‘Something positive’: Central Illinois artist showcases celebrity portraits at Bloomington Public Library

Bloomington Public Library’s newest artwork exhibit, “Face Actuality,” options black and white realism by central Illinois artist Jake Reagan. On view by Feb.18, “Face Actuality” is one in all Reagan’s first exhibitions since being launched from jail practically a 12 months in the past.

Rising up within the rural outskirts of Manito, Reagan began drawing photos he present in comedian books as a toddler. He picked up the fundamentals in center and highschool artwork lessons — and first realized the way to shade and different nuances of drawing faces whereas awaiting trial for a drug-related crime within the Tazewell County Jail.

“That’s one of many issues that they really promote,” Reagan stated. “They don’t essentially have good drawing supplies, however they’ve paper accessible and coloured pencils. I drew an image of my son and it turned out — not dangerous. I simply figured it out. I used to be about 4 drawings in and folks wished me to attract photos for them.”

Reagan would in the end spend seven years in jail the place he gained entry to raised artwork provides by collaborating in applications every time he was transferred.

“It is best to solely have to try this as soon as after which should you go to a different jail, you’re good, you may order,” he stated. “However they made me do it at three completely different prisons.”

Other than these lessons, Reagan has no formal artwork coaching. He realized methods of the commerce from others and rapidly progressed his talent set, creating charcoal portraits utilizing supply materials from celeb magazines. Reagan stored a folder of celebrities he admired and as soon as he’d collected three or 4 photos, he was prepared to attract.

“However typically it will dwindle down and I didn’t have something,” Reagan stated, “so then I’d begin on the lookout for an image which may have one thing in it that I assumed can be enjoyable to attract. There’s an image of Scarlett Johansson. I like Scarlett Johansson, however I didn’t draw that image as a result of I like her as an actress. I drew it due to the leather-based hood that she had on. I assumed, man, that’s going to be enjoyable to attract—and it actually was.”

When he was launched in March 2021, Reagan took his portfolio of about 100 portraits with him.

“Face Actuality” is a small assortment of that catalog, together with “Quantity One,” of Kurt Cobain, the primary drawing Reagan stored starting in 2016. Different works displayed within the circulation space of the library depict the Beatles, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Prince, Halsey and Taylor Swift, amongst others.

Since leaving jail, Reagan stated he is discovered it troublesome to attract. He works for a family-owned development firm and spends a lot of his free time portray, constructing mats and frames for his work and studying the enterprise of being a working artist.

“Inside, it was an escape,” he stated. “It was one thing that took me away from my environment. I might put my headphones in, play my music that I wished to listen to and block every thing out. Out right here, it’s nearly the other. After I sit down to attract, there’s a lot round me that I’ve been lacking out on for years that I need to have the ability to be concerned in. After I sit down and draw, I nearly really feel like I’m locked up.”

Nonetheless, Reagan continues to hustle, making use of to artwork festivals and galleries, with two huge objectives in sight: He needs to launch a nonprofit that auctions artwork to lift cash for kids with incarcerated dad and mom; and he plans to sometime open a tattoo store and artwork studio.

“I do wish to use (artwork) to deal with my children and help my household, and to be comfy. Alternatively, if I can’t make it work, I’m going to proceed to do it as a result of it’s one thing constructive. If no person ever buys one other image from me, ever, a minimum of I do know that I didn’t waste seven years of my life. When you wished to speak to me, you knew the place to search out me. I used to be in the school room drawing. If that’s all that it brings, I’m okay with that.”

“Face Actuality” is on show by Feb. 18 on the BPL, 205 E. Olive St. Reagan is presently additionally exhibiting works at The Cove Middle in Havana, Illinois. For extra on him and his assortment, go to jakereaganart.net.