265 Queer Landscapes, Dual Lives, and the Art of Looking Closely with J. Carino

Queer Landscapes, Dual Lives, and the Art of Looking Closely with J. Carino

Painter J. Carino joins What’s My Thesis? for a candid conversation on the formation of a deeply personal visual language—one that straddles autobiography, queer identity, and reportage practice. Known for his emotionally resonant paintings that combine landscape, figure, and storytelling, Carino reflects on a unique career that led him to his upcoming solo exhibition Carry It With You at Yossi Milo Gallery in New York, on display from June 26 - August 22.

Carino speaks candidly about the challenges and freedoms of sustaining parallel careers in publishing and contemporary art. He traces his transition from NYU to Parsons, where studies in reportage and drawing from life laid the foundation for his immersive painting practice. From plein air sketches in national parks to nude Zoom drawing sessions during the pandemic, Carino’s shift from illustration to painting allowed for a more intimate, layered exploration of what it means to live a dual life as a queer artist navigating coded and compartmentalized spaces.

The episode delves into the tension between visibility and vulnerability: Carino discusses using a pseudonym to separate his children's book authorship from his painting, and the risks of addressing queerness explicitly in art intended for young audiences. Yet it’s precisely this openness—to complexity, to contradiction, to personal mythologies—that infuses his paintings with emotional depth and political resonance.

Carino’s recent recognition on the cover of New American Paintings (juried by Jerry Saltz) and his upcoming show mark a pivotal moment in his trajectory. His reflections on drawing as survival, the spiritual force of nature, and the layered meanings embedded in his imagery reveal a practice rooted in authenticity, discipline, and deep curiosity.

Featured Topics: – Drawing as a foundation for painting – The politics of queer representation in children’s literature – National parks, plein air practice, and the American landscape – Eroticism, intimacy, and compartmentalized identity in art

Follow J. Carino on Instagram at @j.carino.art, and explore his upcoming exhibition Carry It With You at Yossi Milo Gallery (@yossimilo) through August 22.