Although the term “Starving Artist” does not apply to the Painter, Kerream Jones, the hunger of the self-described visual griot is evident in the sensual depths of his paintings, the relentless drive of his business ventures, and in his appreciation for all things creative, expressive, and true. Since beginning his journey toward artistic excellence as a high school student, Kerream has gone on to create some of the most definitive and distinctive work to emerge out of the modern era of fine art. Among them are Long Day, Sleeping Beauty, and Déjà Vu: evocative and iconic pieces steeped in rich earth tones and languid poses. Kerream’s work effortlessly infuses the bright and dark realities of life with the fantasy of frozen moments. Emotions seem to leap off his brush, land on the canvas, and distill art from the vapors of life.
A consummate businessman as well as a passionate artist, Kerream is the owner of Kamarja Art, a publishing and fine art company he founded in 1999 that serves as the distribution force behind his expanding collection of original works, limited editions, artist’s proofs, and prints. Determined to allow his talents to work for him, Kerream has succeeded in establishing Kamarja as a formidable enterprise, building a respectable collector base and traveling to cities across the country as a featured artist in well received and vastly popular exhibits and shows. Ambitious to a fault, focused to the highest degree, and motivated by the desire to create and distribute works of powerful art, Kerream continues to set new standards by broadening Kamarja’s influence in the marketplace and branding his own name and style in the minds of consumers from all different walks of life.
Beginning as an illustrator in high school, Kerream was first introduced to the art world through his imitations of comic book characters and sketches. Soon thereafter he was encouraged by an art teacher to examine the craft more seriously and challenge himself to seek his own style. After entering and winning several art contests, Kerream went on to attend the Art Institute of Atlanta, where he studied graphic design, and the American Intercontinental University in Atlanta, where he graduated with a degree in visual communications. Wasting little time, Kerream immediately set about the task of joining the art community in Atlanta and constructing a business operation that would serve as a platform for his burgeoning catalogue.
A long with several personal appearances on television, Kerream’s work has appeared in such publications as Upscale, the Dallas News, Atlanta Tribune: The Magazine, the 2003 Pepsi Black History Calendar, and other major media. In 2007 Kerream was chosen as the featured artist for the 29th Annual Chicago Jazz Festival, an honor that included the commission of his piece Mixing It Up as the event’s official design image for marketing and promotional materials.
From the rhythmic hues of Jazz Rehearsal, to the quiet pain of Untitled, the work of Kerream Jones is singular in its ability to examine a moment and create the context that surrounds our joy, and the emotions that encapsulate our sadness. His hunger has made him the epitome of the new artistic entrepreneur: an artist who has successfully married his talent to his ambition and merged his passion with his profession. With brush strokes dipped in colors that are vivid with universal truths, Kerream Jones has captured the world as he sees it and offered this incredible vision to all of us.