Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeff Kesses.
Jeff, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I arrived in Boston in 1986 to attend the School of the Museum of Fine Arts after graduating from Dean College out in Franklin, MA. (My training didn’t stop with these two schools. I’m always looking to hone my skills and improve. I’ve continued drawing and painting classes in locations like England and Italy, New Mexico, L.A. and San Francisco as well as other classes and locale’s in Boston.)
I was tailoring and focusing my training at the Museum School to become an Illustrator (my original thought was to move to New York and become a romance novel book cover illustrator) and portrait painter. Before graduating, I wound up out in Western MA at the Norman Rockwell Museum as an intern/resident in ’89 where I participated in some group exhibits and did some artwork for the museum. I also began doing illustration work for several businesses. I remained out in the Berkshires and exhibited in galleries in Lenox, Tyringham MA and in upper state New York and received some nice reviews from several papers. I even had a job playing classical guitar in a Mexican restaurant in Pittsfield for a while. During certain stretches of time out there, I actually put more time and effort into getting a music career started. I moved back to Boston in January of ’93. I finished my final semester at the SMFA in the fall of that year and have been at the freelance commission game ever since.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I guessing the response you get to this question in most cases is “no”. I’m no different. I’m not a businessman and don’t pretend to be. There’s a saying that artists are lousy business people so I guess I fall into that cliché. Marketing, especially pre internet was always a challenge. It’s certainly been easier post internet. Budgeting my time between producing work and marketing was always a hurdle. I managed to do OK with a lot of local print advertising and I had an agent for a brief time.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Boston Portrait Artists – what should we know?
As Boston Portrait Artists I provide most custom artwork people request. Portraits, (people, houses, pets, etc. done in oil, pastel and charcoal.), landscapes, murals and illustration. I’ve also recently started offering one-on-one lessons in drawing and painting and have taken on several students.
I think what I’m most proud of in my work is integrity and customer satisfaction.
I guess what sets me apart from many or most is 28 years’ experience in doing what I do.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Affability and easy for customers to work with I’d say are two personal characteristic traits.
As far as the product I provide goes, I stick to the time honored, centuries old tradition of drawing and painting. There’s nothing gimmicky, new age or cutting edge about what I do.
Contact Info:
- Address: 37 Cedar St., Malden, MA 02148
- Website: http://www.bostonportraitartists.com http://www.jeffkesses.com
- Phone: 617-859-7389
- Email: jkesses@yahoo.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bostonportraitartists/
- Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/portraitartistsinboston/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/boston-portrait-artists-boston
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