Hebru Brantley brings Penny Candy to Peachtree St.

• Hebru Brantley

His client list may run the gamut from Jay-Z to Q-Tip, but Chicago-based visual artist Hebru Brantley didn't grow up a cool kid by any means. In fact, the self-professed "black weirdo" was more of a comic book, sci-fi, Japanese anime nerd. All of which are largely reflected in the themes that run through his paintings and sculptures featuring characters of youthful expression.

The Clark Atlanta University alumnus returns to Atlanta tonight (7-10 p.m.) for a one-day exhibit of his work at the Loews Atlanta Hotel on Peachtree St. Penny Candy will feature over 40 of his paintings, sculptures, and drawings, with sounds provided by DJs Kemit and Karl Injex and complimentary candy-themed cocktails. Best of all, it's free.99.

After landing in Atlanta yesterday, Brantley talked to me about the themes surrounding his work and what he looks forward to whenever he comes to Atlanta.

Childlike imagination and youthfulness seems to play a huge role in your work. Do you ever have to fight to keep cynicism from creeping in as you get older?

I don't see these characters as childlike. I see them as characters as you would in a movie or a play. Granted, that's one side of the work that I do and there's different layers juxtaposed with styles I've come up with over the years. But the characters explicitly and the narratives being told, a lot of it just derives from everyday. It's how I wake up and how I feel that morning. Sometimes it's strictly from the subconscious and allowing that to take hold and create from that stance and not really think about what it is that's being created until it's finished. I liken it to a rapper like Jay-Z. He might not put that much forethought into a rhyme but once he freestyles it he can pick apart the meaning and context in which he's saying certain things.

Speaking of Jay-Z, he's one of many celebrity clients of yours. I was actually surprised to find out Lil Wayne is too. How did you tend to meet them and are those exchanges different in any way than non-celebrity clients?