SHAWN PERKINS: 80s BABY
April 2019 to May 2019
Shawn Mitchell Perkins is a painter living and working in DC by way of Detroit. After graduating from Howard University, he worked as a graphic designer in Texas. Still, it wasn’t long after that he decided to return to DC, where he began painting “like a madman” while waiting tables to get by. “Inspirations come from artists I admire both musically and creatively. I like to be detailed and loose simultaneously; the idea of (sur)realism colliding with a sense of abstract is something I enjoy experimenting with.”
His work can be found throughout the DMV. He has been commissioned by Southwest Airlines, MGM National Harbor, Revolt TV, and some of DC’s top restaurants and schools. Recently, he was featured on ABC7 News in recognition of his paint classes hosted in the city. His style is layered and somewhat contemporary, combining (sur)realistic foregrounds against abstract backdrops. He loves working with oil, acrylic paint, and unique mixed media on wood panels and canvas. With the nickname SP THE PLUG, Perkins loves to trademark most pieces with an electrical outlet or plug.
“I want to highlight people of color. When you google classic paintings, you rarely see images that look like us. And for me, at the end of the day my goal is to inspire others like others have inspired me. Everybody needs that push to jump, and I want the younger generation to see my work and not worry about their parachute opening.”