Being an art mentor in the art world is pretty crazy. We have all these different apps for other people to see what artists display out there. I did not really understand I was a mentor in the art world until recently. It’s funny because I didn’t even realize it! I was just going about my business; doing some paintings and pushing myself to go further in my art. I wanted to show other people that if you have the effort in you or the will, you can find a way to do what you love.
It’s just so humbling how many people look up to you when you’re consistent with your work. The number of followers I have has been growing. People were asking for more tips and tricks on how to paint with their mouth or suggestions for different apparatuses they could use to paint with. I had people who have ability in their hands ask for tips and tricks. Even people from different countries! It’s just mind blowing. It definitely shows that the more effort you put into something, you will receive attention and support from people interested in what you do and that is extremely humbling.
I like being mentored by other people. We all have a common interest in art, but we have different styles so you can always learn something new. I’ve been doing collaborations here and there with other artists. I believe that the more you try to collaborate with other people the more of a chance your name is out there and somebody who’s never heard of you will see you.
One piece of advice: I believe we should teach the younger generation about things we use to do by hand. As technology gets more and more advanced, some of the things we used to do by hand or other situations aren’t what they used to be. Things are so digital now, so we need to pass some of this stuff down to the younger generation. This is why mentoring is so important.
About Jesse Cuellar: Jesse is an artist and a brand ambassador for Quantum Rehab®. An accident left him paralyzed from the neck down, so he uses his mouth to paint and expresses himself through his art. Jesse lives in St. Louis, Missouri, and enjoys painting and hanging out with his friends. Click here to learn more about Jesse.