We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Isaac Stackonis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Isaac, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

What my parents did right in regards to my pursuit as a creative artist is that they made sure that I lived a fulfilling and normal childhood. They made sure that I had a multitude of interests and hobbies so I could try all sorts of lifestyles to see what I liked. I think from the start they always knew I was an actor but they also could see I had other talents – such as mountain biking – that they encouraged me to pursue. When I was about 16 I had moved to Los Angeles for a short while with my mother to pursue a child acting career. She always believed in me and my having a career as an actor but soon after starting that journey she, my father, and my stepfather thought that me doing sports in high school and then further pursuing my theatre passion in college was the best option. At the time I was annoyed with the decision and had just wanted to move to Los Angeles and be an actor. Now where I stand in my journey as an actor I am forever grateful for their decision because I was able to see other sides of life outside of acting that not only fulfill me as an artist but as a human as well. Not only am I a passionate and dedicated actor but I also am a lover of cycling, music, painting, and dance. These hobbies and experiences I have gained from them help me to live my life with love and joy.

Isaac, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

For anyone who has not read about me before or knows who I am my name is Isaac Stackonis and I am an actor/ acting teacher. I got into acting when I was about 10 years old and was doing community theatre in my small hometown of Salida, Colorado. I continued acting throughout high school and actually moved to Los Angeles for a short while to pursue a child acting career in film. After that attempt I moved back to Colorado and attended Colorado Mesa University where I studied Theatre with a concentration in Acting/ Directing. From there I moved back to Los Angeles and have continued to further my craft as an actor. While I was living in Los Angeles as a teenager I began taking classes with a woman named Diane Christiansen. She and I connected right away and I could tell she was an acting coach that fit very well with my style. When I came back to Los Angeles I reconnected with her and began taking classes. She has been a gem in my life as a mentor. I got my agent and manager through her Screen Test Live Showcase. I now teach acting at her studio, The Christiansen Acting Academy, and continue to take classes with her to hone my craft.

After all of my journey as an actor I am most proud of the actor I have become. I have learned how to be versatile for various projects and employers. I feel comfortable with my academic knowledge of the craft as well as my imaginative knowledge as an artist so I can both give the director what they need as well as what they never expected. As a teacher I am proud and grateful to be able to share my knowledge as an actor with people who are still learning. I find what sets me apart is that I am also on my journey as an actor so when I teach I can directly and empathetically relate to the problems students may be having. Everyday I teach a student has the same issue I find myself working over and it feels so empowering for us to work through it together.

The main thing I would want any potential client/ fan/ follower to know about me is that I am a very dedicated actor and teacher. My favorite aspect of both crafts is to try all the different tools I’ve learned to see what gives the best result or learning lesson. I bring both a kindness and an intensity to my work that I feel inspires the best from myself and others. As an artist I believe in a responsible irreverence.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the connection it creates with other people and the surreal journey it puts you on. I’m always astounded when I stop for a second and take an objective look at how far I’ve come. I come from a very outdoorsy small town where everyone connects and relates over skiing, biking, and rafting. Although I’ve maintained my friendships with the people there it’s such a blessing to see my friends I have now who are all creatives. It seems now that the people that stick around and I see the most are the ones who are the most willing to explore the soul and spirituality of life in creative ways. I feel so much reward when I look at the people I am surrounded by now who constantly want to push their art and creativity.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

In my view what society can do to best support artists, creatives, and a thriving creative ecosystem is to continue to value artists as individuals who help push society and the way people think. I hear stories about people expressing how talented they think artists are but that they do so much to not actually do anything for society but I think that’s missing the point. Say you’re a CEO and you see a painting by one of those realist painters who are so detailed it looks like a photograph. You admire the painting but say “well what’s the point of working that hard if it’s for nothing but for me to admire.” Take a second to think about the work that was put in to make that painting look real and ask yourself if you’re bringing the same amount of work and detail to the company you’re so passionate about. Art can not only be commended in it’s result but also in it’s execution.

Obviously I digressed from the question here a bit but to go back I would say that society should stand behind the artists and at least take a short time to educate themselves on art. Although I think AI is a wonderful tool for advancement as a society we need to remind ourselves of the beauty of the craft of creatives, Without creative thinking AI wouldn’t even exist. Humans are one of the few entities we know of that create for pleasure but like all human expression that creation is flawed. I think society needs to remember this and come to enjoy that flaw again. The perfection in the imperfection. We live in an age where most anyone can create and share that creation so let’s keep it in our hands. Share your friends art, post your silly short film, take photos of the poems you write and put them on stories. Humans love to connect in metaphor and poetry and I believe AI lacks that comprehension. All this to say – support real artists.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/istackonis/

Image Credits
Mia Sklena Robert Kazandjian Owen Kneeland and  Corey Simpson