Justin Cole

Justin Cole would probably beat you at table tennis if he wanted to, but you would never know. When you step up to rally, you'd notice he will never miss, but he'd also set you up for an easy return every time. His calm cool demeanor would disarm you into believing you had a chance, but in reality he could smoke you whenever he wants. Justin maintains this approach during intellectual debates discussing art and especially while painting.

While at Flower Residency, Justin drew and played guitar everyday. He'd walk to a local coffee shop about 1.5 miles roundtrip everyday. He'd get in the hot tub every night. And of course, he'd paint everyday. Justin is a creature of habit. You can see the entire thing showcased in TikToks he'd post daily. He prioritizes the consistency of his practice and focuses on building his skills. It wasn't his first time working on a tight deadline, so he knew he could complete the work. His process prevented any stress and approached a meditative state essential to the serenity of the work he's made.

Justin blends figuration and abstraction into ethereal organics adapted by the elements. He paints layers of oil to achieve his grand scheme. First, he emphasizes the figuration, and then, he abstracts it away. This process repeats itself until the artwork is complete. Justin says, "once the painting starts hurting my eyes to look at, I know it's close."

Justin's work is hard to explain, and that's by design. He aims for his work to ask questions not provide answers. By prioritizing aesthetics to content, the narrative is left open ended for the viewer to fill in. It's more about what he doesn't paint than what he does. Faces, flowers and forms drift, burn and float away. His approach creates a timelessness prompting everyone to make up their own story about the work.

— David Maxwell, Flower Residency Host