An Artist at 12 Years Old? | Jalani Vickers – ListenUp Podcast

A quiet swing, a rooftop at sunset, a barbershop buzz—sometimes the places we know best say the most. We sit with 12-year-old artist Jalani Vickers to explore how ordinary scenes become emotionally rich portraits, and why small choices like a hoodie slogan or a jersey number can carry unexpected weight. His world is part city dream, part neighborhood memory, and fully intentional about mood and meaning.

Jalani walks us through his process from pencil sketches at his bedroom desk to polished digital color with help from his uncle. He explains that reading graphic novels sharpened his eye for pacing and characterization, and that visits downtown feed his love of cityscapes, even when the skyline is imagined. We unpack standout pieces from the Nonchalant Dreadhead series—an introspective kid on a swing wearing “Tax The Rich,” a focused hooper in a familiar court, and a tightly framed barbershop that makes you feel the room’s warmth. Along the way, he talks about discipline learned from boxing, the joy of being truly seen by viewers, and the difference between art that looks cool and art that makes you feel something.

We also get real about support systems and access. Jalani’s mom, Blair, shares how she noticed his shift from doodles to deliberate work, why they debated the series name, and how local makers' markets and a simple online shop create real paths for a young artist. If you care about youth creativity, urban storytelling, and the craft of turning everyday life into lasting images, this conversation will give you fresh ideas and a lot of heart.

Listen now, share your favorite moment, and tap follow to catch future conversations. If the story moved you, leave a quick review—it helps more people discover voices like Jalani’s.

🔗 Full episode, photos & transcript:

https://www.listenup.biz/an-artist-at-12-jalani-vickers

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:07

Hello everyone, I'm Al Nealy with Listen Up Podcast. And I'd like to welcome you today. Today we have a young artist from the Hampton Roads area. His name is Jelani Vickers. I met Jelani at a children's festival this summer. Um, I couldn't believe his art. Um, I actually thought it was his mother's art who actually looks like his sister, his mom Blair. And I want to thank you guys for coming and um just thank you for giving me the opportunity to uh have him come on the show.

SPEAKER_02 0:43

Thank you for having us.

SPEAKER_03 0:44

Yes. All right, Jelani, let's talk about when I first met you. How old are you?

SPEAKER_00 0:52

I'm 12.

SPEAKER_03 0:53

Okay. When I first met you, you told me you started as an artist at age five.

SPEAKER_00 0:59

Yeah, I started drawing. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 1:02

At age five, what did you draw at age five? What types of things?

SPEAKER_00 1:09

Like random doodles on pieces of paper with crayons, stuff like that.

SPEAKER_03 1:13

Okay. All right. So now you really kind of focus on cultural vibes, city vibes, yeah, and um you've just constantly progressed. Yes. So at age 12, how many works do you have you completed? Would you say like all the all the yeah, all the arts that you've done.

SPEAKER_00 1:46

Like the ones I've sold?

SPEAKER_03 1:48

Yeah. Oh. Dozens? Uh hundreds?

SPEAKER_00 1:54

Probably six?

SPEAKER_03 1:57

Okay. Yeah. Well, that's good. So we need to get you more. So we have some displayed around the um the set here, so I want to talk about those. Blair, um, you have how many children?

SPEAKER_02 2:09

Two.

SPEAKER_03 2:09

Two, okay. And Jelani, is he the oldest or the youngest?

SPEAKER_02 2:14

Yes, he's the oldest.

SPEAKER_03 2:15

Okay. All right. When obviously you've invested in him being coming an artist. You were there. Um when did you notice that he had this talent?

Early Beginnings And Family Support

SPEAKER_02 2:28

Um, well, like you said, we kind of started drawing in around five years ago. I would say he was probably doing like, you know, a lot of kids start like doing characters that they like and things like that, like Sonic or Spider-Man. Um, but like you said, I think within the last, I would say three or four years, I see I saw that he started to take it more seriously. Um, he likes to draw like fantasy characters or like comic books, comic strips, um, maps. Um he would ask for materials, you know, the pen, the drawing pencils, the sketch paper, the books to learn how to draw maps. Um, and recently with this series, and he said it's about this series, is about, I want to say six uh pieces. Yeah. Um, but he has like things that he's drawn that that are not a part of this series, like things that he's drawn on his own.

SPEAKER_01 3:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:34

Um, but he brought me, I want to say the swing set, or I think it was the the rooftop picture. And I was like, this is if this is relatable, like this is something that somebody would be like, you know, would think is, I don't know what they say today, like the kids, but vibes are like you know. I was talking to my wife.

SPEAKER_03 3:55

I'm like, you know, when you say that, it makes you always thought if somebody older said, you know, what the kids say today.

SPEAKER_02 4:02

But you know, he has, I don't know, I just thought it was very relatable, like culturally, like with the money in his hand. Like, that's not something that he's I seen him draw before. This was very different from what I've seen him draw.

SPEAKER_03 4:16

It would be like made you take notice. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 4:19

So I was like, he's finding his style, he's finding his, you know. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I was like, you should draw more characters like this, and you know, that's how we came, that's how he came up with the series.

SPEAKER_03 4:29

Okay. So we'll talk about the series. So what inspired you to start drawing? Do you can you remember back that far? Can you remember back to when you were five? I can't, but you know.

SPEAKER_00 4:41

Well, I used to I used to read a lot of excuse me. I used to read a lot of graphic novels, still do. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 4:50

And give me an example of a graphic novel that you enjoyed reading.

SPEAKER_00 4:57

I used to read a lot of Dogman. Okay. Um Captain Underpants.

SPEAKER_03 5:05

Okay. I can tell you, I see that. When you said Dogman, I see that in the world.

SPEAKER_02 5:11

He's being hesitant, but he he knows the graphic novels that he reads because I get on to him a lot about, you know, read something else that doesn't have pictures. But obviously, it's, you know, it is it's inspired in him.

SPEAKER_01 5:22

Right.

SPEAKER_02 5:22

But he's hesitant in the saying them, but he knows them off the top of his head. What about um Diarie Wimpy Kid?

SPEAKER_00 5:28

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 5:30

Oh, yeah. Um, I can see that in your artwork.

SPEAKER_00 5:36

So Charlie Brown. Yeah.

Influences From Graphic Novels

SPEAKER_03 5:40

Gotcha. So you're you're inspired by your your culture, the things that are going on around you, and of course your graphic novels. So when you're you're you see something, you're walking down the street and you see something, and what goes through your mind? Okay, I just have to draw this, or does it mi leave an impression? Take us through the whole process for you.

SPEAKER_00 6:09

Usually when like the scenes like the skyscrapers and stuff, uh-huh. I I like a lot of big cities like New York, Chicago, LA. Um, and I just get inspiration off like buildings in here in Norfolk. Um it's not a lot of big buildings, I say, I guess. Right. But I still like find inspiration when we go downtown. So I just imagine it in my head.

SPEAKER_03 6:43

And so you like cityscapes? Yeah. Yeah, okay. You live downtown, Norfolk?

SPEAKER_00 6:50

Oh no.

SPEAKER_03 6:50

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 6:51

We visit sometimes.

Cityscapes And Imagination

SPEAKER_03 6:52

Okay. Where do you live?

SPEAKER_00 6:54

Um Tiewater area.

SPEAKER_03 6:57

Okay, gotcha. Okay. You've been in New York?

SPEAKER_00 7:01

No.

Naming The Series And Style

SPEAKER_03 7:01

Okay. But you've seen the the the cityscapes. Okay. And I and I can understand. So um, I'm the same way. I like all those those uh cityscapes. Like if I'm traveling, if I see I'm in a plane and I see that, or I'm driving into the city, uh, I will I have like hundreds of pictures, bridges and things like that. I love that. Yeah, yeah. So now as the city, let's talk about your series that you have coming up. It's called Nonchalant Dreadhead.

SPEAKER_00 7:41

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 7:42

Okay. How did you come up with that?

SPEAKER_00 7:45

Uh well, I didn't come up with it. Um she picked it out, but then after the series was done, I told her like I didn't really like the name that much, so I told her after, and like, so she could understand why like she got what? So she could understand like why I didn't like it after. Yeah. And like it's because it's like a um something on the internet.

SPEAKER_03 8:14

Okay. It's like a meme. It's a meme, gotcha. So your vision wasn't exactly what yeah, she had picked out. Yeah. But I'm just gonna let you know. If you haven't figured it out by now, moms do that a lot. That's just that's just a natural thing, you know, for a mom to do.

SPEAKER_02 8:32

So um well, also he didn't say at the time.

SPEAKER_00 8:35

It was like we were what I thought you just like put that as your file.

SPEAKER_02 8:39

Like, oh, you thought it was just what I was naming it for myself?

SPEAKER_00 8:44

It's okay.

SPEAKER_03 8:45

Do you draw, Blair?

SPEAKER_02 8:49

Yes and no. I'm more of a um, I guess, visual artist. I do um like web and graphic design.

SPEAKER_03 8:56

Oh, you do?

SPEAKER_02 8:57

Um, but I do like, you know, I draw and paint and stuff like that and like as a hobby, like in my free time. Um, but I definitely obviously have an appreciation for arts.

SPEAKER_03 9:07

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:08

Um, but I I kind of I guess encourage the name nonchalant dreadhead because as you can see, the the characters are like very chill, very nonchalant.

From Sketch To Digital Color

SPEAKER_03 9:20

Yeah, a lot of them have dreads or they're they're kind of working on that. So we're gonna we're gonna talk about the your work, each one of them in a few minutes. But um one of the things I noticed you is is pencil and paper sketching, and um your uncle. Yes, he takes that sketch and what does he do with it?

SPEAKER_00 9:43

Uh he's more experienced with digital art, so he just makes he he gives him more details in digital form. Yeah. And with color and anything. Right. I pick out the um the colors. Yeah. And then we sent the pictures to him, and then he just we tell him like where we want the colors to go, and then yeah.

Markets And Community Showings

SPEAKER_03 10:05

Oh, awesome. Awesome. So you just recently had some work done at a local market. Yes. What which market is it? Does you call it Blair?

SPEAKER_02 10:20

It was the mini market, uh, mini makers market with the um the children's festival that happened uh Town Center.

SPEAKER_03 10:27

Okay. Was that the one I met you guys at? Okay, gotcha, gotcha. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 10:31

And he well, he's also gonna be at they're having another one um in December. So he'll also be at that one.

The Swing Piece And Symbolism

SPEAKER_03 10:37

In Norfolk downtown? Yes. Oh, okay. Well, I'll probably be there as well. So, okay, so let's do this. Let's talk about East Peace. Let's start with this one. And I'm turning so the camera can see. I want to make sure I have it. Okay. So you have someone on a swing. What talk about what was your inspiration for that particular sketch?

SPEAKER_00 11:10

I guess I didn't really have a lot of inspiration, but for the sweater.

SPEAKER_03 11:17

The sweater is the thing for you, huh?

SPEAKER_00 11:19

Yeah, the words on it.

SPEAKER_03 11:21

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 11:22

Um, I just saw it on uh it was a sticker on my dad's water bottle.

SPEAKER_03 11:28

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 11:28

And I just put on the hoodie.

SPEAKER_02 11:32

What does it say?

SPEAKER_00 11:33

Tax the rich. And then I remember learning about that in social studies.

SPEAKER_03 11:38

Taxing the rich.

SPEAKER_00 11:40

Yeah, and how rich people pay less taxes than poor.

SPEAKER_03 11:46

Oh yeah. That one you like the the way climate is today, you like tipping in the political stuff today, man. So you you're getting started early. Tax the rich. So you you learn that where though?

SPEAKER_00 11:59

Uh social studies.

SPEAKER_03 12:01

Oh. They're teaching that in school? Okay. Um, they might try to take that out of school.

SPEAKER_02 12:09

Yeah, I'm still surprised too with some of the stuff they're they're still deciding to keep in.

Basketball Vibes And Expression

SPEAKER_03 12:14

Okay. Uh that's awesome. Um you just said I'm gonna put somebody on the swing and focus on the sweater. And then okay. All right. So we're gonna go from this one over here to that one. That looks like is that a Jordan jersey?

SPEAKER_00 12:37

No, it's just random one.

SPEAKER_03 12:40

It's a random okay. All right. Do you know who Michael Jordan is? Yeah. Okay. All right. So let's talk about that.

SPEAKER_00 12:49

Was that inspired from your surroundings, where you came from, or anything, or you just well, I I was just trying to figure out something to draw, and then I I I I do basketball, like for a wreck, and I I just wanted like you basically wanted to express something that you had seen.

SPEAKER_03 13:23

Yeah. Yeah. I I understand. Basketball is pretty it's pretty common in in American culture. And if you're from the city, you know, it's just it's you play basketball at least once or twice, you know. So I I get it, but it's very relatable because that's something that you seek all the time in the urban area, people playing basketball. Then you take a look at that number, you know, you have um Jordan. And that's his number?

SPEAKER_02 13:56

I was gonna say, I don't think he knows that that's Jordan's number.

SPEAKER_03 13:59

Okay. Is I is it LeBron's too? I don't think. I'm not sure. Of course, it's Kobe's up there. I think Kobe's was 24. But um, yeah, it's um that's kind of that's his jersey coloring hands. I'm pretty sure somebody would my age would relate that to being Jordan. Yeah. You know, somebody, yeah. So you need to do a number three with Iverson. Try to do that. And and let me know once you've gotten it done.

Rooftop Calm And Urban Settings

SPEAKER_02 14:31

I think it was also just to build onto the um the theme. Because it is that like a um that is outside, right? Yeah, he's sitting outside. So yeah, just to build onto the theme of the other ones, like kind of just, you know, in the in the area, the urban areas.

SPEAKER_00 14:49

I think actually, I think I think that was uh a script he gave me.

SPEAKER_02 14:55

So I gave him some ideas to build onto the the other characters, just you know, certain settings, like what uh what other settings could be like the city or like you said, the urban areas. Um because we have another I didn't I don't think I brought it, but um the barbershop. So just all those different settings of you know where black boys would be. So yeah. Yeah, obviously, I don't I don't really see too many black kids on top of roofs, but you know, just kind of build on top of I grew up with Philly.

SPEAKER_03 15:30

I grew up with Philly. We used to jump from roof to roof, just letting you know we used to run and jump from roof to roof was kind of nuts, but I I can relate to that. So talk about that one now that we're talking about it. What made you decide to put somebody on top of the roof?

SPEAKER_00 15:50

Well, I've always wanted to be on top of the roof, so I just okay. I pictured someone being like just chilling as watching the sunset. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 16:04

That's very relatable. I'm I'm I gotta tell you, like, probably not because I'm looking at this one, but I can completely relate to that, right? And he's doing things that people are, you know, your age or my age that can really relate to to life experiences, right? And yeah, so I think that's probably where artists' gifts come in, and they're just channeling things, and lots of times it it just comes out.

SPEAKER_02 16:39

And I um when he brought when he showed me this one, I was like, what made you draw him holding money? Um, because that like I said, this was not something that he usually draws. This was like completely different. And so I just thought it was interesting and I kind of ironic that you said, you know, artists pull from other people's inspiration because I don't think he under, I don't think he knew what tax to rich how much weight tax the rich holds when he drew it, or that you know, what that number and those colors mean to people. So I just you know, when he draws things, I just I just kind of find it ironic that he's so young, yeah, but able to pull inspiration from certain things that carry a lot of weight for people our age. Yeah.

Barbershop Scene And Atmosphere

SPEAKER_03 17:23

Do you know what symbolism is, the definition of symbolism? I've heard the word, but I don't think so. Okay. Well, I gotta tell you, it's expressed in your work, completely expressed. So you're doing something, you probably your your mind is just manifesting this stuff, and then you're just putting it out. I think it's amazing. Thank you. That right there, that the tax the rich is definitely present-day symbolism to what's taking place, right? And these are just experiences that I have, so I I've had or I can relate to. And then the one here, um, to your right, and that's the uh the barbershop one the barbershop. Talk about that. Where did you get the inspiration for that? Do you go to the barber often?

SPEAKER_00 18:17

Um yeah, sometimes.

SPEAKER_03 18:21

Okay. So talk about that.

SPEAKER_00 18:26

Well, this one was also from the script she gave me. Um I just tried to put in all the stuff I was seeing the barber shop onto the on paper. Okay. Um probably my favorite part is probably probably the background. Why? Um, I feel like if the background wasn't there, it wouldn't give it a a sort of vibe that it has to it. It would just look bland. So yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:57

But like the background, it's like a it's like a closed space, so it makes you feel like you're in the barbershop.

SPEAKER_03 19:04

Yeah. Okay. Do you just told me what was the favorite part about that when yeah what's your favorite part about being on the roof? The artist on the roof to the top.

SPEAKER_00 19:27

Probably the the the um the the brick building. Cause I remember that being kinda hard to draw. It took a lot it took a lot of time. It did the the one building.

SPEAKER_03 19:42

It made you appreciate it more. Okay. Any favorites with that one?

SPEAKER_00 19:48

Probably the basketball player.

SPEAKER_03 19:50

Gotcha.

SPEAKER_00 19:51

I like what I did with the facial expression and how he was sitting. It made

SPEAKER_03 20:00

What were you trying to express there?

SPEAKER_00 20:02

Kinda sort of intense. Intense feeling.

SPEAKER_03 20:05

Right.

SPEAKER_00 20:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 20:06

Okay. Favorite this one?

SPEAKER_00 20:12

I like the location of the the piece because it just when usually when I'm gonna swing, um hey, like you think about you think a lot of stuff. And I just wanted to give it that type of mood, like he was just thinking.

Creative Routine And Discipline

SPEAKER_03 20:38

Gotcha. Yeah. So is there a place that you go physically that gives you the ability to focus on your art? Um, is it a place in your house or in environment or outside anything? Where's your favorite place to work?

SPEAKER_00 21:03

I usually do it at my desk in my room.

SPEAKER_03 21:07

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 21:07

But I I get a lot of my ideas during school. So usually when I come home, I just start drawing.

SPEAKER_03 21:16

Oh, that's awesome. Yeah. Yeah. You still read a lot?

SPEAKER_00 21:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 21:20

Okay. Do you play any sports?

SPEAKER_00 21:21

Uh I do boxing.

SPEAKER_03 21:23

Oh, really? Oh, okay. You know, we don't want to get you like any brain damage or anything. We gotta be able to, you know, get you creative. Do you like boxing?

SPEAKER_00 21:31

Yeah, it's fun.

SPEAKER_03 21:33

Okay. What do you like about that, Jelani?

SPEAKER_00 21:36

It teaches you a lot of discipline. And it helps you work even when you're tired.

SPEAKER_03 21:45

That's awesome. Yeah. That's awesome. Very good. And how old is your sibling? Is it a brother or sister? I have a brother. How old is he? Seven. Okay. He always wants to hang around you. Pretty much. Yeah. So that's good. That's good to have a big brother. Yeah. I'm I had big brothers.

SPEAKER_01 22:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 22:07

So does he have some some similar interests? Because usually your big brother is like an inspiration to you.

SPEAKER_00 22:16

Um well, I don't know if he likes to draw, but I do see him read a lot of stuff. I used to read, like the dog manages stuff.

SPEAKER_03 22:27

That's good.

SPEAKER_00 22:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 22:28

You gotta be happy about that because kids do not read anymore.

SPEAKER_02 22:31

Oh, yeah. You have to.

SPEAKER_03 22:33

I don't I don't care. As long as he's reading, yeah. Kids do not read it.

SPEAKER_02 22:37

I keep that's one of my goals is to keep books in the house.

SPEAKER_03 22:40

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So that's good. The most creative, most intelligent people are ones that read a lot. And you're on the right track. So you got the creative part there. Yeah. So um, what kind of student are you?

School, Reading, And Art Classes

SPEAKER_00 22:53

What kind of student? Yeah, a good student? Yeah. I mean, I have all honors.

SPEAKER_03 22:58

All what?

SPEAKER_00 22:59

Honors class.

SPEAKER_03 23:00

Oh, you are? Okay. Yeah. Do you take any type of art classes in school? Do they offer those?

SPEAKER_02 23:07

Is art in elective?

SPEAKER_00 23:08

Yeah, but I go ahead. But I do ban instead. I just um still creative. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:17

Yeah, it's really hard to find. Well, I don't think he likes art as a subject because they don't really, I don't think it's really challenging for him.

SPEAKER_00 23:25

It's more like a like everyone had to do the same thing. Like, it's not really like.

SPEAKER_02 23:33

And it's kind of hard to find like a a cla art class that is going to teach you techniques. I think some of the the art classes that they offer in the area are like, I don't know, very craft-based. I don't not really technical. Right. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_03 23:50

Right. Plus is a I don't know. I can't remember. I like art, you know. Yeah. Um and the the thing about art is I learned about a lot of artists that before I went to you know Norfolk State, I learned about a lot of artists that were, you know, European from European backgrounds. Yeah. And then I went to Norfolk State and I had a little bit more of a diverse exposure to artists. So I can see if he's not at 12 how much traveling you're gonna do. Right. You know, so even if you do travel, you're still gonna be with mom and dad, and you know, you're just not gonna like you're gonna go off unless you take him to places.

SPEAKER_01 24:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 24:35

Um, but anyway, like when you go to towns, Chicago's got a great museum, Philly's got a great one, DC. Um, I haven't been to one in New York, but um, you should get a chance if you you check it out. But um, so you can relate better to people that have some of the um same background that you have, right?

SPEAKER_01 25:02

Yeah.

Representation And Museum Paths

SPEAKER_03 25:02

And and I would imagine, you know, in the public school systems, they're probably not teaching a lot of those, you know, the people that have urban background or people that are from the diaspora and things like that, you know. So um I definitely see I see your signature in your work, you know. Um I like it. I that picture there in the basketball player. Definitely, I see the eyes, you know. So you you see your signature coming out, and then you'll develop it over the years. And um how can he's not on any social media platform? Um no, right?

SPEAKER_02 25:51

I do have um, I'll probably get him one set up soon, but he does have a website.

SPEAKER_03 25:56

Okay. Um where would people find his art?

Where To Find The Art

SPEAKER_02 26:02

The website is jkvcomics.gumro.com.

SPEAKER_03 26:06

Say that slow for me.

SPEAKER_02 26:08

JKVcomics.gumro dot com.

SPEAKER_03 26:12

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 26:13

And that's where his art, all his art is right now. Um, but yeah, as far as like TikTok or Instagram, we don't have anything just yet.

SPEAKER_03 26:21

Yeah. Okay. Yeah. So she's trying to be mom, protect you.

SPEAKER_02 26:26

So But he uh he'll be um, they'll have the uh what's it called? I forget what's it, uh I forget the name of it, but they're having another market um at town center on December 6th, um, and they have another mini makers market, so we'll be there um for uh uh anybody that wants to purchase his art in person.

SPEAKER_03 26:48

But where's that location?

SPEAKER_02 26:52

Town center in Waterside?

SPEAKER_03 26:56

Town Center or Town Point? Is it gonna be in the park where I met you guys? Yes, was that the city? It's here. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 27:04

Okay, town point, and that's Waterside, right?

SPEAKER_03 27:06

Correct.

SPEAKER_02 27:07

Okay, yes, that's where that's where it is.

SPEAKER_03 27:09

It's gonna be outside.

SPEAKER_02 27:10

Uh yes, it'll be outside.

SPEAKER_03 27:12

What are the dates?

SPEAKER_02 27:14

Um, December 6th. Okay. It's a Saturday.

SPEAKER_03 27:17

Okay. December the 6th. Outside. Okay. Um, that's gonna be awesome.

December Market And New Work

SPEAKER_02 27:24

So um he's actually working on a um, well, he's he completed it, so I'm gonna try to get with his uncle to add the color and stuff, but he is working on a Christmas theme piece.

SPEAKER_03 27:36

Oh, that would be awesome for that event.

SPEAKER_02 27:38

So we'll see how that does, how that's received.

SPEAKER_03 27:41

Yeah. So you have a piece that he did that you didn't bring is pertaining to a barber shop?

SPEAKER_02 27:49

No, it's no, I thought I didn't bring it, but it it's right here.

SPEAKER_03 27:52

Okay. All right.

SPEAKER_02 27:54

Yeah.

What Appreciation Feels Like

SPEAKER_03 27:54

Okay. And the next piece you're working on is gonna be for Christmas. Yes. Oh, that's gonna be awesome. Yeah. Yeah. So what do you want? I don't know if that's the actual what do you want everybody to know? But I mean, at 12, you probably uh can't answer that. I tell you what, tell us what it feels like to create a piece and have people like it and enjoy it. What does that feel like to you?

SPEAKER_00 28:31

Uh it feels as it's a really good feeling because it it has a like it feels like you accomplished something.

SPEAKER_01 28:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:40

Like they actually feel something about it and not just say, oh, it's cool. Like they actually like have a feeling to it, like you would, like if you saw art at a museum or something like that. And like admire, like I it feels good for other people to admire your art. Yeah. Yeah. And yeah, yeah.

Rapid Fire: Food And Sports

SPEAKER_03 29:00

Does it inspire you to keep wanting to do it? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. All right. All right. Now's the time we're gonna be a little silly. So all right. What's your favorite uh food?

SPEAKER_01 29:20

Favorite food.

SPEAKER_03 29:33

He's not usually so what which ones, what's your favorite one? Food.

SPEAKER_00 29:38

I don't really have favorite food.

SPEAKER_03 29:40

Okay. All right, so if I put a hamburger down in front of you, um, I'm gonna go south, southern on you. We did some fried chicken, or I put a really good piece of pizza in front of you. Which one are you eating? Which which one's first? Which one are you gonna grab first?

SPEAKER_00 30:03

Probably the hamburger.

SPEAKER_03 30:05

Okay, all right. What's next?

SPEAKER_00 30:11

The fried chicken.

SPEAKER_03 30:12

Okay, all right. I was waiting. You are, you know, you are from the South here, Delati. So you gotta like fried chicken, yeah. So okay. That's good. All right. Do you like any sports teams? Um you watch any sports or you just read?

SPEAKER_00 30:30

Um I've been trying to watch boxing more. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 30:35

Who's your favorite boxer?

Comics, Collecting, And Spider-Man

SPEAKER_00 30:37

I don't have one. Okay. Not yet. But yeah, I don't I don't watch I watch basketball, but I don't like, I can't, if you ask me like to name like a player, I can't really name players like that.

SPEAKER_03 30:50

I understand. I understand. Okay. So let me see what else. Um your favorite book. My favorite book.

SPEAKER_02 31:01

Do you like the Darby Wompa Kid or the Dog Man series better?

SPEAKER_00 31:06

Uh well. It's kind of hard to say. You like them both? Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 31:15

Okay. That's that might be tough. Right. So you like them for different reasons.

SPEAKER_00 31:22

Yeah, but I go I go to a comic book store every like other few weekends, sometimes I'm starting to collect them. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 31:34

Do you like superheroes? Yeah. Really? Okay. Alright. You have a favorite superhero? Spider-Man. Spider-Man. Alright. Why?

SPEAKER_00 31:48

Um, because there's a lot of different versions of it. And I can see that. He's he's young.

SPEAKER_03 32:00

Yes, you can relate. Yeah. Um you like cityscapes and he's always in the city. Okay, I can see that. Yeah. All right.

SPEAKER_00 32:09

Has lots of lessons in it.

Prices, Thanks, And Closing CTA

SPEAKER_03 32:12

Never thought about that. Yeah. All right. I think that's awesome. Yeah. Okay. Um any well, we know where the website is. Um, it's comics. So we know where the event's gonna be on uh December 6th. So we can be we can find you. All right. And prices for your your artwork is actually online, right? Yeah. Okay. All right. So, guys, it was a pleasure meeting you. Um his work is amazing to me, and um I'm looking forward to seeing him again on December 6th. And um, I just want to thank you for coming, giving us this opportunity to uh meet you before you get you blow up and well known, and you know, you won't want to talk to me or anything like that. So, yeah. But anyway, thank you for coming in. Oh, definitely.

SPEAKER_02 33:19

Thank you for having us. Yes, appreciate it.

SPEAKER_03 33:21

All right, everybody. That's it. We uh we're gonna end today with Jelani Vickers, and you know where to find him, and we ask that you're supporting. Thank you for following us on Listen Up. We'll catch you next time on Listen Up. If you enjoyed today's episode, I'm gonna ask you to click on the links below. Follow, subscribe, become part of the conversation. And remember, listen up.