Walk the Talk with James Hunt

In the latest installment of Almighty's "Walk the Talk" series, we join artist James Hunt and his dog, Taxi, on a tranquil stroll through the serene landscapes of Tāmaki Makaurau. Known for his vibrant and thought-provoking art, James shares insights into his creative process, the importance of slowing down, and how nature influences his work. From his early days of graffiti to his current passion for painting, James reflects on the therapeutic aspects of art and the inspiration he draws from the natural world. This candid conversation offers a glimpse into the life of an artist who finds joy in the simple act of walking and the profound impact it has on his creativity.

Why did you choose this walk?

Settle down. She’s probably seen a cat. Oh, there it is.

It’s like an old, cute cat.

…I like this walk because there's just so much serenity. You know, you're right by the motorway, which is gorgeous. But no, it just makes me feel happy when you're in the afternoon, the sun's always kind of nice setting over the west there. And as we can see in the morning, it's kind of lovely. 

You’ve got it to yourself!

It's kind of like I'm playing Pokémon Go. But seeing how many pats I can get.

What's something you've learned or reflected on during a walk?

I think I just learnt how important it is to just take a moment and spend the time moving slowly. Yeah, we're so often distracted by your screens or all that stuff. And going for a walk is such a good way to get away from that.

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Interview continues...

What's something that helps you feel creatively inspired?

I wouldn't be able to do what I do without getting out into nature and exercising, going for hikes and stuff. One of my favourite things in the world to do is freediving. My next show that I'm doing, a lot of the paintings, are all based around that.

Growing up in Tāmaki Makaurau, being around all these beautiful maunga, volcanoes, it's kind of imprinted on me that it's such a special thing to be able to go climb up them and see the beautiful views. 

It’s got so much more significance though and it makes it even more special!

For you what is Thirsty Work?

Thirsty work is painting in the summer when it's friggin' hot, especially when you're outside.

If you could describe your art in three words, what would they be?

Fun, bright and thought-provoking

On one hand, it's really bright and fun, and I like to think that it makes people feel happy, but I do like to slip in some notes of darkness in there or... I think someone said once, "Reckless abandon," which is… yeah, it's kind of like the whole everything is a bit cooked, but there's also some cool stuff out there.

How did you get into painting?

I've always been, like, into drawing and doodling and then at uni I got quite into graffiti, going around, finding some chill, abandoned spots and getting the spray cans out and making some colourful work. And then that kind of translated later on into, like, "I want to be able to do this at home." I find it real therapeutic to paint, even just priming the canvas one colour of white. I just find it very relaxing. 

Did you have a tag name? 

No comment.

It might be a bit of a hot take, but I love seeing tagging in the right context. Sometimes I'm like, oh, that's a bit dusty. But I just think it's such a free and raw expression of creativity.

How do you find balance between your work life and personal life outside of painting?

It's really hard to balance. There's only so much time that you have. I've got quite a full personal life. I'm very tight with my family, my wife's family, and people at work joke that I've got a family dinner every night, which is kind of true. We catch up a lot. 

I just block in when I can, time in the studio. Maddie's got her hobbies and stuff as well, and then we kind of do our own thing. When I've got a show on or something, I'll spend quite a few nights late in the studio and just crawl into bed, but it seems to work alright.

Who do you think we should walk with next?

I think you should walk with Georgie Johnson, my mate, who I'm doing a show with; she’s great. 

Okay, that sounds like a good plan!