Not Without Reason Print

Justin Klaus was born in Columbia SC. He was raised in Columbia, Monroe, and Charlotte NC. Currently living in Charlotte, and having been in Charlotte so long, he considers the “Queen City” home. Justin pulls much of his inspiration from the bright colors he grew up with in the 80’s and 90’s, as well as Urban, Skate, and Surf culture. Justin, also known as jVoc, paints mostly in acrylic, as well as aerosol, ink, and watercolor. Justin is a self-taught artist who grew up spending much of his time drawing. Now thirty-six, he has been painting for the past twelve years. "My work is birthed from emotions such as passion, pain, loss, and frustration; as well as, beauty, love, and the simple joys in life. I try to draw a connection to the experiences and emotions of my viewers. My techniques vary a great deal. When I get ahold of a concept I usually like to work with it for a while and see what else I can develop and how far I can push it. I find inspiration from my experiences and the culture around me, both locally and abroad. The world is such a smaller place now, and we can all learn so much from each other. I want my viewers to feel my abstracts have captured a feeling they couldn’t find the words to express. And I want it to be a kind of release for them, just as it is for me. My work blends post modern, contemporary, pop styles, and the street art movement together. My style is a collection of all of my experiences. I believe we all have shared experiences and art offers an infinite number of ways to connect with them."