Derek is an extremely talented, full-time pop artist who lives in the Lafayette neighborhood in Jersey City. I first heard about him through my friends at Sneaker Room. He had a show there with another talented artist, Jeff Rose. Derek is one of the lucky artists who’s figured out a way to make his art into a living. He recently had his work displayed in the studio tour, and I see him traveling all over the area, promoting his work. He also happens to be the sweetest guy I’ve ever met. He invited me to his home, where we sat on his stoop and talked about his work.

What’s your name?

Derek Tunia.

And what do you do?

I’m an artist. I used to work full-time, but I just do my art now.

When did you start?

November 3^rd was my last day at work.

What were you doing before?

I worked in a mail room at a law firm.

And now you’re a full-time artist? That’s incredible!

I’m very proud of that. I try to stay humble.

So let’s start from the beginning. How long have you been making art?

I started off doing t-shirts when I was in college. I’m thirty-three now. This was about twelve years ago. I just progressed into doing canvases.

How would you describe your type of art?

Abstract. Crazy. All over the place. I try to put a message into everything that I do. People need motivation.

What inspires you?

Everything. Life, hardships, highs, lows.

Tell me the story about this canvas.

People might have a problem with this, but I see a lot of Marilyn Monroe stuff all over the place, and I was tired of seeing Marilyn Monroe on everything. There are other beautiful women that you can do that with. I did two Dorothy Dandridge pieces, Phylicia Rashad, and Erykah Badu. Just women who made their mark. Not necessarily perfect, but good role models, especially for women.

How have you been able to get your artwork out there?

Social networks, mostly. Word of mouth. When I was doing clothes, it was just word of mouth. It’s slowly but surely getting better.

Do people buy art directly from Instagram from you?

I’ve had that happen. Half of the sales that are made are through Instagram.

Do you do commissions?

Definitely! I’ve done about three so far.

And what do they usually ask of you?

They want the painting to express them and their feelings, which is why I try to get to know people.

I see you use different mediums. 

I use spray paint, acrylic paint, paintbrushes. I also use markers. A lot of stencils to create backgrounds. I’m into everything and trying to learn more. I’m constantly on the internet looking up different techniques.

What is your creative process? Do you just go to your basement and start painting?

I don’t have much space, but I utilize the space that I have. I go to my backyard. I just get in my zone, listen to some music, and go crazy.

Are you from Jersey City?

Originally, yes. Born and raised.

How do you feel Jersey City has changed?

It’s changing, for the better. I love it. I like being able to walk by somebody and say hello, or walk by my neighbors and be able to have a conversation. That’s what matters to me. I love the Grove St/Newark Ave area.

Do you have a favorite Jersey City hangout spot?

I go to Porto and Porta. I also like JC Underground.

Cool. I know a lot of artists who want to make art their full-time job. What kind of advice would you be able to give them?

It’s hard; I’m not going to lie. If you’re going to do it, just go full force. You have to have some planning. You can’t just make art and quit your job. It needs to be thought out. Work towards it.

Definitely.

You had an event recently. Tell us more about it.

Yeah, I had a solo show that was May 21^st. That was in Kearny Point. It was my birthday! It was like an art show/birthday party, but it was more about the art. It was successful, and I ended up selling about seven pieces in two weeks. I’m grateful.

What are your next moves?

Well, I’m always trying to get into art shows where I can meet new people. I like to meet the people who enjoy my art and have conversations with them, make it more personable. I feel like some people think, “I’m an artist. I could just sell my work, and that’s that.” I like to get to know the people who are buying my stuff because I’m very grateful for it. I had an art show in Brooklyn July 15^th. From there, I just want to keep doing solo shows. I want them maybe quarterly.

You should do the Studio Tour in October.

I would love to, but I reached out and maybe it was short-notice, but they couldn’t accommodate me.

Anything else you’d like people to know about you? You’re super friendly!

That’s one thing I want people to know. A lot of people see me walking around the streets, and I can have a serious demeanor. But I have a lot of good things to say, and I’m very opinionated. A lot of people think I’m this mean guy.

But you’re not, you’re the opposite! When I met you at the art show, and you introduced yourself, I thought, “That’s Derek? Really?”

Yeah, a lot of people think I’m stuck-up or something, but it’s none of that.

Where can they find your work?

@MrDT201 on Snapchat and Instagram. You can get to know more about me and what I do on a daily basis. My art page is @dtuniaartportfolio.

What do you post on Snapchat?

My process. You can see the process I go through as I create.

Interesting!