(gentle music) - Chris is an artist who connects with the person or the subject.

He connects with the humanity.

It's a part of his being before he even picks up a paintbrush.

He really cares about people.

I think that is like his superpower.

(emcee talking in background) (people cheering and clapping) - That's one thing about Chris.

When he's at an event, he likes to be indulged in his passion, not just there having a good time.

And he can do both very well.

But when he live paints, you can really see his passion for his work.

(funky upbeat music) ♪ Have a good time ♪ (mellow music) - First art show?

Ooh, that's a good one.

The first art show I ever had was in high school.

I remember that.

It was like a AP art class, and back then, all I did was in portraits.

I was obsessed by looking at the face.

And I just submitted.

I didn't think I was gonna get in.

Got lucked up and got in.

Actually, it's not even luck, it was putting in the work.

That first time doing anything, you're nervous if you're gonna get in or not, you know?

(mellow music continuing) Well, in the beginning of my art career, I was really into eyes.

Like if I would see a eye, I would have to draw the eye.

And just looking at the eyes, seeing how different eyes are shaped, how they form.

Because I know you heard the the line, "Eyes are the windows to the soul."

But it's really interesting how everyone's eyes are so unique.

It's almost like their facial fingerprint.

- [Interviewer] How do you start?

- Hmm.

It's like a process, for real, for real.

But usually, always pad.

Keep it simple.

Sketchbook, a pencil.

For so long, I've been drawing that way.

I think that was my first way I ever created, was a pencil.

And then I dare upgraded to charcoal.

So that's when I started doing the shading, and I got really good at shading.

And that's when I started with color.

In college, that's where I learned to paint.

I went to the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore.

They taught you like traditional art.

'Cause a lotta places, they don't teach you the old school stuff.

Learning the traditional, the foundation in painting, that's what made me fall in love with the art of painting.

And back then, I learned to paint with oil paint.

If anybody knows, oil paint is usually like the hardest medium to paint with.

That was my start at painting.

(chuckling) So that prepared me to be so good at what I do now with acrylic paint.

During the pandemic, whoof, it was a lot going on.

I kinda went through this lost inspiration.

That's what one of my paintings are about, about finding the inspiration again.

And I learned that through plants, just taking care of plants every day, but knowing not to overdo it.

And just doing that, I got really into seeing what the plant needed and realize how do I need those things in my life.

A plant needs water, and that could be someone like pouring into us.

A plant needs light, and that could be your energy, your religion, that God-given light that you have, and you gotta show that light to the world.

Of course, your soil.

So I used to get the little cheap dollar store soil and I realized, nah, that didn't work, because it wouldn't grow right.

Depending on your environment, people grow differently.

So I realized people are plants.

I wanted to show that.

An artist's job is to show things that people can't see, and I wanted to show that point of view of showing the person as the plant.

(mellow music) So I want you to get the whole plant energy as soon as you seen it.

Yeah, you don't want your to clay to be dry and hard, right?

This morning was amazing.

I had a class at the Chrysler Museum.

So environment is kind of like a setting where you're at and where a story takes place.

And Suzy, with third graders, those are like my favorite group of kids.

He did a good parts of that mermaid.

They are so in tune with their creation.

And we do this project: World Building.

You can tell already its space?

I get them excited.

I can say, "You can make anything you want."

You wanna crease it one more time.

Go like that and crease it really hard.

- I tried my best, Julian.

- [Third Grader] I'm making (indistinct speech).

- And I close this real tight.

Okay, got it.

The fun surprise, I gave 'em some clay, and they get to create their character that lives in the world.

So someone asked me a question, "Can you color the clay?"

What do you think the answer is?

Yes, but it's a special way.

- [Third Grader] It's supposed to be a hamster.

- [Teacher] I'm loving it!

I love these (indistinct speech) - So I really think that helps their creativity of what kind of world they live in and what kinda, the way they see themselves.

- Respect the potential.

Like, everyone comes at like a different level, and you gotta like respect it.

- I actually told myself, "Hey, I'll never be teaching."

But I ended up first going to Teens With A Purpose, working with the kids there, and just connecting with the kids and connecting with Momma D. - It's to see the angle it makes.

So let's say if I had a halfway on the wing, right, the line going through.

Working with the Chrysler for the Teens With A Purpose art project got me teaching art at the Chrysler Museum.

I also teach at LTYC, Leaders of Tomorrow Youth Center.

They bring teaching artists into different environments.

That could be a school, that could be a after school program, just so the kids can have that expression, have that creativity.

(mellow music) Anytime I get a chance to make mural art, I love it.

One of my favorite murals I did, it was at Teens With A Purpose, to show art and passion through pain.

One of the teens unfortunately passed away through covid.

I got to paint a portrait of her and reflect her energy and reflect her light.

Get into the habit of art.

Get into the habit of creation.

Don't do it only because you love doing it, but do it because you have to create.

That continuous creation, every day, will build that habit.

So the days you don't feel like creating, the days you're not inspired, you still create.

Those days lead to the days where you can make some of your greatest art.

Even as an artist, you gotta like stay motivated, because you never know what opportunity can happen.

When people see my art, I want you to take away what brings people together.

Being connected, being grounded.

Kinda connect with people.

And not only connect with people, connect with yourself.

So I always want to create something that self reflects so people can see themselves in what I created.

And whether it's struggle or whether it's pain, I want you to know you can get through it.

You can get through anything, really seeing the beautiful side of it, the life lesson, the journey.

So my art, I really want to show the beauty and what brings people together, and the magic in their own life.

And not only the light of other people, but your self light, 'cause sometimes you forget.

Every day I want you to wake up, see my art, and it reminds you, "Hey, this is why I do this.

This is what gets me inspired."