Meet Robert Cunningham

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

Hi Robert, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

I’ve always been a big believer in following my heart and understanding that, as long as I do, I’ll never fail. And this is for every part of my life, from test-taking to photography to love. Our heart will always know what it wants, and following it always led me in the right direction more times than not. Truthfully, all in all, that’s what helps me develop that confidence in myself and my work. Sometimes you need to do things and see where it goes, expecting nothing but being ready for anything, and keeping that in mind often leads to the most fulfilling experiences.

Self-Esteem is almost the same thought process. I know my heart, and I know my intentions. By always putting my best foot forward, I know I can’t fail. Everything meant to be will find its way to me, so no matter the situation, I think it’s best to stand ten toes in what I believe in.

My confidence and self-esteem were both tested often this year as I put myself out there more in the community and at photo exhibitions. It’s easy to think you aren’t good enough for opportunities like that. There were minor thoughts that my work may not have felt “ready,” but God wouldn’t put things on my plate that I’m not ready to eat yet. Therefore, I’m proud to say that I have five pieces of my work hanging at the Perri+Ren Art Gallery in Lincoln Heights from October to January 18th, and that I have participated in two other photo exhibitions over the past few months—one courtesy of FILMDOTORG and another from the Dominguez Hills Art Collective. A bonus point because my mom came to the one hosted at CSU Dominguez Hills, and she was extremely proud of me.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I happily run the brand Art For Goons, which aims to change the negative connotation of the word “Goons” to something more positive when referring to the culture of black and brown people. I do this by telling their stories via photography and poetry. I want to show the world that black and brown people are not troublemakers, but rather innovators and instigators of change, love, mindfulness, and growth. It’s funny because depending on who you ask, we’d still be troublemakers, but I’d rather cause trouble for the oppressors by showing love and uniting my community as best I can.

I’m such a lover of art. Especially the art my people create in any capacity, from ceramics, painting, photography, poetry, and everything else in between that brings light to the spirit. I especially love making it and adding to the conversation about art with my own photography, which is my main passion right now. I love that I get to take still images of people who bring joy to my heart and hope to my spirit. I am more than glad to share the things and stories of people that help build my world, through my projects, the “Portraits of the Homies.” series and “Negroses.,” a project based on the exploration and correlation of roses and black culture. “Negroses.” is my most recent and proudest work.

Right now, I’m working on expanding the “Negroses.” project into its own universe/series. I’ve recently been inspired by the Stephan King universe, as each adaptation of his work features a character or an entity that connects to a different body of work. I had no idea that “IT” and “The Shining” were so closely linked. That said, I’m interested in world-building and making every piece of “Negroses.” feel like an extension rather than a standalone project.

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?

Three things necessary to help create art that moves you:

Know thyself. Have a pretty good idea of the things you like. Think about what inspires you to be better. Look at your come-up as a foundation for the things you’d like to create in any capacity.

Humility. Don’t be too proud to take advice, a different perspective, or genuine constructive criticism. I’m always open to learning more. It’s essential to understand that even with a master’s degree, you are not an expert; you are only a student at the master’s level. Let the universe and great mentors guide you sometimes. The universe will always have great lessons; don’t try so hard to resist it.

Don’t be afraid to build community. When you have a community that genuinely cares about you and your work, it feels like wind under your wings. Community, when full of love, can ultimately be the thing that saves your life and motivates you to keep creating even when you temporarily lose sight of what’s essential.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

First, I wanna give the biggest shoutout to my mom. Although there were times she would be scared to let me do so, she has always been a motivator for me to experience all that life has to offer. I remember being eight years old, flying from Florida to California on my own to hang out with my family for two months during the summer. I can see why that would terrify her, but she didn’t let that stop me from going.

My mom has fronted the bills for most of my life so that I can save money and further the growth of Art For Goons. She made sure I made it to school every day during undergrad until I started driving on my own. I’ve never missed a meal, and we’ve always had a roof over our heads. My mom has always made a way to make something happen for us.

The biggest thing my mom has done for me is give me a reason to give my all to my art. Although it may not be clear right now, I know my art is gonna get her that house she’s always wanted, or at least the Escalade or Porsche she’s talked about since I was a kid. I owe that to her, and I can’t wait to hand her all the keys to all of those things. I want to give my mom a break; I don’t want her to work her whole life. I pray Art For Goons gets her everything she’s always wanted, and when I have a family of my own, them too.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://artforgoons.org
• Instagram: @artforgoons
• Other: Email: [email protected]

Image Credits

Personal Photo: Daniel Hernandez (@danielh707_ on Instagram)

Portfolio Photos: Art For Goons (@artforgoons on Instagram)