Meet Jerry Hernandez

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jerry Hernandez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jerry below.

Jerry, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

Growing up I had pretty good self-esteem, but when it came to my art I was not as confident. It wasn’t until my early 20’s that I decided to start painting. Back then there wasn’t internet so I got my inspiration by watching PBS art programs. I would spend hours watching artists create their masterpieces and observing their techniques. One day I decided to take the plunge and bought a bunch of art supplies. I started right away with oil paint and that is still my medium preference. My family would tell me how well I was doing but it wasn’t until I took a few to my office that I gained the confidence I have today. My coworkers commented on how beautiful my paintings were and then asked who the artist was. They were so surprised when they found out it was me! Some of them immediately told me, “you should sell your art!” Another asked, “What are you doing working here? You should be a full time artist.” Shortly after, I sold my first painting and my confidence grew stronger. Not long after that, I started dating my now wife Rochelle. One day, she surprised me with a new easel and a bunch of art supplies. She was going out of town, and thought that would a great time for me to work on my skills. My wife is very particular so when she told me she was very impressed with my paintings, it meant a lot. I continued to do my art when I had time, but it wasn’t until I retired from my position in the government sector that I was able to do it full time. Now creating my art is an everyday occurrence. I am living my dream job and selling art internationally. What a confidence builder!

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am a professional artist, born and raised in New Mexico, and specializing in oil paintings. I create original landscape art inspired by nature. I have been fortunate to grow up surrounded by the diverse landscapes of New Mexico, with it enchanting skies, high desert plains, mountain towns, and unique rock formations. I paint on black canvas as it brings out the vibrancy of the colors I use, making them pop and eye-catching. Often people are moved by the beauty of my paintings because they bring back a memory of a special person or a special place they have been to. Sometimes I use reference photos but most of the time I am inspired by areas I have visited. Occasionally my art is created purely from an image of a place that I’ve imagined. No matter what inspires me, I lose myself in the moment while creating my paintings. I’ve often explained it as an out of body experience. Since I retired from a job in local government, I have dedicated my time to doing my art full time. There is rarely a day that I don’t paint. A few years ago, I decided to sell my art to a broader market and started an Etsy shop as well as created a greater social media presence. This has led to sales locally, across the nation and internationally. What a boost of confidence! It affects me deeply to know that collectors from all over the world love my art. I have also been honored to have several solo exhibits in our region. My website is getting ready to relaunch with a new look so I’m excited to see how that enhances my international presence and audience. I am also working on creating a shop on Artfinder.

When I was a young boy, I would watch my father draw. He would draw cartoons figures for me and I wanted to learn how to do the same. He taught me his techniques and it inspired to create even more. When I was a little older, my mother took me to a gallery in the local mall. She was looking at a painting and the salesperson shined a light on it to demonstrate how the image would change with the different lighting. This began my fascination with oil paintings. At first I sketched simple pictures but then advanced to detailed images of animals, people and nature. In my early 20’s, I decided to give painting a chance. Artists on PBS and other television channels inspired me to learn how to paint. Right away I knew I wanted to use oil paint because the colors were more vibrant and easier to blend. Even though I painted different images, I quickly decided I loved to paint landscapes and other natural settings. Initially I only created paintings of mountains, trees and bodies of water, but have now I broadened my topics to all types of images. Currently water has been a big influence on my art. Oceans, droplets, underwater scenery, beaches, and water reflections are seen quite a bit in my recent collection. I have also enjoyed painting national parks and monuments as well as florals, sunsets and structural images like bridges including the Golden Gate Bridge, cityscapes and rustic buildings. In my career as an artist, I am very open to trying new things.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

One of the first qualities I think is very important is being able to take a chance on yourself and being vulnerable. It is not easy to share your art because you never know how people will react. Even after all these years of being an artist, I am still a little nervous before an exhibit or sharing a new painting on social media. Also having this ability has allowed me to start my own shop and interact with other artists. Another key quality is dedication to your craft. It is very rare someone can pick up a paint brush and immediately create a masterpiece. It is important to make time to learn new techniques and refine current ones, discover how your paint moves on canvas, how to mix colors, and mostly dedicating time to practice, practice and more practice. Part of this of this process is learning when to stop painting. Lastly, I think humility is an important quality. It humbles me greatly when I hear or read comments of people praising my art, or the fact that individuals love my paintings so much that they purchase them for their collections. When responding to inquiries, preparing my paintings for shipping or checking in with customers afterwards, I try to put myself in their place and take care in my actions.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

As an artist, I was never really concerned about the business side of things. My wife Rochelle and my daughter Alexa have helped me overcome the challenges of starting a business. My wife has a strong background in sales and marketing, so she has been instrumental in assisting me in these areas. She created my first website, pushed me to create social media accounts and keeps me on top of my taxes, haha. My daughter is very creative and great with technology, so she keeps me up to speed in those areas. She has created my exhibit announcements, edits my art prints and assists with photography and website upkeep. Currently my website is being upgraded, and she is doing a lot of the design for the relaunch. I would not have been able to start selling my art through so many channels without the support the two of them provide .

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jerryhernandezart.com
• Instagram: @jerryhernandezart
• Facebook: @jerryhernandezart
• Other: Etsy Shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/JerryHernandezArt
  TikTok @jerryhernandezart