Welcome back to the Truth in Us Art, your source for conversations that matter, meaningful conversations at the intersection of arts, culture, and community. I am your host, Rob Lee. Thank you so much for joining me. Today, we're running it back, and I'm welcoming back my next guest, a multidisciplinary artist whose bold and colorful work continues to inspire. They are also the creative force behind the original artwork for for this very podcast.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And as it turns out, he is my neighbor. Please welcome Jerome, the Groovy Vandal Chester. Welcome to the podcast. It's been a few years. It's been a few years since you and I, first talked and, so I want want you, if you will, to reintroduce yourself and and share what you're working on these days.
Jerome Chester:Oh, man. Yeah. So,
Jerome Chester:hello. My name
Jerome Chester:is, Jerome Chester, better known as the Goony Landau. What am I working on these days? You know, I'm still in the process of doing, like, my many, many self portraits. It's inspired by a guy. I was, dealing with this young lady some years ago and she went to, Stevenson.
Jerome Chester:And, they had like a showing there where God did like, I don't know, like 90 self portraits. And, that was something that I wanted to do. You know? Just kinda like in a way like a self love project, but also just trying to see how many different ways I can draw myself because there was a lot of things I was you know, you you would, like, you know, draw people, and I heard about a thing about artists, like, you know, get their permission, then they can sue you and all of this stuff. Like, you know, I I just draw myself.
Jerome Chester:So, I'm, like, currently over, like, 270 or something like that. Yeah. And, also, I'm working on, you know, getting ready for the solo show that, you know, that's coming April this year, so I'm excited about that.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:So I thank you for that. I got I wanna dive in a little bit further on one of those. We'll actually go through those. So you you touched on sort of, like, inspiring you, that that that sort of, project that you were describing, The Self Portrait, inspiring you. What was it that inspired you about it and sort of are are there other sources of inspiration?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And one other thing I gotta say, I could feel like, you know, you get tight at yourself later. You just sue yourself. It's like, look, Jerome, I don't think you could I don't think you should be doing that painting of yourself.
Jerome Chester:You know, you're talking about
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:you're locked away with your own creativity.
Jerome Chester:Yeah. You said what inspired that? I don't know. I just I think that so I I wasn't taking pictures of myself for a while. And, you know, didn't really like to you know, it's a you you know, I I talked to my therapist about it, but didn't really like to look at myself too much and all this other stuff.
Jerome Chester:So, you know, as I'm learning to, you know, appreciate things about myself Mhmm. I started to and even even so with that, like, that's, you know, that's deeper too. But, I also, a big fan of caricatures.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Yeah.
Jerome Chester:So, I realized that, you know, I haven't drawn myself in these different ways. I started to manipulate the photos because, you know, if I try to do that to somebody else and show them, they're gonna lie. I don't like that. You know, you can always you can always, how can I say this? You can always get some sort of negative feedback from people, especially when you're doing something.
Jerome Chester:Mhmm. You know, even if it's if it's inspiration, you know, inspired by something. But, I'm not gonna have an issue with manipulating my own face. You know? Like, making certain parts bigger and all this other stuff.
Jerome Chester:So that's kind of one of the, you know, small reasons why I decided to do a lot of self portraits as well. And, also, I was just trying to, like, have a small goal by having, like, the most self portraits by any artist. I think we're in brand got, like, a 150. So I was just trying to, like, make a little Guinness book make a little Guinness book world record.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I was I was waiting for that. I was waiting for that part. I was like, yes. World record in it. I like it.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And Oh, yeah. No. I I think the other thing that's that's there too when you you have these, like, goals, like, you know and and we talked a little bit. And and, again, thank you for for being a part of sort of what this series looks like because I'm going back to going back through sort of this archive of over 800 interviews and, like, picking out some of my favorite ones, guests that I've had on from earlier in the the series and, you know, checking back in. And part of it is, you know, you gotta go back through your old questions, listen to the old interviews.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:It's like, damn. I sounded dumb then. Or, okay.
Jerome Chester:That's a
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:perfect question. Make sure you don't ask it again because it's real interesting, but you don't wanna do the same interview. But you wanna see where the progress is at and the progression. And I would imagine for when you started the the the process of here's, you know, portrait 1 to where you're at now, you probably see certain things that you're embellishing a bit more in, you know, maybe sort of the more caricature side of things or maybe you're curious about sort of this color. You start seeing perhaps you're doing this this time in
Jerome Chester:I do.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Sort of this this repetition, but it's more of a series. Like, when I do these interviews, I could tell, like, alright. I remember that month. I had this wild sinus infection. I don't know how I got through this, or I was really interested in this one question during this part of the year.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Do you do you see that, or are you just so far in it right now that you're not even noticing?
Jerome Chester:I'm gonna be honest with you. I'll definitely say it's the latter. You know, it's like one of those things where you don't even you can't even explain it. You kinda just do it. Like, even right now, trying to think about, like, why am I doing this so much?
Jerome Chester:Like, in a way, just trying to tell a story with my face. You know, like, in a way, my face is like a planet. And things that, represent part of my personality, I'll display on it. You know? So, yeah, I I I I really don't think about it that much.
Jerome Chester:I'll see something. I'll be inspired. I'd go, okay. Let me add this to that. We'll add this to that.
Jerome Chester:But it's it's mainly just, like I said, it's just a small self love project that kinda snowballed and see what it is today. And I can't even, like, you know, like, you know, you you you've done something for so long. And just become a part of your, it becomes a part of your, you know, what do you call it? It's like it's like second nature to you now.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Sure.
Jerome Chester:You know? So it's like every day I take a picture. And also, I remember this lady years ago told me, like, oh, yeah. I live with an artist, and they don't treat every day. So that that little thing echo in the back of my head.
Jerome Chester:Mhmm. And, like, I'm making sure I'm making something new every single day.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:It's a muscle, you know, who Yes. And when you have something, whether it be, you know, like if I I always struggle with this and I think a lot of, artists, like, noticing that difference between, like, art and creativity. Noticing that that thing between practice and sort of, like like, repetition and all. And I try to do something in in this craft, if you will, to, you know, keep it interesting, keep it curious, whether it be having a notepad on me and writing down some some questions or having some insights or even listening to, not necessarily a podcast, but something that I'm drawing something out of that ultimately finds its way into the podcast. But Yes.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:You know, I'm not recording as much, you know, now as I've recorded at really heavy times and sort of this this 5 plus years of of doing this podcast. So, yeah, doing something every day that moves that needle, that's that's a thing.
Jerome Chester:Actually, like you said, that's the muscle.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:100%. Yeah. I I gotta say this. You you were touching on faces and, yes, faces are things. So, you know, I'm glad we're able to to run it back.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And, and I and I thought about, you know, sort of beginning of this podcast early on. In the first season of this podcast, the branding and the image was a picture of me and my face of just like a mediocre photo. And I was like, yo, my hairline is looking wild. Why am I wearing that jacket? And I think you and I had that interview.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And, you
Jerome Chester:know, after we did
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:the interview and then eventually led to what has become this anonymous branding of this podcast from the initial logo to the Yes. That I've used over these these years. And I think it captures me, but also it really captures elements of your style. And I think when we talked, I don't think there was any notes that I gave you or at all. I was just like, this is great.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:This is dope. Let's move with it. And it's it's been everywhere. In fact, I did a photo shoot this morning, and the hat of yours that I bought that I still own, I still wear this hat. Right?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Yeah. I have one of the buttons with it on there, and I was like, this is so meta and Yeah. Taking the images, he was like, yo, are you a cartoon in this button wearing the hat that you're wearing the hat of? I was like, yeah, Groovy Vandal, baby.
Jerome Chester:So Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:So when you're doing when you're working in, you know, caricature or capturing someone's face, you know, when you're you're doing something visually like that or even, you know, sort of your own your own portraits, are are there things that, you know, just left open, right, that you're like, I really wanna capture this. I think this person's got great eyes or the, you know, this person's face is is this color or what have you, when you can really just, you know, stretch it out or you're trying to go with, I want this to look as much like them, but, you know, as a cartoon, it's animated or so, you know, what left to your own devices, what do you want to embellish upon? Do you wanna just keep it kinda almost realistic but still hitting that that style that you have?
Jerome Chester:Yeah. So for the most part, yeah, I do try to highlight, you know, definitely, certain parts of the person, you know, that that really stand out. But I also, in a way, kinda remind me of this graffiti documentary when the guy was, like, trying to explain, like, how to do graffiti. He's like, you wanna lose the letter, but you don't wanna lose the letter. So you wanna lose the person, but not lose the person.
Jerome Chester:So in a way, you know, like I said, this is just seeing someone do through a different lens. And that's probably that's kinda what I was trying to say earlier. Like, this is like because I believe that we're all, like, in a way dominance, very multifaceted. You know? One way, you know, we'll you know, you can see somebody this way, that way, this way, that way, that way.
Jerome Chester:I mean, I didn't got I got self portraits from all different angles. And, you know, I just wanna capture how I see somebody from that particular angle that day. But I also wanted to look like them because I've done I try to be caricatures of people, and it don't look like them. And it's like, I don't want people saying to me, like, I don't like this. You know what I mean?
Jerome Chester:That's why I say, like, I'll take my own pictures because I'm not gonna be disappointed with my own work. You know? I'm a I'm a like, you know, like, one thing where, you know, you made the food, so you're gonna eat it. You know? So but the food that I make just happen to be it it it just happened to be good as well.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I mean, as a person that does meal prep, it's like, I'm batch cooking, so you're gonna like this for the next week, my g. Like, you gotta I I I remember I remember doing an interview with Alim Smith, who who did some of the artwork for, like, season 3 or 4 of Atlanta. And Yeah. Yeah. He was talking about some of the feedback.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:It was all, you know, sort of this Afro cubism, style of him. And it was images of all of the the the cast. And Yeah. One person was like, nah, bro. You gotta redo that.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:They didn't really jam with and it's like, do that over. Do that differently. Use this picture as a result. And you don't wanna run into that. You know what I mean?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Where Yeah. Am I good at this anymore?
Jerome Chester:Yeah. Yeah. And I always that's the only the projects it's funny. That those are the projects I like to take going where people trust their vision. You know what I mean?
Jerome Chester:If I okay. I like your work, so let me work. But then, also, you have an idea of what you wanted to look like. So just tell me.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Yeah.
Jerome Chester:So that way, I don't put all this work in it, and you don't like the, the result of it. So I just that's and, yeah, that's a whole another conversation with, expectation versus reality with with, clients is crazy.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And I and I had this before moving to this next question. I I had this earlier. I was touching on sort of the, you know, the photo shoot aspect. Not just in part, I just need some new pictures. It's just like, my face looks different.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And, you know, I didn't lose my face. I didn't get into an accident, get my wire, you know, the wire jaw or anything. I just Yeah. Got my face now. And I remember the, the photographer is my my man, Tay.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:He is like, yeah. So what do you have in mind? And I was just like, yo. You I don't know how often you hear this. I was like, I like to let the person cook.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I was like, I just want this one thing that I could use this for, but whatever your vision is, and I trust in your professionalism and your eye, your your background, your skills to do it. You direct me on what to do. And I think that that in sort of all of these interviews, being comfortable with that, you know, is is important because, you know, I've had that opportunity to do some interviews and it was, like, you know, sort of a paid gig. And it was just like, hey, you know, we let you cook. Here here this is how much we're gonna pay you.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:This is what you're gonna do, and, here you go versus, you know, just kinda looking over. Like, I find when I do those interviews, like, how we're doing right now, I've had instances where someone will organize something and they wanna sit in on the interview, and I'm like, yo, am I under surveillance? Like, I'm I'm Yeah. Going
Jerome Chester:here. But Yeah. I get
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:it. You, you know, you wanna make sure that the thing is done, but it's like and these are not even things that have paid gigs. This is just, hey, you know, making sure that the brands are aligned and say, cool. Let the person cook, trust in what they do. And, you know, can you be before it's out there public, I suppose, maybe ask for, can I get, like, a preview of Verzuz, but having sort of that other person that's it's almost like a micromanager in some ways?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Mhmm. So looking back, you know, what are there some key experiences or or influences that have shaped your your artistic taste? Because I think your taste is very much your taste. I'm not when I look at your stuff, I'm like, oh, that's that's something different. That's that's that's something that looks like this person's work.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I was like, no. That's that's Jerome's, isn't it? That's that's the g v right there. And and I see that it's distinct in that way. So what was what was an experience or maybe some influences that come up that kinda help shape your your your taste, your artistic taste?
Jerome Chester:My work is a direct how do I say this? A direct, I guess, pull from everything that I've experienced in my own way. So, but I'm like so I guess you you wanna start from the beginning. I, you know, I was I was, you know, I was in influenced by the ones that, you know, came, you know I'm sorry. Let me let me no.
Jerome Chester:I've I was in in in in, thing that it thing that has shaped my artistic space is mainly the ones that came before me. So, you know, a lot of times, you know, you know, when you're a kid or whatever, you know, you listen to your whatever your siblings, mom, or uncles listen to, which is why I have an affinity for, Super Mario, 3 six mafia, Joe Scott, Eazy E, Gil Scott, Harold, Music, Soulchild, and everyone that's adjacent to those people. And, you know, from that, you know, I branched off into other things like cartoons and other artists and things like that. But, yeah. You know, it's funny.
Jerome Chester:I've never really thought of that. Like, I I can say I'm a big fan of, like, colors
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Yeah.
Jerome Chester:And people that creates their own worlds, like, world building. So, of course, Mario, Mario, Hebrew Brantley, Takashi Murakami, Vasquez, of course, Charles White, these people that actually build worlds with their work. So, that's something that I'm interested in doing right now. And it's funny it's funny because that's a part of my my show that's coming up in,
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:April. Yeah.
Jerome Chester:And I was about to say August. But I I was on the phone yeah. No. I was on the phone with a friend of mine's and, she was just like, what does the world look like to you? Yeah.
Jerome Chester:And I was saying, like, you know, it'd be nice if artists could create more. Like, if they had a little more say so with certain things, like stop signs, street signs, and things of that nature. So, a lot of my work is me reimagining these things that we take for granted. Like, one of the things that I that's funny that I'm in the in the process of making now is the orange stop sign. Because, like, I know why they chose the red one because red is supposed to be bright and grabs your attention, but orange does the same thing.
Jerome Chester:Mhmm. You know? So, like, it just just imagine a world with a orange stop sign with these different bus stops and street signs and stuff like that. So I can't wait for people to see that.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I was I was hoping the stop signs were red because they really wanted to get bulls chasing people. Like, the animal just, you know, just you know, so parade just turn Baltimore into Spain. It'll be amazing.
Jerome Chester:Oh, my good love. You're insane.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:No. That's that's that's really dope. Like, you know and I and I and I think you're you're onto something there, like, you know, capturing the the world through through your lens and then, you know, making it slightly off. And you mentioned more comedy. Absolutely.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And, you know, I I I see a lot of times when we have these things that feel like it could be a cool collaboration, like, or some insertion of art, like, why does this bus stop have to be this way? Or
Jerome Chester:Yeah.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Why does this, like, library have to have this as the aesthetic? Maybe, you know, we change the Enoch Pratt, like, the the the sign for Enoch Pratt. Maybe it has this person do it. I talked to folks in this sort of, like, in these business settings just to kinda just pitch ideas. Just not like I wanna do it and not that I wanna be involved, but I feel like a good idea is a good idea and it should be shared.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:So if someone has a very specific visual language that they work within or color palette or way do they present color, Why aren't they involved in doing some of these things? And
Jerome Chester:I Exactly.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I I see when other cities or just certain things that are kinda goofy is is a limited time, and goofy is then like, this is not gonna be for a long time and it's kinda kitsch, it's kinda cool,
Jerome Chester:but Yes.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:What are they gonna do with it? Like, in New York, I remember it was, it was something they did with maybe the metro passes at one point, and it was like they had an artist design them. I was like, that's kinda cool. I like those.
Jerome Chester:Yes.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Yeah. Please.
Jerome Chester:No. I'm just kinda even the even the graffiti, like, graffiti is not going nowhere. Y'all can y'all can crack down on it all y'all want. Mhmm. But I guess, you know, it's like one of the things, like, if you can't what is it?
Jerome Chester:You can't beat them and join them? Yeah. Make a space for them. You know? Like, even a dirt bike situation, people complaining about that, which is a big nuisance for me.
Jerome Chester:But, it's part of the culture. So you can't, you know so what you gonna do? You know, it's either you're gonna make a space for them, or you're gonna completely just annihilate the whole the whole culture that's been here for at least 50, 60 years.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:It is it in that regard? And I and I I think, again, you're you're onto something there. Like, I always you know, as an Aquarius, I I tend to go to sort of the next phase of that. Let's say using dirt bikes as an example. It's just like, alright.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:This thing that, quote, unquote, is illegal or is in this nebulous play slate space. As you said, it's been entrenched here in the culture for for a long time, and I don't know. Maybe give it sort of some space. Maybe give it sort of something that we can't have everyone doing it. Right?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:But maybe it Mhmm. Sort of league and maybe it's some sort of embracing that aspect of the culture. Like, we have some type of gamified dirt bike thing that's here. We put our stamp on it. We we own it and make it that much a Baltimore thing.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Like, we know it's part of the culture, but also we're backing this from an official standpoint.
Jerome Chester:Exactly. Like, y'all hear Preakness every year. Why you can't have a, you know, a dirt bike game?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Or even something goofier. Right? Like, hey. Yeah. You know, we had the grand prix here and, you know, that worked the way that that worked.
Jerome Chester:Yeah. They spit out yeah. Yeah. I really Uh-huh.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Uh-huh. And it's just like What the
Jerome Chester:hell is that? Doing?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And I I find before I move into this next thing, I find that we we kinda have this habit at times of we have, like, sort of what the real face is and what the face that we wanna present is. And Mhmm. I don't know if we wanna present dirt bikes in that the culture associated with it with what our external sort of public face is. I think we wanna have a a certain face that's not always indicative of the vast majority of the people who are here, if I if I'm being very honest about it. And I think that kinda leaves you and I out maybe certain things that we contribute.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Right? Hey. We'd love to have your art here. It kinda fits this, or we'd love to have you interview this person because it fits this. And we don't want the rest of it.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:You you keep the rest of it. We don't really like that.
Jerome Chester:Yeah. Yeah.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Yeah. And it's it's it's unfortunate. It's cherry picking. And yeah. You know?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:So in when I think of art, when I think of culture, I think of sort of high and low. I don't necessarily use those terms, but I think that there's differences. Right? So, like, you know, some people may look at like, I I like pop art. Right?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:We like what we like. I like pop art, but also I could enjoy an impressionism in in a in a museum or what have you. Right? And what is considered more valid than the other in in some some pot some some pockets. And I think, you know, a lot of us have these diverse palettes and it, you know, to some folks can come off as, I'm surprised.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:You I didn't know you would like that. You know about that? What Mhmm. What is your version of sort of, you know, this is high art. Like, this is wow work.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:This is this is workmanship. This is wow. You this is years of training. This is all of this different stuff. And what is something that you might consider a little bit of a lower art?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:You know, it's like really good, the same amount of training and and so on, but it's considered not as as valid. Like, I think, like, when someone's, acting on stage, right, it's considered a higher version of acting than someone acting in a movie. I think that's what I'm kinda touching on there. So what comes to mind in your universe, your world, as it relates to maybe a higher version of art versus a lower version of art?
Jerome Chester:I think that, you know, you kinda say it. I mean, you kinda touched on it. I I think the the craft you can't lie through the craft. You know what I mean? You can get people to do things for you, write, or teach you stuff.
Jerome Chester:But the work is gonna speak for itself. So, I mean, I think everybody to some, you know, aspect can tell the difference between when like like for example, there's a artist that I follow. Well, I don't follow them, but I see them from time to time. They do, I think it's like 5 it it it might I think it's like 30 seconds, 5 minutes, a hour and like 10 hours or something like that. Like you can tell, you know, between, each sketch how long these things took.
Jerome Chester:And like like I said, you can't lie with the work. Like like like the work is gonna speak. But I guess, you know, on a more PC side of it, I just, I would just say, like, how art in a way comes from people, you know, that thinks highly of themselves and no art comes from the ones that doesn't. You know what I mean? Because, you know, so many people, you know, we got these critics and things like that that put in the place to say what is and what isn't.
Jerome Chester:But Mhmm. I think mainly, like, you know, we're the ones that put value on it, which is why you'll see people selling clothing for this amount versus this amount.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Yeah.
Jerome Chester:But, like, you'll see somebody like, you'll see Louis Vuitton who's had about so many years in the game and all these different, like, accolades. Well, okay. That makes sense because Louis Vuitton. But this person who I've never heard of shouldn't be coming out selling their stuff for $1,000. But, like, can we give out or, like, you know what I mean?
Jerome Chester:Can't we name our own prices? You know? Like, don't I get a say on what is the value of my work? So
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Yeah. No. Yeah. It it's true. And, you know, there's a validity to it.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:You know, we're talking a little bit earlier be before we got the mics on about sort of what I do here and what other folks do. And it's just like, alright. You know, I factor in the market. I factor in research. I factor in these things, and, you know, other people may not do that.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:They may just throw out their well, I feel like I should get this, or, yeah, I'm a little behind on this this bill if I can charge if I can charge this. And that's and that's all valid. But Mhmm. I I find, like, that level of sort of appreciation and respect. It's just like, well, this person does this and this you're touching on.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:If you're saying, like, the price is the price or the value of it is the value of it. I don't go out and say, as a audio professional with this many years and this many hours going in, this is how I'm breaking down what my price is. I'm like, this is just what that is. If it fits into what you're doing, cool. And if it doesn't, that's also cool.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And, you know, I find that that's sort of what it is. But when I'm doing something or if I'm you know, people reach out for consulting and things of that nature, somehow what I might bring is less value than what they bring, and that's where that sort of high art, low art, that value thing comes in. And And it's just like, well, I've been I'm almost at 2 decades. You've been doing this for 2 weeks. So it's just like, what are what are we doing here?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:It's just like trust the person knows what they're they're doing or have you. And sometimes it might look out. You might have one of these wild budgets that's really high and the person's like, well, this is what I want. This is what I feel is fair. And they may already factor in sort of the sliding scale thing or what I do a lot is just like, alright.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Do I not do I like what you do, you know, as an entity? Do I respect what you do? Is this a one off? Is this an ongoing thing? And then based on that, but it's it's consideration and all that goes in.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:But I think the the it starts off with, do you respect what is being done here? Like
Jerome Chester:Yeah.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:This isn't something I'm trying to do, something short form, and here's your 32nd gotcha clips around. Like, yeah, I got Groovy Vandals saying, wow, this thing on this podcast. Stay tuned. I don't do that. I'm trying to have, like, an insightful conversation and getting insights from.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:You know what I mean? Mhmm. It Absolutely. It's a little bit more value and and rigor to what's there and you know? But this kinda goes into this actual next question.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Like, when I'm thinking through, like, sharing this podcast, like, online, it feels similar to, I think, what some visual artists have have said, some some ones I've talked to, and posting their work on, like, Instagram or what have you. It's great. Right? It's great for exposure, but then it's that that also that passive criticism, like, not getting enough likes, not getting enough shares or engagement. And Mhmm.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I think we we kinda like you know, we value some semblance of support, like, oh, that's really good work. Or, hey, where can I buy, you know, that piece? Do you are you selling, you know, prints? Or do you have that as a t shirt? Or whatever the thing might be.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Or where can I see your show? But I think I value the feedback from folks that I think are in sort of the lane or in a community that I'm, you know, trying to serve or that are of the industry that are like media professionals, what have you. I value that. I value the journalists as well as I think it resonates a bit more deeply because, for for lack of a better term, I think they get it. And, you know, when I'm out here in the city and then, you know, see somebody in the streets, they're like, yo, Rob.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I'm like, hey, man. What's going on? And spark up a conversation. That feels good. Like, the engagement or and the sort of IRL engagement and an engagement from, you know, folks that, quote, unquote, get it feels feels really good.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:How do you feel about sort of when you get that that support, that acknowledgement of, you know, you do great work. I love your work.
Jerome Chester:Mhmm.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:How do you how do you engage with that? How do you balance it from what feels like the social media thing that sort of instant, like, hit versus when someone recognizes you or recognizes your work in the streets?
Jerome Chester:Man, I think that the reaction from it, is like you can you can tell when people like well, okay. I the authenticity of the reaction. Like, so I've had people that's been following my work. Like for example, I was at, an event some years ago and people some people will really treat you like, like a star. So they'll be like, man, oh my god.
Jerome Chester:I love your work. I've been following you for so many years. They'll point out certain projects and all this other stuff. And then then, you know, you'll have some people that'll be like, oh, it's nice or whatever. But I think the the reaction that I get from from these people, like it all like I said, that's kinda how I gauge it.
Jerome Chester:I've had people, like, so I I did something some years ago. I called it this the, the bombing of Lake Montebello. Yeah. Where I, like, stick a bomb Lake Montebello and, you know, just for a few different reasons. But, I I still got people to this day that kinda comes up to me and, like, you know, like, oh, you're that guy that did that.
Jerome Chester:Like, I didn't think it was a big thing. Yeah. You know, but people still recognize me from that. But versus, like, when it's coming from somebody like a like a journalist, like you said, you know, it's it's there are people that get it. They know the language.
Jerome Chester:And, they understand it more, you know, a little more deeply. But I can honestly say I like them equally, but I know once this person is getting paid to to do this and what this other person is is showing love.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Yeah.
Jerome Chester:You know? But but, you know, for professional recognitions, it does it is cool because sometimes they come wrapped up in a little bowl. You know, like, it has, like, really nice packaging, you know, where, like, you know, they'll give you, like, you know, a little a little spread, you know, have a little photo shoot and all of that. It's nice it's nice to have that.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:At night, I agree with that. That's that's that's really true. And, you know, when I when I do this and I have people come on, I don't have everybody on, you know, despite what some people might believe. I don't and especially with this sort of series, like, I'm going back through very intentionally as, like, not wanna talk to this person again. It Mhmm.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:It's that.
Jerome Chester:And I
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:don't I don't tell someone, you should be honored to be back on here. No. Absolutely not. But Yeah. It is there's a genuineness in it.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:There's a genuineness in everything that I I attempt to do because, you know, as I I was saying earlier, this is this is a labor of love and it takes a lot of time and attention. And I'm always appreciative of anyone, 1, listening, 2, deciding to, like, show up and be engaged in it because it's, you know, for some folks, it's it's it's one of the few times they'd even asked about their work and asked about, like, so where are you at now? Where are you progressing?
Jerome Chester:Yeah.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And I'll say it's a thing that I've kinda been very curious about. So, you know, it's Baltimore or small tomorrow. Right? You know, we couldn't we couldn't when we initially talked, I was like, where you live at bro? And it's like, y'all live up the street.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:It's like, where?
Jerome Chester:Literally on like that. Like, you live on the next block. Like, I was like, that is scary.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And I I share that with folks when, they they might ask about sort of, you know, logo, they might ask about just, you know, where'd you get that hat from? I I always wear the the hat I got, at Comic Conventions because I was like, yo, I was got a Game Boy on here. I was like, I kinda gotta do this. Right? And Yeah.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I think when it comes to Baltimore, we're always 1, maybe 2 people removed from knowing somebody. It's like,
Jerome Chester:nah, I
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:know you. Yeah. And I found that despite it being so close to proximity being there, friendship, I I found, is very hard to to build out creatively. There's sort of the clicks things and so on. And and I've been going back into death of the artist and sort of how collaboration happens, but friendship is a is a piece of it, I think.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And in the sort of pockets I've been in, there are, you know, clicks, there are niches and all of this stuff, but, you know, I come with a open mind to look towards friendship and see, like, oh, can we work together again or can I be of service of this person maybe at a later date, especially if we had a really cool conversation? I was like, oh, we have some some things in common. You like chocolate chips? I like chocolate chips too. So what do you value when you you have those those friendships and how do you strive to be from this creative context, meet meeting folks through this sort of creative world, in this artistic world.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:How do you, like, what do you value in friendships, and what do you strive to bring as a as a friend in sort of this realm? Because it's it's a weird realm sometimes because there's a combination of compete competition. Yeah. All of that stuff.
Jerome Chester:I think that, something that I value is just people being thorough, man. Like, people ain't thorough, bro. Like and, you know, of course, you know, thorough means to be honorable. Yeah. And people just, I'm I'm I'm I'm sorry.
Jerome Chester:Can I cuss some of these? Please. Yeah. Well, people just dick riders. Like, they just they'll, like, they'll and I've noticed that with a lot of artists.
Jerome Chester:They'll do that. Like, they'll they'll try to jump on somebody else, like like, blow a, like, bandwagon. Like, oh, I see this person going up. Let me try to befriend them. But, like, people that are just authentic.
Jerome Chester:Like, people that would just show up to your show without you asking them. Yeah. You know, people that'll just reach out, hey. How you doing? You know, I value, communication and consideration.
Jerome Chester:Like, you ain't gotta answer the phone every time. Or, you know, like, this like, I just get back to me. Like, people just be acting weird. And what what artists I know niggas is I mean, I mean, people are already weirdos. Yeah.
Jerome Chester:Yeah. So because I I know I'm 1. So I just I stayed to myself. Like, I used to like, I was thinking about I was going through some pictures Yeah. In my phone, and I was, like, looking at, like, I kinda missed this guy from 2016, 2017.
Jerome Chester:He was, like, just so green. He wanted to be friends with every artist he come across. Yeah. But the guy who I am today, nah, he knows You stay stay the fuck away from them over here. Like, do your own shit.
Jerome Chester:Like, come back because I'm telling you that, like, the people who gonna rock with it, they gonna come. And and what I've been doing these past couple of years is standing on my own island. And and, you know, with my with my work and and they coming, you know, and and they coming in drives and roads too. Like, you know, not to my own, but they they they coming. But back when I was trying to, like, seek out friendships and things like that, people wasn't really messing with me like that.
Jerome Chester:You know? But but yeah. I like I said, I don't wanna get into, like, nothing too crazy, but these these niggas over here used to be dick ride. And they and and they'll sit up there and they'll sit up there and try to, like, be right in other people's ways. Like, it's certain people you ain't never gonna see them by themselves.
Jerome Chester:Mhmm. You'll see every time they in pictures every time they in pictures and stuff like that, they'll be next to somebody that's, like, getting a lot of, like, looks. But, like, I don't see what are you doing alone? Like, you know what I mean?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:What what is that is that saying or have you like I I know I'm paraphrasing it or butchering it, but sort of the familiarity breeds resentment or have you or breeds contempt. Mhmm. And I try to make myself sparse. So if I show up to somebody's thing, it's like, I rock with you each in in in the thing that I run into, you've seen me. Right?
Jerome Chester:Yeah. I've seen you so many different places. I'm
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I'm not a little guy is sort of my point. I'm an individual. So if someone who's talked to me, seen me in person looks like, yo, who's this giant, giant man with the squinty eyes? It's just like, oh, that's Rob right there. But I find the folks that I've talked to in here, this is my collaborative art project.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Right? And they are like, they don't even know me. And I was like, yo. So cool. But then at the same
Jerome Chester:time, people
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:reach out to me. Yo.
Jerome Chester:So I got this
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:really, you know, interesting opportunity. Now I'm not really interested in interesting. And it's it's sort of a thing and but I find, and I've seen this at things like if someone invites me out, that's sort of my rule, right? If someone invites me personally, I don't want the group message, I don't want the, have that if we have that cell phone connectivity, right, there's Mhmm. You know, 800 plus interviews, that's probably a handful of people that actually have my personal line.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:That means you actually have a relationship with me.
Jerome Chester:And Yeah.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:If you reach out to me via sort of the group thing and you have my personal info, nah. I'm gonna show up. But if you reach out to me directly, and I've had folks that are like, yo. I'm doing a show in state. They don't live in state anymore, but they're doing a show in state.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:They hit me like it's kind of the context. Yo, Rob, doing this at, you know, this place. I'm like, yo. This is 9 AM. Cool.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I'm gonna show up because I wanna show support. They reminded me of this. This is great. Mhmm. I try to show up as you you touched on, you know, keeping it thorough, showing up, being there, and being about what you say.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:But to your Yeah. Earlier on in this thing, I was it wasn't I was saying yes to everything because sometimes weird as I'm very discerning. Right? I don't I don't be liking people. But Yeah.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:The folks that I do like, I'm invested in their career, I'm invested in their work, and I'm invested in their well-being. So, you know, there are folks I talk to, like, yeah, what do you think about this new work? I'm working on this. I was like, alright. Cool.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Let me, you know, give you some feedback, an honest, like, real feedback. Or and I think that comes from sort of being friends, being friendly, having that sort of connection. And Mhmm. You don't build that by, yo, I showed up and I liked a few of your pictures. What?
Jerome Chester:Mhmm.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:So it's it I don't know. It's
Jerome Chester:Oh my god. Look. I co build. I'm I'm sorry to cut you off, but I it's so funny because I thought somebody I thought somebody was my friend. Right?
Jerome Chester:I thought I thought we was, like, really, like, good friends. We would just they would come to show. You know, I would try to come to things that they was at, but, you know, I know this is gonna sound, like, very, like, petty. But I just I say like like, they like, they just they be I don't know. People be acting weird.
Jerome Chester:That's what I'm saying. Like, I'll I'll I'm a just say this because I ain't gonna get too deep as well. But I will see somebody, like and I'll see this person in every single person comments.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Yeah.
Jerome Chester:But mine. Sucking dick in every comment but mine. Like, bro, this is I thought he was friends. I thought he was friends. I'm like, oh, okay.
Jerome Chester:I I get it. I get it. It's like, people don't really mess with you like how you think they do, but I tell you, like, it's And and then no moments that come Yeah. And you'll be like, damn, was any of it real? Right.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I mean Was any of
Jerome Chester:it real? Like, it's kinda crazy.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And, you know, as your as your your your arts and culture podcaster, I'm not gonna be at all the events, you know, wearing my suit popping up, you know, to echo Oh, no. Making it about me. Alright. Alright. Here's here's the last real question I have, and I got a few rapid fire questions for you because I gotta keep those rolling.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:But the the the sort of last one I have would would invite you to share, 2 things with me. 1, you know, we always talk about sort of the wins. Right? And we talk about how we got there, what we had to learn because that's closer to to failure or something that was a roadblock. So if you will, could you, you know, tell us one thing you learned from a professional failure and one thing you've learned from a professional triumph?
Jerome Chester:That's the professional failure list is long. But to the to the artist, I say, you know, which is something I learned from a graphic, fellow graphic designer, get a contract for everything, even the smallest projects since we can see your comfortability. Because people will try to get over in any in any way they can, they will. You know what I mean? Like, get your if you can, get your money upfront.
Jerome Chester:Because people try to play with that back end stuff and not only do that. And make people pay for your time. Like, people will come around, pick your brain Mhmm. Ask you for prices and ghost you. Like, I can't tell you how many times that has happened to me.
Jerome Chester:Like, I would say, like, if the amount of people that actually follow through when they inquire about some work for me, like, work would be I mean, art would be my it would it would be my full time job. I I I would I can make a a very decent living. Yeah. But people come to my DMs all the time. Like, I don't know.
Jerome Chester:I say all. I mean, all the time. Hey. Could you do this? Could you do that?
Jerome Chester:Could you do this? Could you do that? And then like, I knew I had somebody to invite me out and try to make it seem like we were friends just to pick my brain. Oh, where do you get this made at? Where do you get this made at?
Jerome Chester:You know, how do you do this? How do you do that? And not until after, I felt like I got got. I'm like, oh, that was weird. I thought he was just, like, you know, I thought we you were just inviting me out.
Jerome Chester:Like, just to, you know, you know, like, just to have, you know, just I want some artist stuff, but now they and it's like one of the things that you don't realize what's happening. Like, I didn't know at that time, I didn't know how to navigate, you know, my way out of it. So I kinda just answered every question until it was over. But I felt like I felt I felt like I got I got gotten in. So now nowadays, you know, on a professional manner, I make people pay I make people pay for my time.
Jerome Chester:Yeah. If you got any question to ask me or anything like that, you know, we can figure it out.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Yeah. It's it's a thing that I'm, you know, that I think about with this and, like, for those who don't know and don't get it, I I don't charge people to be on here and not told that, oh, you should charge people. And it's, like, that's that's fine or but there is work that goes into this. Like, I don't just come up Mhmm. And so, Jerome, tell me about work.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:It's like, what? They they're starting. There's time and there's research that goes into to these questions. There's a couple hours before we even get to an interview. You know what I mean?
Jerome Chester:Yeah. Mhmm.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And then there's time and attention that's put towards even the post production and the production, all of that. That's the full cycle. And Yes. You know, I've been told the whole, hey. You should, you know, add ads to your thing.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And I was like, that I feel like that lessens the story because it's not Yes. Here and attention. But at the same time, I, you know, don't have folks saying, yo, definitely check out my episode. Hell, when I put the thing out on, like, the clips or even the image of the episode is up on Instagram, I'll reach out, you know, the whole collaborate collaboration link? Left Mhmm.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Left on red all the time. And I'm this is your interview. You literally came on and talked about your work for, you know, an hour or what have you and tried to be interesting for hour, whatever the thing was. And I I think that that's interesting, but you get get a point. You know, when it comes to, you know, sort of the the the time thing, you should be paid for your time.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:So when I Mhmm. Show in, you know, some of these entities. Right? When it's an individual, it's just like, yo, we're on the same level. If you can't see that, that's on you.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:You know? Mhmm. When it comes to some of these entities that are like, hey, man, Rob, you know, really would love for you to nah. This sounds exposure y. You know?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Mhmm. How can we turn this into a contract? And as soon as I start mentioning, as you touched on, a contract or something, left on red. I'm like, cool. Let's cut to the chase.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I really to the chase, and I've had TV stuff. I've had radio stuff that hit that same sort of level, and I'm like, yo, you just gassing me up, but you really want me to help you move. That's all. You want me to help you move into your place in Owens Mills? That's what Oh, that was how that was, man.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Well, let me let me go back into to because I wanna hit you with these rapid fire ones, before we wrap up. So I got 3 of them for you.
Jerome Chester:Yes.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And don't overthink these as I tell everyone. What is your preferred greeting? And I I have I have a couple that come to mind, but, you know, I'll let you throw up, but these are ones that have a money. What's up, good brother? What's good, man?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I I like that one. Hey, bro.
Jerome Chester:I hate that. Don't call me no big man. Don't call me no big man, bro. Oh, big man?
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Like, yeah. Yeah. What's your preferred one?
Jerome Chester:The chief? Good brother. Good brother is good. But I know when people, respond to me a certain way, I can sell what they want. You know?
Jerome Chester:Uh-huh. So I was like, oh, you want something? Oh, I I you know. Yeah. So but yeah.
Jerome Chester:You know, good brother or, you know, beloved you you could call me handsome, you know, for a woman on. Of course.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I I've I've I've had the one, Peace fan. I was like, alright. You got it. What we what we need, man? But when someone hits me with the grand rising, yeah, or something like that Oh my god.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:When they throw king at me, I'm like, alright, what do you need?
Jerome Chester:Get out my face with the grand rising. What,
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:here's the next one. What are three colors you always work with?
Jerome Chester:Because you're a colors guy.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:You're a colors guy.
Jerome Chester:Sunburst yellow, orange, and I've been using a lot of, like, dark browns for the outline of my, designs.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Tight. Tight. Mhmm. And this is the last one I got for you because I'm always curious. Like I said, I'm I'm invested in what people's lives are like.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:How many how many hours of sleep do you get on a on a on a break?
Jerome Chester:Like, 5 or 6.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:Same.
Jerome Chester:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I got a lot going on in my life.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:So
Jerome Chester:you know, I was I say kitty's kitty is alright.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I hear you. Luckily, I don't have that. I just have to, like, run around the gym. I've just that's all I got. That's all I got.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:So you're early before the kids. I'm dealing with kids too, but it's the kids that are in the gym trying to use the bench press.
Jerome Chester:When I'm in there, I'm trying to use the bench press.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:I was like, you little broccoli heads need to get out of the way. Old man pod is here, and I gotta hit this weight. So that's actually that's actually all I got for you today. So there's 2 things I'd like to do, before we wrap up here. 1, I wanna thank you so much for coming back onto the podcast and being a part of this journey as we continue.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And, if you will hit those folks again with those details for socials and the upcoming show in April, the floor is yours.
Jerome Chester:Yeah. Follow me on Instagram at the groovy vandal, t h e g r o o v y v a n d a l. You could follow me, I'm sorry. You can go to my website if you if you like to purchase anything. That is groovy's corner store dot big cartel dot com, which is the link in my bio.
Jerome Chester:And me, me, and April at my next solo art show at the Alchemy of Art.
Rob Lee - Truth In This Art:And there you have it, folks. I wanna again thank Jerome Chester, the Groovy Vandal, for coming back on to the podcast and sharing a bit of his updates and his story as it continues. And for the Groovy Vandal, 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.
