Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonah Dillon.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve been making art for as long as I can remember. I started at six years old doodling superheroes and Dragon Ball Z characters, and by high school I was painting watercolor trees. I was born with muscular dystrophy, and near the end of my senior year my strength started to fade. By the time I graduated from Akins High School in 2014, I could no longer hold a paintbrush, and for a few years I stopped making art altogether.
In 2018, after crushing a ketchup bottle with my wheelchair, I got an idea: what if I ran over paint? My grandma and I went to Hobby Lobby for tempera paint and poster board, and that’s where it all started. I wrap my wheels in plastic, and I thin the paint and let it overlap into patterns and textures. I love the unpredictability because it helps me accept what I can’t control.
Since then I’ve hosted my own art show, been featured by local news and KUT, and this year received the Director’s Commendation Award from Art Spark Texas. I’m also doing 30 artist collaborations. My message is that anyone can create art, even if they have to find a new way.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it hasn’t been a smooth road. I was born with muscular dystrophy, and it’s progressive, so it keeps getting harder. Near the end of high school my strength started to fade, and by graduation I couldn’t pick up a paintbrush. For a few years I stopped making art altogether, which was the lowest point for me. Drawing had been such a big part of my life that I didn’t know what to do without it.
Even now, I can’t do everything on my own. I rely on friends, family, and my nurses to pour the paint, move the canvas, and sign my pieces for me. Sometimes I wish I could do it all myself. These days the biggest challenge is getting my work in front of more people.
I try to stay positive. It’s not something I did to myself, and I’ve learned to accept it. That mindset is a big part of why I kept going and found a new way to make art.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m an abstract artist in South Austin. I paint by running the wheels of my wheelchair through paint, so every piece carries my tire tracks. I thin the paint and let it overlap into patterns and textures, and I sell original paintings, prints, and commissions through my website, Tread Lightly Art. I’m known for that process and my “Made with Wheels” tagline, which I use as my brand.
The thing I’m most proud of is the community I’ve built around it. I organized and hosted my own art show, with live music from my brother and friends. This year I received the Director’s Commendation Award from Art Spark Texas, and I’m doing 30 artist collaborations.
What sets me apart is how I make the work. I can’t use a brush, so I found a way to make art with the one tool I do have, my wheelchair. I love the unpredictability, because I can’t fully control how the paint moves. My message is that anyone can create art, even if they have to find a new way.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Music is the biggest one for me. I listen to a lot of hip-hop while I paint, artists like J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar, and it’s one of my main sources of inspiration. I also go to concerts whenever I can.
I also watch a lot of artists on YouTube, like Jazza, Ten Hundred, and KIPTOE. Seeing how other artists work and think keeps me inspired.
Instagram has been a huge tool for me. I use it to share my process, reach out to other artists for my 30 collaborations project, and connect with people who support my work. I run my shop on Shopify, which lets me sell originals, prints, and commissions without needing a gallery.
Pricing:
- Original paintings starting at $20
- Small and midsize originals, $60-$130
- Ocean and beach series: $75
- Gallery collection/statement pieces $500-$600
- Prints and custom commissions available at treadlightlyart.com
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.treadlightlyart.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treadlightly_art
- Other: https://www.artlifting.com/collections/jonah-dillon
