I’m JBOY. A visual artist.

I’ve always believed the idea is the artwork. Not the polish. Not the finish. If you’re here to check how neat my lines are, I’ve already lost. Inspiration turns up whenever it wants, usually without warning. When I was a kid I used to borrow Gary Larson books from the library and eventually return them when the guilt kicked in. Later I found Guy Billout and spent most of art school staring at his pictures instead of learning anything useful.

I drifted into the urban art scene by mistake and have been trying to escape ever since. It keeps pulling me back like a clingy Henry the Hoover. Over time a mix of influences has shaped how I work. I just follow what feels right. Technically I’m an artist, but I only focus when my brain decides to cooperate. I work when I feel like it, which oddly is when I get the most done.

I use charcoal, pencil and paint. Most of what I make ends up black and white because it looks clean and hides the chaos. I like adding one strong colour to draw the eye and lift the message. Most ideas don’t make it past the bin. The ones that do are the ones that matter. For me, the idea is everything. I’m not chasing perfection or prettiness. I’m chasing that quiet click in your head when something makes you smile on the inside. That split second when the idea lands and you just get it. I’d rather make something that feels clever in a scruffy way than something flawless and forgettable. My work isn’t about showing off skill, it’s about landing a thought. Sometimes it’s sharp. Sometimes it’s daft. Often it’s just me trying to make sense of whatever nonsense I’ve seen that week.

My work is often a commentary. Sometimes serious, sometimes just taking the mick. I like a dry delivery. I did study art, although “study” might be generous. My proudest creative moment is still being taught technical drawing by Timmy Mallett’s uncle. If you’ve never heard of him, he was an 80s kids TV presenter who dressed like a tropical storm. Nice bloke. We still talk now and then. He’s an artist these days too. As for the anonymity, there’s no big reason. I just prefer it. I care about what I make. And I tend to notice when people are kind.

I am happy to answer any questions.