a little more like, oh, I'm quiet. Most people, like right now we're having a conversation but most people like to hear themselves talk. And if you shut up and just let them talk, they'll tell you everything you need to know and they'll feel satisfied. Because it's it's like, oh my god. I I got I got the talk.
Qrcky:Like, they really didn't hear a word. I said I just said, okay. Show me your work. Yeah. Very good.
Qrcky:You you shave it at bed. But, if somebody has real talent, somebody has real drive, and people who are hungry, I give them information for you. I I I as we talk about gate I hate gatekeepers. Honestly, they might have another 30 years on this. That's right.
Qrcky:They're fine. I'd much rather share this information with a younger person. This is how I do it and hope that they'll stand on my shoulders and go further than I ever would. So I try not and plus, I don't go out a lot. So I'm not in situations where I have to keep talking, talking, talking, talking, talking.
Qrcky:So I'm using it in the house. Like, the only lady I'm seeing said, did he know about this restaurant? I don't know nothing. You took me out more restaurants than any place. I I stay in the house and work.
Qrcky:But that's the thing.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:That's the thing. I've I always had because like I pretty much I stayed in for about a year and change, so when I came back with sort of low carb Rob, they were like, yo, is that so I popped back out. I was like, oh, this is why I stayed in because some of y'all a little weird.
Qrcky:And I'm sorry that I didn't answer rapid fire. I apologize. No. No. No.
Qrcky:You're good. You're good.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:You're good. But I I find, like, I have, like, 1 to 2 real topics that I can dive in because nobody wants to talk about podcasts, know, as far as the lane that I'm in. No one wants to talk about that, but it's sort of it's something else, and I find it's folks that might be the color of, you know, that it feels like, hey. I could just corner you and just I was like, yo.
Qrcky:Like, hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. No.
Qrcky:Let me know. You're not you're not gonna rape my ears for the next 20 minutes. You know what?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I think I'm gonna work on a skill, though. I wanna work on a new before I move into this next one. I'm working to an on a new skill where I do, like, conversation blockades. You know, you're not supposed to talk about the weather. I'm just gonna talk about, like, this like, man, you ever have, like, a violent BM or something?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Just something that people don't wanna discuss.
Qrcky:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like, oh my god. My stomach.
Qrcky:Oh, you you have the guacamole? Yes.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And they're like, oh, he's weird.
Qrcky:I was
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:like, yes.
Qrcky:Yeah. Yeah. But But no one. Yeah. Yeah.
Qrcky:Alright. Sorry about that, but next question. I'm sorry. This is
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:gonna be a uniquely illustrated character study of, like, how you don't socialize. That's my new goal.
Qrcky:It's an art form. Because I I'm I'm I I don't wanna come off as an ass. Yeah. But I really love the shows I go to. I don't wanna be there.
Qrcky:I'd much rather be home painting. Yeah. Even if it's if it's my show.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Because it's it's one of the things and and this this is when I'll actually move. It's one of the things where, it's the artist quote unquote life. Right? But it's not with an end result of the work. So, like, if I have to go out and, you know, go to someone's show, I'd appreciate the opportunity to go to someone's show and all of that stuff, but there's now a podcast at the end of it.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I'm not, you know, it's sort of I already work very hard. I already work a lot. So when I have that time, it's just like, yo, I wanna watch I've been getting into basketball again. I wanna watch this next game. I want to go to this restaurant.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I wanna do something that's actually enriching. So I do this thing that if I do go, it's a limited group of folks. So, like, one of our our people, Camille, she was like, you showed up to my thing? I was like, yes. You're one of my people.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I'm very selective where how I do that now because of those those instances where you're like, talk trap myself out of this.
Qrcky:Well, I I don't even get offended when some artists don't show to my show. It's just it it is what it is. I'm like, dude, you have a life. Yeah. I'm not expecting everybody.
Qrcky:I do get a pretty decent turnout, so I'm not worried about it. But I haven't hey, man. I'm sorry. All good. Are you okay?
Qrcky:Yeah. It's all good. It's all good.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:So moving into this next one, so you you talked about shows and and people, and we talked about white glasses earlier. Let's Let's talk about the benefits, like, 2, 2 to 3, that come to mind when you think of obscurity. Because I remember early on, it was just like, you know, there was not a face there. And, and I touched on The Weeknd earlier. Early on, he was very obscure with, you know, sort of his visage.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:So for you, what are 2 let's go with 2. What are 2 benefits of, like, obscurity, like, letting the work speak without having the the person presented as for consumption, if you will.
Qrcky:Well, when I first started showing and people didn't know what I look like, I can go in the gallery with my work in there and hear people's honest opinion. Mhmm. True honest opinion. So I'll walk up and sometimes I'll stand behind and they'll be talking. They're like, well, this is this and this and he needs this.
Qrcky:I'm like, really? I'm like, oh, how would you know? And sometimes they're on point and sometimes they'll see something in myself that I know is there. And plus I much, I much rather, I much rather have a fortune than a thing. Being me can be difficult.
Qrcky:So what I mean by that is like, well, everybody wants to talk. Everybody wants to communicate. How are you doing this and stuff like that? It can get draining at times. So it's a double edged sword.
Qrcky:I'm thankful that I can make a living and provide for my family and provide for myself and things of that nature, but I'll much rather have a fortune than you never know who made it. The work should speak for itself.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:This is why I have such such a reluctance of putting the video out there. I don't want, you know, to be cold as this or that. It's just like I had one version of that before I moved to the last one. I had one version of that. It was this listening party, and I was sitting in on the listening party, and people were laughing to the bits.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:So, like, that's a really good insight because there was no vision. There's me talking. So I had to make sure not to talk either because it's just, like, yeah, I know you.
Qrcky:I don't think they're saying nice.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:When, after the thing is wrapped up and the person that was proctoring and and and presenting this this whole podcast was, like, woah. The the host is right here. And they were, like, oh, you're funny or you're you're real smart or whatever the thing is. And I was, like, oh, that that felt cool or what have you, but getting that that untapped and unfiltered, like, sort of feedback Feedback.
Qrcky:Yeah.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:It it's really it's really cool.
Qrcky:Yes. It is. It is.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Now this is this is the last one I got for you, and I think this is probably the shortest answer you'll give me. Ultimately, who do you create for?
Qrcky:The childhood version of me. I had a rough childhood. So I would draw stuff and it would end up getting thrown away by my dad or something like that. He didn't see the value of what I was doing. So every time I paint, I'm dealing with some past trauma I'm dealing with.
Qrcky:Like, Rutheries, I'm prolific. I have nightmares about family members I lost. So I'll get up in the middle of the night instead of sitting there, I'll just paint it out. Halfway asleep, still in my drawers, paint it out. And, or if it comes down to it, I'm, I'll, I'll bring paintings in the bed with me and sit there and just paint.
Qrcky:So anytime I'm feeling anxiety or unsure of myself or stress, I paint it out. And again, this is at peace at peace peace, best I've been in years.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Great.
Qrcky:I know.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:No. No. That's it's it's a good way to kinda close out. I mean, you know, I was typing it up right there a second ago. I was like, paint it out with Quirky.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:That's Yes. Yeah. So thank you for 1. That's Oh, love
Qrcky:anytime, bruh.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And, so for for the folks listening, give them give them the social media deets. You know, just let folks
Qrcky:know for
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:sure to check you out.
Qrcky:Well, I'll tell you what, you can find me pretty much on any social media thing, like, QRCKY. That's QRCKY. And if you're interested in pursuing any of my work, you can find me at qrcky.net and you'll find all my 3 d sculptures and my inventions and everything else I do.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Well, there you have it folks. I wanna again thank the great Quirky for coming on to the podcast. Coming back on to the podcast. 3 time guest, 3 time
Qrcky:guest. And
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:more quirky, I am Rob Lee saying that there's art, culture, and community in and around your neck of the woods. You've just gotta look for it.
