Today we’d like to introduce you to Cameron Jeffrey.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Telling the story of how you got to anywhere always feels a little like a humble-brag, but as I’m sure a large portion of these things go, I’ve been drawing since I was able to put pen to paper. Back then, it was more of an outlet, cathartic really, but as time progressed, it took a more pivotal role to my life – as many hobbies tend to progress. It wasn’t until high school that I gave any thought to doing art professionally, just due to the stigmas in a pre-social media society at the time, and it wouldn’t be until college that I would pursue that with the help of some other aspiring artists from the area. I’m not entirely sure how it goes for other artists, but in my experiences, a support system is integral to sticking with it and being successful.
I originally started off my professional art career as part of an art collective, but that eventually dissolved and we all decided to go our separate ways after working for a few years together. I really enjoyed a lot what we did, but the falling out definitely led to a lot of soul searching to reaffirm whether the art world was really what I wanted to pursue and steep myself in. I’ve always had an affinity for illustration, comics, and animation, but failure has a way of making you take pause and reassess.
After mulling over potential options in directions to go, I decided to revisit an alias I had played around with before for my freelance artwork, and that’s where The Black Rabbit kicks off. I decided I would spend the first year or two playing around to develop my aesthetic and how I wanted the brand to feel and let it evolve from there. The whole idea of going the solo route was to develop a new start for my art and follow it from how it bloomed from there within a loose framework. If I had told myself back then that I’d be doing murals and galleries across Atlanta, I don’t know how I would’ve taken it, let alone if I would’ve even believed it. It’s always interesting to see how people’s pursuits of passion twist and wind into new forms they would’ve never imagined them taking from conception.
Has it been a smooth road?
It’s always a rough road, especially in the creative pursuits. The field is almost inherently amorphous so navigating it is an ever-changing challenge. I’d say the loss of friends and fellow “travelers” is always the hardest part for me though; watching someone give up on their dreams really hits hard, even when you understand why they made that choice.
I would be interested to know who has had a smooth road in their pursuit of a passion though, to be honest. There’s always the inherent sacrifice to anything worthwhile; and, despite being able to read that, it’s a hard lesson to learn.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with The Black Rabbit – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
The Black Rabbit is an ever-changing creative project for me. I’ve worked with design and logo work for local businesses as well as done illustration pieces and mural work for others. Illustration work is what I’m currently best known for, but I’d love to expand more into murals and storyboard projects in the future.
I like to believe my precision and attention to the small details set me apart from others; giving a sense of movement and discovery to a piece/project.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and the least?
I really enjoy the nooks and inlets of the city, the rare little spots that surprise you with these concentrated bursts of creativity from truly inspired places, whether they’re a restaurant, bar, coffee shop, or gallery. Places like Octopus Bar, Switchyards, and Monday Night Garage never fail to grow my love for this city.
That being said, the new onslaught of toll roads is my current least favorite thing about our city. I’ll never fully understand peoples’ unwillingness to embrace mass transit like MARTA lines. I miss my access to a station like I had in Sandy Springs.
Contact Info:
- Email: cwjeffrey21@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_black_rabbit
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/theblkrabbit
- Twitter: twitter.com/theblkrabbit
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
