Having a degree emphasizing graphic design, my art has a definite graphic sense to it. I like bold complementary colors and lots of blacks, which I attribute to growing up on comic books. If you can get the viewer’s attention that’s half the job. In my artwork, most of the time I’ll start with big solid fields of colors to see what works. I focus on keeping color elements as simple as I can with complementary/analogous/triad color schemes. I heard a long time ago to be as big and broad as you can, and once that works, all the little details will fall into place—and I believe that.
Here is Our Land, ink and watercolor on ledger paper, 14 x 11" (35 x 27 cm) This piece came out of an impromptu photoshoot, in which I was looking for something “ominous.”
Summertime Scissortail, ink on ledger paper, 8½ x 11" (21 x 27 cm) The scissortail is the state bird of Oklahoma. I show my work a lot here in my home state, and I have really grown particular to birds. They seem to be a universal subject.
I take my own photos for inspiration as much as I can, whether that’s doing a photoshoot with family and friends or going to the wildlife refuge. I find it important to have firsthand knowledge of the subject matter. I like to start with all my works on the drawing table, as I really love paper. I like to collect paper, from old ledgers, land deeds, maps and even canceled checks; it’s fun to see what I can find. I’ve found that turn of the century paper works the best for my ink wash, as I’m pretty heavy handed with the water and that paper just soaks it up. A lot of the time these works stay on paper, whether that means graphite, pen and ink, watercolor or a combination of all of these. I let the work speak to me.
Weatherford Girl, ink on ledger paper, 12 x 9" (30 x 22 cm) I liked the pose for this “Protest” ledger, with my niece facing the wind seemingly unphased.
Green Morning, acrylic on canvas, 36 x 24" (91 x 60 cm) The subject in this painting is my niece. Some works just come together without much planning, and this was one of them. It’s one of my favorites from over the years.
Some of these illustrations translate to larger paintings if I see something in them that I think will scale up and carry over to an acrylic painting. This process or creative circle keeps me interested. I never feel bored or get worn out working in one medium. While keeping the creative process fresh, I also think it pushes me to get better in each medium. —
About the artist
Jeremy Dylan Cavin
Jeremy Dylan Cavin was born in Chickasha, Oklahoma, and he is an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation. Cavin attended the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma on an Art Talent scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree emphasizing graphic design.
With a desire to serve his country, Cavin enlisted in the army in 2006, and after serving for nine months, he was honorably discharged after breaking his leg. During this off time, rehabilitating his leg, he dabbled in other aspects of art such as photography, tattooing (a majority of his tattoos are done by himself), and sequential art, then started doing portraits of friends and pets. He finally felt as though he established an outlet for his artistic expression. “After years of being in the design field, it really felt good making something with my hands that others could connect to, appreciate, and that in return was self-gratifying,” says the artist.
Cavin has received numerous awards over the years from shows such as Santa Fe Indian Art Market, Red Earth Arts Festival, High Desert Museum’s Art in the West, and Choctaw Labor Day Art Show, to name a few. He is honored to have been featured on the cover of Oklahoma Today in both 2012 and 2016. He has been featured in art publications including International Artist magazine’s sister title Native American Art. Cavin was honored to receive a commission from the Oklahoma Arts Council to paint a portrait of the Choctaw Code Talkers of World War I to be displayed in the Oklahoma State Capitol. He has also proudly received commissions from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma for several works in the Choctaw Casinos and Headquarters building.
Contact at
www.theartofdylancavin.com