About
Hello! My name is Joshua John Stewart, a mixed media artist, illustrator and animator studying at Concordia University (Montreal, Canada) since Fall 2017. Growing up around the rural boarder of Eastern Ontario, there was no shortage of agricultural themes and values in the surrounding artistic community. Primarily self-taught and drawing inspiration from figure distortions, pop culture, and contemporary technologies, the collective art scenes that proudly resonate in the heart of downtown Montreal prove to be an encouraging environment to find artistic purpose, resources, and support.
I have amassed a portfolio of various dry and wet media over the course of completing a Major in Painting & Drawing. With these skills, it allowed me to pursue a second Major, Film Animation (currently studying). Other studies include sculpture, digital media and business management. Building off of thoughts and feelings from isolation, I would like to remind the world of how fast it goes by; underlining our obsession with materialism which we take so much for granted.
Artist
Statement
My artwork consists of stop-motion & 2D animation, ink & watercolour illustration, and acrylic & oil painting. I’ve found animated characters resonate through emotional narratives, while my flat work is holistic and conceptually definitive. Drawing will always remain an integral component to preproduction and conceptual venting.
Through this traditional body of work, I am exploring the privileged occupation of indulging in new media and consumer technologies, while embracing the accompanying distractions along the way. With Western capitalism seeking to control what and how we consume, I’ve felt it is quite easy for nuanced voices to get drowned out by superficial expectations. I have a yearning for authenticity and understanding people during these isolated, yet interconnected times. My work aims to communicate a better understanding of new media’s grasp on our day-to-day lives.
Portfolio & Process
If you are interested in my studies and explorative body of work, you can check out my Instagram @fishly_js or click the image to be taken to my profile.
Additionally, I have an illustrator account @jj_stewie on Instagram. This includes an assortment of book work, fan art, and other pop cultural inspirations.
What's Next?
Upcoming Projects and Goals
Throughout my new studies, I hope to share expressive, experimental and commercial animation work. I will have a much more active Youtube or Vimeo profile once I have substantial filmmaking skills.
Inbetween all of this new studio work, I plan to keep up commissions and expand my current painting subject matter. A consistant body of work is not something I live by, but my aim is to flesh out a more specific artistic identity.
I have vivid, cross-media ideas which need to become reality through filmmaking. Perhaps I'll open a blog. Until then, thank you for visiting my site!