Josh Pierce: Lines Between Dreams and Reality
Today we will be introducing Josh Pierce, a Designer/Artist/3D Animator who works and base in the city of Los Angeles. In his works, regal landscapes are combined with surreal settings to create sceneries that are dream-like yet realistic, surprising his audience with one after another magical visual experience.
Pierce started creating art at a young age. From paper sculptures, ceramics, paintings to building models, he found freedom in expressing himself through a variety of creative process. He graduated in 2005 from Rochester Institute of Technology with a New Media Design degree and received a Masters MFA from Savannah College of Art and Design in Broadcast Design and Animation in 2009. Since then he has been living in Los Angeles making personal art and working as a freelance designer and art director primarily for the NFL Networks, he also worked in large scale stadium graphics for major sports teams and events including the super bowl, 76ers and more. Besides the Sports world, Pierce also worked with musicians like Rodrigo y Gabriela on their Grammy-winning album Mettavolution, as well as the visuals for their tour.
Pierce admitted that he doesn’t like to sketch before making his works. He likes to use references from platforms like Pinterest, Art Of The Title as well as referencing other digital artists like Miyazaki and Beeple. One of the main sources of his inspiration comes from his photographer friend Ryan Resatka. Through his imagination, Pierce composes and creates works using everything he’s seen and observed from others and from life.
In many of Pierce’s works, there is a series of five works titled “Portals (Into the unmanifested)”. They are all, in one way or another, reminiscent of each other. In each work, a small figure facing an epic landscape in the nature; in the center of the space a beam of light appears in geographic shapes, some falling from the sky and some flowing still in the air. The sun is either dawning or setting, creating an orange colored sky with purple and blue clouds. Comparatively, the figure in the picture is too fragile and small, and is being overpowered by the nature that surrounds them, yet the figure does nothing but to accept it calmly.
Pierce explains: “…5 works that seeks to communicate the transformative process of creating art. For me, art is meditation, art is therapy. When I work, I focus on the experience of being with the work in the momentary act of creation. In that state of singular stillness, time disappears and the delicate strands of consciousness unfold into the art itself. What results is a work that carries the imprint of that meditative state which is one of pure joy and peace.” Pierce’s 20’s were a difficult decade of self-destruction, through drug and alcohol abuse he isolated himself from his friends and family. He then reached a turning point in 2013 and got into recovery and began to help others. After finally being able to create for his personal self-expression, he is now able to make the works he wants with freedom and peace. He has also been very generous when it comes to sharing his stories and creative process on platforms like Youtube and such, providing guidance for younger artists from other parts of the world.
Pierce is celebrated and followed by many others on different online platforms. His works can now be found and purchased on Super Rare and his website.
