John P. Brackin - Freelance Writer - Articles

Local Artist Jazzing Up the Art Scene

Alabaster Newsletter, December 2006

Local artist Ahmad Austin isn’t a jazz musician, but give him a paintbrush and some paint and he sure knows how to swing.

Austin, a Birmingham native who moved to Alabaster this summer, has blended his love of jazz with his natural talent for art. The combination has resulted in a unique painting style that’s resonated with art collectors literally across the world.

“I’ve always liked jazz music, my dad liked jazz music, that’s why I paint jazz. I like the way it makes me feel,” Austin said.

Austin has been interested in art ever since he was young. His mom used to take him to art lessons as a child, and he sold his first drawing when he was only 10: a portrait of Martin Luther King, Jr., that a neighbor bought for $15. He attended the Alabama School of Fine Arts for two years and graduated in 2000 from Alabama A&M, where he studied Art Education. That’s also where he discovered painting.

“About ’97, that’s when I started doing the painting,” Austin said. “I always wanted to do it, but I just kind of built up to it the whole time, taking more classes. When I went to Alabama, I did glass-blowing, photography, I did just about everything.”

Austin found his niche when he finally started painting. He works mainly with acrylics, using brushes as well as a palette knife, and he even does some collage. He cites influences like Van Gogh and Matisse, who both used bold color in their painting.

“I use a lot of colors, and those artists use a lot of bright colors,” he said.

Recent work by artist Ahmad Austin For Austin, though, it all comes back to the music. He often goes to live jazz performances to get ideas, sometimes doing sketches as he watches.

“I’ve been to Jazz on the Porch and drawn the images while they’re playing. Then come back home and painted it. I’ve done that a couple of times. I’ll go to different venues and watch them play music, then come back home and add my own twist to it,” he said.

In addition to his painting, Austin also teaches art. He’s an instructor at Minor Elementary in Birmingham, where he’s now in his fourth year.

“I taught middle school, but I like elementary a lot better. They’re more enthusiastic,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of talented students. I’ve got one in particular. He’s real good. I just try to push him and say, you can do this, and you can make some money also.”

Austin sells his own artwork at shows around the South, as well as through various galleries. His work has been exhibited at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the Amsouth Harbert Plaza, and just recently at a gallery in Ireland.

His paintings sell for anywhere from $10 up to $1,200, and they all feature Austin’s signature style: free, loose, and fun. Just like jazz.

To learn more, visit him online at http://jazzupyourlife.blogspot.com/.