Meet Jaxon Northon

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

Hi Jaxon, great to have you with us today and excited to have you share your wisdom with our readers. Over the years, after speaking with countless do-ers, makers, builders, entrepreneurs, artists and more we’ve noticed that the ability to take risks is central to almost all stories of triumph and so we’re really interested in hearing about your journey with risk and how you developed your risk-taking ability.

I think, fortunately, I came to the realization quite young that I would have a hard time in life if I didn’ t take the risks that would lead to a more mentally and emotionally fufilling life. I was very, very shy as a little kid but growing up in Reno, Nevada and the mountains and the desert and all that affords (sports, lakes, motorcycles, things to jump off of and into…) allowed me to realize that when i literally stepped or skied off that cliff life got much more exciting. It also developed in me a, I think, healthy death-wish that made a life that didnt take bravery and risk to live it seem revolting to me. Maybe it also had something to do with Reno being a gambling town. Who knows? But, I had always been fascinated with drawing people growing up and when I approached adulthood I found myself realizing that I wanted to spend my life making art. Or, perhaps ‘needed’ to spend my life making art is a more appropriate way to put it. Being the over-thinker that I am, I realized what kind of sacrifices a life like that would take, and I was down. I very clearly remember making a decision around 20 years old that I was going to paint people for the rest of my life and I have never gone back on it. It hasnt neccesarily paid off in any financially stable sense, but I have lived an incredible, satisfying, eventful and emotionally full life up to this point. And I’m still very excited about my future at 45 years old. But then again, a lot of this could have to do with a dentist’s error also around the the age of 20 that basically gave me mad-hatters disease for the next 20 years of my life. Looney-Tooth. The jury is still out on it all, I suppose.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I paint, in oils, highly rendered, realistic portraits of people that I meet in bars, on the street, or through word of mouth. I gravitate toward subjects that aren’t typically represented in traditional portraiture. I paint these humans in an attempt to understand for myself what it means to be a human and to attempt to answer the unanswerable question of why I’m here. I am fascinated with rendering and squeezing out every drop of detail in the subject’s features – wrinkles, scars, blemishes and all. I really enjoy telling a unique story around each subject through added visual elements and symbols and backgrounds. My intent being to articulate the idea that even though we face the terrifying thought that we may be just one, sometimes seemingly pointless member of a multitude of billions and billions of people that have walked this planet, we are each still a specific and unique individual. The act of painting a portrait thus asserts the subject’s importance and place in this world, and by proxy, our importance and place in this world. It’s a way to shout, “I AM HERE! I didn’t ask to be here. I dont know why I ‘m here, but I AM HERE.”

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

First, I guess I’d say finding a way to be forever curious. Finding a way or a reason to stay interested in the world and life around you is really important to keep moving forward. It’s way too easy to setttle into a life and play it safe until you die. Never settle. You only have one shot at life whether you asked for it or not.

Second, maybe be observant. Really, really listen and see and try to understand things. Look at things from every side and push past the block of not understanding something just because it’s hard. That works in painting and in life. Weird.

And I guess I’d say the third thing is be dedicated to your craft. If you make a decision, be it in art, a job, a marriage, or anything important, know what you’re getting into beforehand. Make the decision to do it or not. Then, if you decide to do it, DO IT WELL no matter what that takes. Quincy Jone’s father told him, “Once a task has just begun, never leave it til it’s done. Be the labor great or small, do it well or not at all.” So take his advice. The world is sorely lacking in that mentality. We’d all be on such a different planet if we practiced those words.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

Yes! Always! I mean, every portrait I paint is a collaboration in a sense. So, come one, come all and let’s collaborate! But, more specifically, I have always thought that my paintings would work really well within a platform that has an audience that would appreciate an ongoing art project where you could spotlight specific people from any chosen community. Say an underprivileged or underseved community in some way, like immigrants or the houseless or artists or musicians, etc. Then on a monthly or bi-monthly type basis you could release a new painting along with limited edition collectable prints that I feel people could get behind and look forward to. Then at the end of each year you’d have this series of portraits that you could then auction off at a gallery type event for a charitable cause to benefit said community or the subjects. Over the years I have already been working on my own personal series in this vein that, as of yet, I have never found a home for. I’ve been calling it ‘The Human Head’. It involves recorded interviews that go along with a painted subject that I’ve met from all walks of life. The recordings are in the subject’s own voice telling their life story. A talking painting if you will. You can find them on my website. So check them out and if anyone out there has any ideas on a good place to make this happen, please, reach out!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jaxonnorthon.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaxonnorthonportraits/