TaVon is an art director at Island Def Jam Music Group along with my friend Todd Russell. Check your local music store for some of his work.
(Malcom X : Graphite)
(Beanie Siegel CD Packaging)
(USDA CD Packaging)
(NAS CD Concept)
Name: TaVon Sampson
Location: MANHATTAN (Keeps on makin’ it) / BROOKLYN (Keeps on Takin’ it)
Medium(s): Pencil & Graphic Design
What do you consider yourself (artist/designer/other)? Artist & Designer
Where can we see your work (place/publications/url)? At a Record store Near You, magazines Billboards.
When did you start gaining interest in artistic forms of expression? Since Birth as far as I know…I think I was drawing inside the walls of the womb…lol
Who/What inspired your interest? Nobody really but myself…I always liked to see what I create because it always amazes me in the end. Im my biggest fan.
Where do you first remember being exposed to art? When I first picked up a pencil…I used to draw all of these comic books and send them to my uncle every week when I was like 4 or 5 years old and ask him if I gotten better since the last week
What is your day job? Art Director/ Graphic Designer
Why do you create? Self Satisfaction, I love to see what Im going to do next, adding another piece onto the collection…Love to show the world how my brain works visually.
Is there any recurring theme in your work? No theme, except for the fact that I try to create something better each time.
What do you want from your work? I want to look at it and get goosebumps…if I don’t look at it and say damn that’s that shit right there….I don’t ever want to look at it again.
What do you want viewers to take from your work? I want them to want to meet the person behind the visual and to appreciate the talent.
How often do you work on personal projects? Every single second I’m breathing.
How often do you work on commissions or commercial work? Every day.
Does your art support you financially? Yes it does.
Do you feel preoccupied with your art, do you think about it often during the day and night and do you anticipate your next session? Yeah pretty much…Since its my job and my natural talent & hobby…I’m always doing art and during the day and night, so the only time I am thinking about it is when I am dreaming.
What do you do in your spare time besides your art? Research and figure out a way to take it to the next level, I try to make business contacts and look at other art for inspiration…never did that as I child but Now that I have matured I see the importance…and also hang out with my family and my lady.
Which musicians are you currently interested in? The list goes on…but…Marvin Gaye and Nas when I’m in creative mode.
Are there any events you are looking forward to attending? Yes, My future Grammy acceptance…lol ( Hasn’t happened yet)
How long do you generally take on a piece? Personal project – no time limit, I have an idea I’ve been developing for 14 years. Commercial piece…from the time given to the deadline.
Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of a significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of your art? No not really everything I’ve been around has always dealing with art, I’ve gained a lot of relationships through it honestly, people really appreciate the talent. Only thing I lose is sleep.
Do you work on multiple projects at once? Yes all of the time, I really don’t like to work that way though.
Do you have trouble parting with your finished work? Yeah all of the time, it feels like I’m giving someone an undiscovered organ in my body. Its like your child. When you get a canvas or a blank document its an empty placenta…then throughout your art process It’s the last thing I look at before I go to sleep and the first thing I look at when I wake up…you work on it and work on it working to improve it to be the closest to perfect as you can, like raising a child. Once you finish and you sell it to the customer, its like sending your kid off to college, you are so proud of what it as become since that blank piece of paper, screen or canvas.
