Propped over his paint-splattered desk, a bright idea and a blank canvas are all it takes for JP Kinney ’23 to create another masterpiece. From school work to personal projects, Kinney showcases his talent and creativity while doing what he loves: visual art. He is most confident while painting, but is also experienced in drawing, sculpting, and designing multimedia projects. Inspired by his family and motivated by self-mastery, he is eager to grow and excited to see where his journey leads in the future.

How did you begin your visual art journey?

I’ve been doing art my whole life - my mom is an artist, and I’ve just grown up surrounded by painting. [She] helps run The Cranbury Arts Council, and when she would go do the plays for the middle school, she would bring me to do the backdrops. I’d have my little paints on the stage and I’d paint [with her]. My mom is definitely my inspiration.

What are you working on right now?

I’m working on a lot of animation, which [I think] is really cool. I use Clip Studio Paint for animation and [digital] drawing. I also have a Huion Tablet for graphic-style drawing. Right now I’m also working on oil painting - I think painting is my best work.

What kind of training or classes have you taken?

I’ve taken classes at the Paul Robeson Center for The Arts with the Arts Council of Princeton - [I do] mostly acrylic painting there. Right now I’m taking Studio Art 2-D 3 with Mr. Pembleton. For underclassmen, I definitely recommend looking into the [art] classes and teachers - they are all really nice and helpful. If you want to go to an Arts School after [high school], they can help you with your portfolio and write [recommendation] letters.

Do you like Digital or Painting better?

Digital art is much easier to sit down and do, because there is much less set up and clean up, but I feel like that is part of the charm with painting. Mixing your paint, having to be more thoughtful because you don’t have a control z, and just the physical feedback painting with a brush are all things I really enjoy when making art.

How do you see art playing a role in your future?

I want to go to school for art - If I can be doing art full time and be self sustainable, that’s my dream. I really want to do it for the rest of my life and it is my goal to make a living from it.

What piece are you most proud of?

I am most proud of a self portrait entitled Tongue I painted with acrylics. I am proud of the way that I used color and a dynamic pose to express myself.

What technique do you find the most challenging?

Watercolor is the most challenging for me. It is hard to know where to start, how much water to use, and it’s just really hard to make convincing shapes and colors. I can’t wrap my head around artists who will start a watercolor piece with a bunch of random splotches of color and transform it into a cohesive picture.

What goals do you have for yourself? Is there something you’d really like to paint or create but haven’t done before?

I want to paint a mural somewhere- most of my art tends to be small and not take more than a few days to create. I want to work on a project that’s way bigger in size than what I usually do, and I want to be able to spend a lot of time on it. Even if it’s just a mural on my bedroom wall, it is something I want to accomplish and work on.