RJ Gardner

Year of birth: 1994 
Where do you live: Richmond, VA
Your education: Some college courses
Describe your art in three words: I’d say it’s very surreal, dreamlike, and I’ve also been told for the past few years it’s inspiring
Website | Instagram

What drew you to photography as a medium for artistic expression back in 2017?

I got into photography towards the end of my senior year of high school back in 2012 around the same time that Instagram first started and began to become the social media platform that it is now. I found out about photographers/visual artists such as Elise Swopes, Greg Noire, and Dan Marker-Moore through Instagram and I instantly fell in love with how their work/photography looked. I wanted to do something similar with my photography but in my own way so that it wouldn’t be carbon copies of their work and styles. Something that would kind of stand out on its own while still respectively drawing inspiration from them.

How do you balance between digital, film photography, and Photoshop to bring your visions to life?

The digital photography is more of my go to when it comes to creating my art pieces. I use both my old but, reliable Canon Rebel T3 digital camera and sometimes I even use my iPhone to shoot photos with. I also use my iPhone as a way to create my artwork by using mobile photoshop apps such as Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Express, ArtStudio, and an app called Photo leap, which used to be a favorite app of mine to use for years but now that they’ve kind of become more AI driven I may need to find a replacement for it. I do hope to use more film photography in my work in early 2025 as well. It’s fun to experiment with but can be a bit expensive when it comes down to the cost of film.

RJ Gardner, Different Hues Pt VII, 2023

Your work often feels dreamlike and surreal—how do you approach creating such pieces? What inspires these visual narratives?

I believe my best art pieces are the ones that I don’t force if the inspiration isn’t there at the moment. To me, if you force it then it’s not going be something you’re satisfied with. The main inspirations behind my artwork are films such as; Inception, Interstellar and Doctor Strange and any sci-fi movie really. Movies like that take you to a different world with great stories to tell and that’s what I try to do with the artwork I’ve been creating for almost a decade now.

How has your creative process evolved since you first began creating art?

I can honestly say it’s changed tremendously compared to when I first started back in 2017. From the layering of my work, the different array of colors within my work, as well as my photography constantly improving. It’s been amazing to take a step back sometimes and see how far my artwork and I have come since I first started.

You mentioned exceeding expectations as a goal—what expectations do you challenge most: your own or those of others?

I’d say my own more so than others lately. That part of me that wants to prove myself to people that I’m good at this and that I’m constantly improving is still there but, as of lately I’ve been trying to prove to myself that I deserve to be here in the world of art and that I’m going to be here for a long time.

RJ Gardner, Mirrored Pt I, 2024

How do you hope viewers interact with or interpret your art? Do you prefer leaving it open to their imagination?

I try to make it a world they can see themselves in. Something that people can resonate with on a deep level whether it be emotionally, personally, and mentally.

Your art has been appreciated internationally—how do different audiences respond to your work?

Thankfully it’s been accepted in a very positive way no matter where it goes. Whether it’s here in Richmond, VA, Brooklyn, NY, Houston, TX, Paris, France, or London, England I’ve been met with a lot of positive feedback about it and I’m blessed to experience it.

RJ Gardner, Which Way Pt I, 2019