In this episode of the Artmatcher podcastTravion Payne speaks with Michael Goodman about how his experiences and traumas as a black man inspire the emotion behind his art. Travion relays the story of how he fell in love with art from a young age while using it as an escape from his turbulent upbringing. He shares valuable insight into the symbolism behind some of his most striking pieces, and how he chooses models who will speak to his creative vision.

About Travion Payne

Travion Payne is an African American artist from Houston, TX. While he has recently acquired BS in psychology his passion for creating art has never left him. In fact, he likes to utilize his psychological background to create thought-provoking paintings with a goal to emotionally influence the viewers of his work. He enjoys painting portraits using a variety of vibrant colors and textures to add depth to the meaning behind each painting. His art sheds light on controversial topics that will give insight into the issues that black men face. Issues such as mental illness in correlation with religion, colorism, homophobia, and fragile masculinity within the black community. Although the paintings feature predominantly black men the themes can apply to various groups of people. The paintings also include hidden symbolism as well which intertwines with the numerous meanings behind each painting. Lastly, his paintings fuses apparent contradictions, seeking to heighten the experience of the spectator by creating immersive portraiture. His work explores an array of human emotions that are associated with different facial expressions. He has learned through his experiences, both positive and negative, that there is truly power and beauty within emotion.

Upcoming Art Show

Don’t forget to check out Travion’s upcoming solo exhibition at MRG Fine Art on September 18th, 2021.

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About Artmathcer

The Artmatcher podcast is brought to you by the technology team building the Artmatcher mobile app, a new platform to increase your art knowledge and build relationships with artists, gallerists, and buyers.

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