February 10, 2020

Meet Jonathan Foley of JR.ArtSpace in Highlands

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Foley.

Jonathan, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My name is Jonathan Foley and I am a fine artist who currently teaches middle school art at Strive Prep Sunnyside. I moved out here roughly two years ago from New York and I’ve been rediscovering my passion for the arts, coincidentally enough through teaching it to young scholars. Art class at STRIVE Prep Sunnyside has been deemed “B.C.E.” Best Class Ever, and I do everything in my power to hold strong to that name. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some of the world’s leading artist through teaching at Sunnyside. Artist such as Shantell Martin, Gregory Siff, Plastic Jesus, DainNYC and many others have all shared their part in making my art class the best it could be. They have donated art supplies, sent personalized video messages and even held dialogue between a handful of my students. It has really brought my passion for the arts back to life. Teaching their story to my scholars and showing them that it is possible to be a living, successful artist has really fueled my passion to do the same. As of late I’ve really been coming into my own with my style. Using a combination of graffiti, spray paint, tattoos, graphic design and stickers I put them all together to pay homage to some of the worlds greatest figures, reaching from singers, actors, athletes, presidents, artist and more. In due time, I have aspirations of becoming “that amazing artist” who other art teachers reach out too to inspire their scholars and do projects on as I have with them.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
To say I’ve faced struggles along the way would be the understatement of the century. However, as T.W. Brown quoted, “You are not judged by your success, but rather, how you respond to your failures”. I have failed a hundred times more than I have succeeded but it what has developed me into the strong, decicated, passionate and driven human I am today. I can say without question, I have most certainly lived the “Starving Artist” lifestyle one too many times to count. I have an extremely loving and large family that has provided me with everything that they can. My mother, Joy and father, Scott have and would give me the entire world at the drop of a dime if and when necessary. That being said, being a child in a family of four other brothers and sisters, at time it has left us financially challenged. I can recall several life changing moments that will forever stick with me and that I will always use as fuel to succeed. One of those moments was while I was attending Plattsburgh State University in New York in my “Intro to art” class. My art teacher who was absolutely brilliant, and whom I learned the most from, was also an extremely harsh, and unforgiving man when it came to anything in regards to his classroom. When I showed up to the first day of painting without enough art supplies, he was the first to call me out in front of the class mentioning “If you showed up to soccer practice without your gear what would your coach do? He made me sit throughout the entire two hour and fifteen minute class doing absolutely nothing. The following class we were asked to create our own canvases in order to start our first self portrait. This is the moment I felt broken as an individual. I was fortunate enough to have made a friend in the class who offered to donate canvas to me to use for the following class which I shamefully accepted. That night, I went back to the art room to put together my canvas only to realize I didn’t have staples to do so. Staples… It was at this point that I realized I couldn’t afford staples to piece together my canvas. As I was Literally crawling on my hands and knees on the art room floor for staples that may have been dropped by other scholars, I promised myself with tears in my eyes that I would NOT live this lifestyle again and I would make it in the artworld one way or another. Little did I know, MANY more challenges and struggles faced me on that way to get where I am today. That being said, to come full circle, I would not be half the man I am today without those challenges and overcoming each and every one of them.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with JR.ArtSpace – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
As of now I am a full time middle school art teacher but I have been growing my “Side Hustle” of an art business through multiple sources such at Etsy, Society6, Instagram, my own personal website and more. I’ve been doing my best to put my art in several trade shows in the area. I’ve recently had my work placed in a local, hip shop on Tennyson Street called “Crisp Barber Shop” Showing my art work at Crisp has opened up doors for me that I didn’t even think were possible. I was recently reached out by a hotel decorating company in LA about my work, Alongside selling a lot of my artwork which has been not only feeding me but allowing me to provide more and better art supplies for my scholars as well. I am slowly but surely doing everything in my power to turn my life long passion into my one and only career. When I was living back in New York my passion and drive set me own an artistic entrepreneur adventure of starting my own “Paint and Sip” company with my best friend Michael Paolucci. I was doing what I love, making a great living and couldn’t be happier! However, that little thing called “Life” got in the way and we were forced to abandon our thriving business and I moved to Philadelphia with my successful brother and his amazing girlfriend. Whilst living there I found myself serving and eventually managing a jazz restaurant in downtown Philadelphia. As nice as it was, I felt like I was wasting time and not really doing what I truly loved and wanted to do for the rest of my life. With the support of my older brother Scott and his now wife, Laura who promised to help me in any way I needed I finally decided to take the leap and live the artist lifestyle. It was all new, exciting, nerve racking and scary for me at the same time but I was doing it! I managed to pay my bills on time, have food on the table and truly enjoy the life I was living for a full two years I was creating all sorts of art. Anything you could imagine to put food on the table. One day I would be drawing a friends pet hamster with a suit on ( I wish I was kidding ) another day I was designing an entire photography website for an old friend back in New York. I would NOT let myself fail again. After the two years had passed, my best friend Michael who I previously mentioned was my business partner, asked if I was interested in taking another leap of faith and moving out to Denver to try something new. Me being the curious, adventurous man I am… Never stepping foot in the state of Colorado before, accepted the challenge. Less than two weeks later I was on a plane to Denver and haven’t looked back since.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
My plans for the future are forever growing and becoming more ambitious. I am a strong believer in manifesting what you want and everything you put out in the universe will somehow come back full circle. I want.. Scratch that, I WILL be a fine artist traveling the world living in cities such as Paris, Rome, Amsterdam and others while doing what I love. I do not wish to be rich and famous but I want to live comfortable enough to do all the traveling I’d like and create art along the way. After months upon months of saving, last summer I spent 30 days and nights in Barcelona with just my sketchbook, soccer ball and my backpack. I lived the lifestyle I wish to follow for what now I believe is how I want to live for the upcoming years of my life. After getting a small taste of what the world outside of the US has to offer, I crave and desire more of that to continually grow as an individual and set myself up for success for not only my future but the ones closest to me as well.

Pricing:

I sell 8.5×11 prints of my art on 110LB paper framed in a solid white mat with backing for $25 which can be found on my instagram @JR.ArtSpace
I sell 18×24 poster size prints on durable artist canvas for $125 which include shipping as well

Contact Info: