by Dwight Easter

DE- Christopher, you’re museum and galleries of note featured, but also a street artist with pro-bono art installations. How are you navigating both worlds so successfully?

CR- My thirst is quenched by staring at Masterpieces in the places we have here in Norfolk, be it the Chrysler, Neon, or a Gallery that has something moving. I navigate this arena to be around like-minded folks- colleagues and contemporaries of my time and I theirs. Making ends meet and keeping a studio, working towards these goals with all the subjectiveness that a Beatle possesses. The street art aspect of all this boils down to keeping my name away from its association; the seeking of the prize lends it’s hand to this by my keeping @Walkinghouses as it’s own, feelings on social dilemmas and anxiety about Global Warming get channeled.

DE- Who’s currently creating the art that inspires you?

CR- The Artists that I can't seem to shake ever when I'm making art are the following and in this order: Jesse Jacobs, Jacob Covey, Chris Ware, Michael Deforge, Rothko, Hampton Boyer, Walt Taylor & Joe Grillo.

DE- Are you a routine-driven artist or do you prefer the unpredictable moments of inspiration?

CR- Making time for the things that matter to your stability ultimately adds to your senses of stability. I keep to a regiment that upholds my personal time, like so many masters before me they too did this; the process is not forced any more than when you are thirsty you get water. Maybe you can’t get water when you are thirsty, maybe it’s not time for you yet. I kept on though and now things are the way I had shaped them to be. More often than not in all aspects of how and why things come to be for me, the process is one of having learned from mistakes - just like in my real life.

DE- What music is playing when you’re working? If any. And does it influence the art?

CR- Music to create to is like this: Old skateboarding videos lead to searches for the music played then the wormhole begins on youtube…The Temples to Ghost Face Killah, Das Racist, Remixes of De La Soul, Dj Rap, and jazz of which I’m quite fond. Politics more often than not plays too but I’d never expose anyone to that. It’s fitting though - at times my painting or drawing while politics plays makes for the best compositions! In every word that the person misses that chance to say, so goes down a paint stroke I meant - It’s funny and I can’t explain it. Radio Head is rad too- really digging them lately since I never gave them a chance in high school. I was a great DJ once as my career as an entertainer, but Art was more fun, so art I do.

DE- Have the challenges we are facing in 2020 manifested in the art that you’re creating?

CR- 2020 has sucked ass but I’m excited that it forced a limit that I may have superseded otherwise. Good Sales from the previous year has seen my rent paid up in full for 6 mos. Being an artist and securing your roof makes for a great experience, you are stress-free to create without burden of rent or where you will live. The work gets more confident and you get more for your work, recently I sold a work that pays rent for two months and that is just one of about 6 so far over the past four years that has solidified me as a collected artist. Not being desperate for a sale works out in the long run. 2021 I hope to be in a California gallery, I’m native to San Diego.

About Dwight Easter: Digital folk artist, family man and bread merchant. Some of the best moments in my life are experiencing the power and influence of great art. I came up in the Norfolk era of the M80’s, Buttsteak, and Antic Hay.