Featured Artist: Josemanuelerre

Josemanuelerre is a photographer/filmmaker whose miniature works and detailed photography we’re really crushing on. Residing in Sevilla, Spain, he uses his camera to show us everything from the tiny details to the urban landscapes of the world he lives in.

Read on to learn more about Josemanuelerre.

**Josemanuelerre at a glance.**

How would you describe your work in 7 words or less?
Tiny, minimalist and colorful but thinking beyond. (Does that even make sense? haha)

I love your ‘tiny stuff’ and ‘clouds’ art. Are there tips you would share with artists interested in creating this type of art?
The most important thing is the story behind the artwork; to make people feel something meaningful without telling too much. In my case, I think it is vulnerability. Fluffy clouds and little elements seem like they are going to break down anytime (in fact, they do during the photo shoot, haha) and empty background forces you to look at the lonely objects.

What are your creative weapons of choice?
My notebooks, I take notes almost every day about any idea for my art. My camera, A Nikon D750, for when I’m shooting. Props, I always carry with me some elements I might use, (a Rubik’s cube, colorful stuff, origami art and things of that nature) in case I feel like creating a spontaneous still life artwork. And, Photoshop, for editing my pictures. Color is so important in my photography, I need to readjust every tone to make it look perfect.

“According to my experience, the most important thing is never to give up. I know it sounds pretty obvious but it’s crucial. I know many talented artists who gave up because they didn’t sell or their artworks didn’t go viral or whatever. It’s great to think bigger but you’ll need to work hard first (and maybe for a long time) before your dreams come true.“

Timelapse video of the creation of, The Loner

Finished work, The Loner

A few fun facts about the artist.

José admits he’s found himself feeling uncomfortable around birds (an Alfred Hitchcock movie comes to mind) although they are one of the leitmotivs in his photography. He once had such a high fever that he saw the Spanish actress Amparo Larrañaga in the stucco of his room. Currently, he’s learning Portuguese and is practicing living a minimalist lifestyle. And, he’s released a new book called Los Mártires Callados (The Silent Martyrs) along with Spanish writer, Lars Vintergatan.

What’s the one thing you’re most proud of in your artwork?

This might sound generic and obvious, but when you do art, of any kind, it is so important that it becomes the center of your life and you feel fulfilled. I haven’t had that feeling ever with anything I’ve done before. And this is what I’m most proud about, having found a way of expressing myself through photography and artistic passion.

I also like that my photography has my own signature. Not just because my cloud series is recognizable, but in general, the use of warm tones, wide blue skies, etc. And I love having these common elements in many of my pictures, especially because they have been integrated into my work in a very unplanned way.

Where do you find inspiration?

In terms of my minimalist photography, I feel inspired by pop culture and social media. Instagram is a great source of inspiration for me. I follow many interest artists that create amazing minimalist art. I love the pictures of Andrew Zonzini and Brock Davis, for example.

For my landscapes, I think in terms of paintings. The textures and atmosphere must capture that sensation, at least in my mind. In 2014, I saw the work of Peder Balke for the first time at the London’s National Gallery. It was love at first sight. I have his paintings on my mind every time I’m taking pictures outdoors in nature. My fjord series is an example of this.

“Focus on your goals but, above all, on your creativity. Your ideas are your most powerful tool. They will become your sustenance…“

Josemanuelerre on his personal favorite work.

This is a tough one. I’m very selective with the works I upload so all of them, in a way, are favorites. Usually, my preferred ones are not the most popular. In this case, I think The Sun is always blinding me. Although it’s not my best-seller, this picture has all the elements I love in photography: a wide and clear sky, a great backlight, a bunch of beautifully well-defined flying birds, amazing architecture (this is the cathedral of Plasencia, in Cáceres, Extremadura) and, above it all, it’s a candid shot. Every time I see it, I feel like all the elements from this composition were posing for me in this once-in-a-lifetime moment.

“My strong determination has led me to where I’m now. And I know I still have a lot to learn. This whole journey has been so rewarding for me. Now I have a clear idea of what I want to show in my work and I want to keep on doing this for the rest of my life.”

How did your freelance artist career begin?

I became a freelance artist since 2009. It all started like a game for me. I started shooting with my camera and uploading them to my photo gallery on the Internet. I got an offer to start selling my pictures through websites and some of my pictures have been featured in magazines, books or editorial publications thanks to these photo licensing websites.

Are there places you’ve traveled to that have inspired your art? How?

Of course! Taking pictures is one of the things I enjoy the most while traveling. It offers a new point of view, it helps me to work on my creativity and compositions spontaneously. When I went to Italy, I got a new lens, the 35mm, and I had to approach people. It was awkward at first, but I got used to that and it gave me confidence. In Burano, Venice, I suffered from Stendhal Syndrome for the first time. Burano is a little village surrounded by water and every house is painted in a different color. There’s no doubt it was a huge inspiration for me.

I’ve also been to Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, UK, Switzerland and many different cities from Spain. This allowed me to grow in creativity, try new things and learn a lot. Right now I’m very excited for my forthcoming journey. I’ll be traveling to New Zealand next November. I’m sure I will come back full of great experiences and with loads of pictures and videos, which I will share with the RedBubble community, of course. :D