We recently connected with Christopher Batten and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Christopher, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
I would say my resilience comes from a few sources. First, my mother’s insistence upon being herself at all times has greatly influenced the development of resilience within me. She does not engage in gossip, attempt to “keep up with Joneses”, or egregiously brag about her children. As a result, I have watched her be erroneously viewed as being “stuck up”, when she really just prides herself in rising above anything that is petty. Next, I was fortunate to be presented with a lot of my family’s history while growing up. My ancestors overcame some amazing odds to lead good lives and accomplish great things. There’s even a photograph of my maternal great-great-grandmother participating in one of Dr. King’s marches while being confined to a wheelchair. I’ve learned that if my ancestors could keep going despite unfavorable odds, I definitely can do the same. Last, I’ve been studying martial arts (with my dad as my principal instructor) since I was eight years old. Being injured, tired, or down and still having to defend yourself can definitely teach you a ton about resilience.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am both an art educator and professional artist. I see those veins of my career as being pivotal elements of my growth as a creative and human being. Watching my students solve problems creatively presents me with so many options for addressing issues that arise when I’m in the studio. It also helps to know that I could be inspiring someone to pursue their dreams, as some of my teachers/professors did for me. I was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and the hard-working qualities of the people who surrounded me, definitely fueled my drive to become better and better. I relocated to Baltimore, Maryland in 2015 (where I currently live and work) to attend the graduate painting program at the Maryland Institute College of Art. While there, I developed a keen interest in abstraction, and started to experiment with it during my second year of grad school. That interest evolved into me wanting to explore the space between abstraction and representation. I’m very excited about the place my practice currently resides, where I’m making work that possesses both abstract and representational qualities. As of late, I’ve made pieces that address aspects of my family history and the impact familial relationships (and interpersonal relationships in general) have on the people we eventually become.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
For me, resiliency, learning how to count my own blessings, and discipline have been the most impactful on my journey. Over the years, I’ve realized that failure is definitely something that we’ll experience a lot in life. To develop resilience, I believe one must learn to see the lessons in their failures, and make adjustments accordingly. Next, I think it’s very normal in this age of social media to compare and contrast our lives with the lives of others (whether they’re friends or strangers). When we do that, I feel like its really easy to overlook the amazing things we have going on in our own lives. Though I’m not signed to a blue chip gallery, I am represented by a gallery that supports the evolution of my practice. I’ve also been fortunate to have exhibited work at international art fairs. Though a small group, I have collectors who encourage me through their support as well. Learning to appreciate the opportunities I’ve had and the very loving family/friends I have around me has definitely kept me going. One may just be starting their career by (for example) showing their work in a local coffee shop, but realize there are people who may never get such an opportunity. I’m sure it would be nice to be having a show at the Whitney or Gagosian right now, but I’ve learned to be happy with the opportunities I’ve had and maintain hope for those to come. Last, I believe discipline has played a pivotal role on my journey. I draw, study art history, examine what’s happening in the contemporary, and research opportunities on almost a daily basis. I do these things whether I feel like doing them or not. That development of will power is essential.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
The Secret Science, by John Baines has played a very important role in my development. Baines speaks of our need to feel a sense of accomplishment and a simple way of satisfying that need by creating a “to do” list on a daily basis. Whether it’s crossing off taking my garbage out or applying for an artist residency, I make sure to feel like I’ve accomplished something each day. Moreover, he talks about the need to cultivate a strong will. I’ve gotten pretty far by realizing that doing what I absolutely have to do is a non-negotiable in terms of progressing in life. Last, Baines discusses the impact the types of individuals we surround ourselves with, has on our lives. He cautions individuals to avoid surrounding oneself with those who lack self-control, a strong will, or have a negative outlook on love/life. I’ve become very careful with choosing those who I associate with. I highly encourage individuals who are early on their journeys to do the same.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.cbatten.com
- Instagram: @cbattenart
