Meet John Henson: Nail Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with John Henson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi John, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Work life balance is very important to me, but I will say that balance comes easier when your work is something you are passionate about. I had to reevaluate my work life balance when I gave up my university job to become an artist. An ideal balanced day for me includes at about an hour of exercise, three tasty and healthy meals (well, at least two of them healthy), anywhere from two to six hours of creative time in my studio, about an hour at my desk handling the administrative part of being an artist, ten minutes of silent meditation, taking a look at the news of the world a few times a day, some social connection with a friend or family member, a walk with the dog, and at the end of the day cooking with my partner, nice red wine, and reflecting on daily gratitudes. Oh, and the entire day must be accompanied by music, rotating my many curated Spotify playlists. I find my life getting out of balance from, 1) too much time alone in the studio without social contact, 2) too much time AWAY from my studio, 3) skipping exercise, and 4) too much news of the world!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a nail artist. Each art piece is made from between 5,000 and 50,000 nails, and includes portraits, landscapes, abstract and desert critters. I embarked on this unique art form rather late in life, with no art training or experience. The inspiration for me came after my wife and I bought a home in the Mojave Desert just outside of Joshua Tree National Park. We discovered a thriving creative community including here. Artists of every type, many making unusual artwork with unusual materials. Many are outsider artists, self-taught with no art training. This excited and inspired me. The first piece I tried was six feet tall and made of 23,000 nails. I wasn’t sure what I was doing and it took me six months to complete. I figured this first attempt would be a throw away. Instead, it sold and now hangs in the home of collectors in Palm Springs. My technique is constantly evolving, with at least one tweak in the process with just about every new piece I do. It was risky for me to embark on this new life challenge mid-life, taking on an unknown art form that no one else was doing. Then, once it seemed my artwork was taking off, I took the big risk of retiring three years early from my very stable and gratifying job managing a performing art center to have more time to focus on my time-consuming artmaking. I don’t consider myself a big risk taker, but these were both leaps of faith that I am glad I took.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Immerse yourself in the lively Deep Ellum entertainment district. An historic neighborhood with a great diversity of art, music, bars & restaurants. A treat for the eyes, ears, palate, and soul. The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Michael Llewelyn. A brilliant and creative photographer. He works with various unusual techniques, using old school darkroom developing. Has created major projects addressing important social issues. https://www.llewellynstudio.com/

Website: www.johnhensonart.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/john_henson_art/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.henson.3956/