An Invigorating Conversation with Darrell Urban Black

Photo credit: Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt Mar 2015

Darrell Urban Black is an American visual artist based in Germany. Darrell is a member of the Veteran Artist Program abroad (EuroVAP). His artwork has been exhibited both nationally and internationally in art spaces such as the Rokeby Museum , Hampden Gallery, Comox Valley Art Gallery, and many more. His work is also held in permanent collections around the world, along with being auctioned respectfully. It was an honor to ask Darrell about art therapy and its benefits to those who have a mental illness, what does the title artist means to him, and how art has helped him view the world differently.

UZOMAH: How much do your daily surroundings both inside and outside impact your choices in what colors you will use?

DARRELL: All surroundings have an indirect effect on a person's demeanor and psyche.  In my case, I'm exposed to many different environments which create multiple aesthetics. For example, at home, the theme is family, comfort, and immaculateness with the opposite environment existing in my studio, which is a place of creativity and experimentation. The starting point for me as an artist begins with my outside environment and daily interactions with people and places, this initial absorption of visual information has given me something to translate on canvas or paper into varied colors of expression.

“A really bad trip Work”, on paper Pen & Ink drawing 11in by 8 in July 24th 2014

U: How can more access to art therapy help fellow soldiers deal with PTSD and other mental illnesses?

D: People who suffer from traumatic situations need an outlet to express their innermost fears and feelings. Art therapy is one way to confront your inner demons, but I would never advocate for art therapy as a cure-all for people dealing with mental problems. PTSD is a very serious mental illness and requires professional help and art therapy could be one avenue helping veterans find an easier path to opening up about traumatic events experienced during military service. 

U: When did you know art was something you had to devote all your attention to?

D: I've always been creative in childhood building objects that leaned toward science fiction, but in my teenage years all creative output found its way onto paper with many of my images reflecting everyday life, so I guess it started in my youth and continues to play an important role in my life today. 

The Gathering of the Multitude Work on paper Pen and Ink drawing 11in by 8in Dec 20th 2018

U: What was the creative process like when creating a mask-only exhibit like at the Copelouzos Family Art Museum in Greece?

D: The Copelouzos Family contacted me in regards to creating an artwork mask. I agreed and the family sent me via express mail an oversized surgical mask-shaped canvas which caught my immediate attention by its unusual format. Many ideas came to mind and since the Copelouzos family placed no restriction on what to create I decided to draw a cityscape reminiscent of Van Gogh's Starry Night painting.  

You shot me ''STOP THE VIOLENCE'' Work on paper Pen and Ink drawing 11in by 8in Nov 26th 2014

U: You have a degree in criminal justice. How can criminal systems and justice systems give access to art to those in juvenile detention,  prison, and jail? How much of a positive impact do you think it would have on the inmates?  

D: The criminal justice system is a failed endeavor, mostly due to unequal justice under the law. For example, if you're rich and white you receive a get out of jail free card, and if black or brown, regardless of the economic status you're guilty as charged only having to fight like hell to prove your innocence. So, I would hope creating art in prison would be a cathartic experience helping inmates deal with incarceration by keeping the mind active, exploring the natural creative tendencies all human beings possess, using creativity to produce images of technical skill and beauty in the most wretched and hopeless of living conditions.

U: What is Definism? How do you want it to be understood when someone looks at your work or purchases it?

D: Definism is my creation of artwork that when viewed by the public with matching titles makes it pretty simple to understand and make sense of the artwork, which portrays various differences in human nature from life's everyday dramas to humankind's quest to understand the self.  

U: Can you explain your involvement with the Veteran Artist Program?

D: I'm currently involved with the Veterans Arts Institute, which is a great program dedicated to giving talented and unrecognized artists more visibility in the art world. This organization is run by Kathleen Ellertson, who has been instrumental in setting up unique art venues in the USA, helping to bring much-needed attention to many veteran artists including me.

Heart of the savior Work on paper Pen & Ink drawing 11in by 8in July 28th 2014

U: How has art been therapeutic for you?

D: The creative process is very liberating to me, presenting a viable way to express thoughts and ideas on any medium to the outside world. This process of taking in my surroundings and translating that knowledge into creative imagery is an astonishing feat, which helps make sense of the real world by creating an imaginary world that presents the same real-world issues without the feeling of doom. 

U: What medium of art do you prefer to create/work with?

D: I started out creating artwork using Pen and Ink on paper and gradually moved up to working with acrylic paint and non-toxic hot glue on canvas and wood; these mediums have allowed me to experiment with creating wonderful works of art.

State-of-America Acrylic and non toxic hot glue on canvas 2m by 1m Jan 1st 2017

U: How has art helped you view the world differently?

D: I don't think my view of the world is any different with or without art. My creations have given me a way to represent the happenings in the real world, creating a visual language of fantasy that's universal to everyone who sees my images. I think this method of reinterpreting the events of society in images creates a narrative that the public can easily accept as art while subconsciously instilling a sense of urgency for a call to action in society.

U: What has been the hardest struggle for you in selling your art?

D: I think the biggest problem for selling my artwork has been my unwillingness to sell anything. I've grown very attached to my creations and made no concerted effort to sell my paintings but as my artwork becomes more well-known, I have begun to have less fear or trepidation that my creations will not be cared for in an appropriate manner by potential art buyers.

Ritual Acrylic, cloth and non toxic hot glue on canvas 80cm by 80cm Dec 16th 2020

U: How can the criminal justice system do better by veterans who suffer from mental illnesses including substance abuse disorders that find themselves in the criminal justice system?

D: In my opinion, The criminal justice system should always give special consideration to veterans on trial for criminal acts, since the US Military indoctrination process uses confrontational and impervious behavioural training methods which help servicemen and women deal with the psychological horrors of war and confinement. These very intense and harsh military training exercises conducted on a routine basis could result in permanent psychosis in some veterans unable to distinguish non-threatening from life-threatening situations, with many vets committing a crime in society as a form of personal survival at all costs.

U: How important would having veteran courts and mental health courts be for the community and for the individuals who have served and the ones who just suffer from the same illnesses and find themselves lost in the system also?

D: I think having a criminal justice system exclusively for veterans would be a step in the right direction of equal justice, since the transition from civilian to military member results in the loss of all basic rights and freedoms afforded every US citizen under the law. This very traumatic military environment can also have a lasting impact on the mental health of veterans, who feel institutionalized by former military life and awkwardly out of place in the civilian world.

U: What does the title, “Artist,” mean to you?

D: I don't particularly like titles. I'm a creative person labeled in society as an artist so the word artist, in and of itself means very little to me. I'm a storyteller documenting my personal experiences and historic events in society that have impacted humanity using paper or canvas as my medium. Sometimes I create futuristic images that predict what could happen but these artworks are all based on deductive reasoning to draw logical conclusions about events that may impact humanity in the future.  

To find out more about Darrell’s artwork please visit his site.