Photo from Jerami Dean Goodwin
In this interview with Grace Guerra, Jerami Dean Goodwin discusses his beginnings as a graffiti artist in New York City reflecting on his dedication to artistry and his deep appreciation for the city's vibrant culture. From friendships with local artists to experimentation with other art forms, Jerami shares his philosophy and the impact of community engagement on art in New York City.
Grace Guerra: Let’s start with your studio practice. How do you work?
Jerami Dean Goodwin: Broad, broad strokes. That is a loaded question. My studio practice is about creating no matter my circumstance. I don’t have a studio dedicated to making art. So, I make art. where and when I can. I maintain a pretty disciplined practice of creating wherever and whenever. Now I'm making a bunch of 11 by 14 inch oil paintings because that's what I'm able to make right now with the space that I'm in.
Graffiti artwork by Jerami Dean Goodwin
Grace Guerra: What is your philosophy?
Jerami Dean Gooodwin: I feel like it's my duty to execute things as well as I can. Even if it's like cooking eggs or sweeping the floor or anything like that, I want to do it in the best way that I can, and I think there's an art to all of those things. Or even speak, or even walk; walking into a room the way you carry yourself, I think art is all of those things and everything for me should be done with purpose. Art needs to be contemplated and there's definitely a lot of thought that goes into things. It's not to say that it's thoughtless, it's my nature, it's in my DNA and I try to execute any task that I'm doing artfully as I can.
Grace Guerra: I want to discuss more about your role in public art. You moved to New York City in 2008 to pursue graffiti art. How has Graffiti influenced your work? How did New York City and its environment affect you as an artist?
“ I did graffiti every day. I went everywhere and wouldn't come home until I had emptied all my cans.”
Jerami Dean Goodwin: I had my graffiti name “Staino” and I just wanted it to be known. When I was 14, seeing the movie Sky Wars (1983) completely rocked my world and changed the entire trajectory of my life. And seeing that movie, it romanticized New York in such a way that I had this compulsion and obsession to be a part of that culture. So that's what I did. I did graffiti every day. I went everywhere and wouldn't come home until I had emptied all my cans. A few years after doing that, I started realizing that people were seeing my tags. I would go to an art show and someone asked me, like, what do I write, I would say, I write “Staino”. They told me they had seen my tags. It just gave me this great feeling. I was meeting other graffiti artists who were visual artists as well, making paintings. I was good friends with Lance De Los Reyes also known as “Rambo.” Visiting Rambo’s studio for the first time had that same effect as the Sky Wars (1983) movie. It was my first real experience with fine art. He was in this abandoned building in Soho and when the elevator doors opened, I remember these amazing paintings that inspired me to more formally become an artist.
Jerami Dean Goodwin
Untitled #1 (White)
Acrylic on canvas
60 x 48 inches
Grace Guerra: I was born and raised in New York City, so I've always been surrounded by graffiti art. Learning about how you started with graffiti, but then transferred over to oil painting is a huge transformation. I think for artists in general being able to switch up techniques and test out new styles and niches is important.
“New York really has everything. There are so many people here and so much opportunity which is the most inspiring part to me. You just never know who you might meet and what you might end up doing on the day to day in New York City”
Jerami Dean Goodwin: Yes, it was very eye opening and inspiring again to see that you could be both a graffiti artist while also having a completely separate art practice aside from that to make oil paintings and do still life. Also, Jesse Edwards was a big influence on me. We were neighbors. He is an amazing still life painter who was represented by big names in the fine art world. I reflect all the time on how lucky I am to know amazing artists and be friends with them. Having spent time in New York and meeting all these people through graffiti has led to a desire to make fine art and a natural evolution. Graffiti is cool, but it’s like a fish in a fish bowl. You can only do so much in graffiti but if you want to express yourself in another way, then you can do this other thing. For me as an artist, I don't like to be labeled as anything. To me, I'm just an artist. And if I want to do performance art or sculpture or pottery or graffiti or whatever it is all just a vehicle and a lane of expression for whatever I'm feeling at the time because I want to do it all. You know, I want to make music. I want to do pottery. I want to make. I have so many ideas for things that I want to do. The only thing in between me and that is time.
Graffiti artwork by Jerami Dean Goodwin
Grace Guerra: I love to hear when people appreciate New York City. I was born and raised here. I love it. It's my home. So, I love how it helped you cultivate your artistic passion.
Jerami Dean Goodwin: Oh my gosh. Yeah. I grew up in Atlanta and I have a lot of love for Atlanta, but New York is definitely my home. I resonate and identify with New York just so much more than I do Atlanta. And that's not to take anything away from Atlanta because I had a great experience there but New York really has everything. There are so many people here and so much opportunity which is the most inspiring part to me. You just never know who you might meet and what you might end up doing on the day to day in New York City.