Aj Best

Andrew J. Best was born in the Midwest with three older sisters and a loving family. During his early childhood, his family traveled extensively, spending 9 years in Japan and Hong Kong, then returning to Chicago for his high school years. After graduating, Aj found that he had a great deal of love for visual art and its creative processes, so after graduating high school he chose to continue his education in the field and received his BFA in Studio Art from the University of Colorado with an emphasis on painting and digital art. Since his collegiate experience Aj has been working successfully as a graphic designer in Jackson Hole, Wyoming for Wyoming West Designs as well owns and operates his own website design company called Gliffen Designs.

After a brief hiatus, Aj began creating paintings, wood-block printing, and digital art again. His artwork is generally of a conceptual nature and employs a variety of styles. He consciously avoids using one particular style of art making and applies a creative method that fits the concept he is working towards. His childhood experience living abroad is what has influenced his most recent works which highlights the techniques of the ancient Japanese art form of wood-block printing. Aj applies this art form to his current surroundings, reflecting imagery and wildlife from the Wyoming region. His other recent conceptual series includes his “Conservation Series”, which examines mans touch upon nature and how the human species relies on and influences basic necessities that nature supplies. As well as his “Personalities Series” that depicts various wildlife animals from the Wyoming area and captures the feelings that they draw from their viewers. In the past year Aj has also created his “Flag Series”, which was created for a Memorial Day show and focused on the negatives of America’s military initiatives. An ongoing series titled “Hidden” using human figures disguised within a natural setting, symbolizing man and nature’s intertwined relationship..

Aj is currently seeking to have his artwork displayed in galleries that specialize in similar, more contemporary abstract art. He feels that it is important for him to create more than the purely commercial art and return to what brought so much joy during his younger years.