Arien Reed’s contemporary style is vibrant with highly saturated colors and deep contrasts. Realism, with influences of surrealism and expressionism, convey the loves, joys, concerns, and struggles of everyday people, some of whom are living in our own community. His works reveal the urban culture, especially those living in poverty and trans people seeking to find happiness despite racism, transphobia, homophobia, ableism, sizeism, and nationalism that continually hamper their vocational achievements, good health, and personal accomplishments. As a transgender man, Arien paints and draws other transgender people, sometimes featuring celebrities, yet more often focusing on the ordinary, hardworking people. Inclusive of all ages, races, sizes, abilities, and nationalities, etc., Arien portrays the beauty and value in those not typically considered beautiful or worthy by general society.
As a mixed media artist, Arien does not currently have a preferred medium. He enjoys the chaos of spray paint, acrylic graffiti markers, graphite pencils, India ink, and watercolor while at the same time valuing the controlled stability of acrylic, oil, charcoal, Japanese ink, pastels, and colored pencils. Arien carefully ensures that different mediums are layered for archival quality. He utilizes many mixing mediums, additives, masking fluid/materials, and homemade stencils to achieve desired results.
Though no formal art education, Arien has studied extensively through a variety of books, YouTube tutorials, art blogs, and online courses. He sells his work professionally and has won 1st Place and Best of Show in local art contests. His work has been featured in small galleries, online venues, and art magazines. Arien supports his family through in-person and online art sales, prints, and commissions. His goal is to become the most renowned, successful transgender artist in the U.S. and be the first represented transgender artist in many art galleries.
Descriptions of Work: Trans Magic by Arien Reed: Descriptions of Work | Arts Visalia Visual Art Center
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