We were lucky to catch up with Carl John recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Carl, thanks for joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I started my artistic journey later in life. Determined to transition from my previous life to that of a real artist meant that each lesson needed to ingrain and quickly, From the craft of creating to performing, to all of the pieces to become the packaging, we are always learning as artists. Oddly, I set out as a performing singer songwriter but I learned a lot from being a visual artist, putting paint to canvas. Through another musician who was producing music on me in Nashville, I learned to paint. At first I used it as a means of expression when writing became a “real job” and the words were too heady. Through painting I learned to be in flow state without attachment to the end result. Starting in a new direction on a piece you may have a moment of uh-oh, I just screwed this work all up. Working through this process I learned to continue on without attachment to see what it would all become.
I think this is important in learning the craft. Don’t get so focussed on the work that you forget to let spirit move you into areas of new discovery. But yes…also do the work…do the drills… hone your craft.

Carl, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Carl John and I am a Transformational Artist. I was a real estate developer, financier and restaurant owner in Las Vegas until a crash in the market, a divorce and becoming a single father changed my trajectory. Prior to this series of events I had a vacation home in Taos, New Mexico. It was there I picked up guitar, got into spiritual studies and indigenous culture studies. When the series of events took me from the edge of retirement to starting over I thought to myself, “well I’ve already went the other route and I’ve always dreamt deep down about being an artist.” Based on everything that I’ve read in the spiritual studies and what I had been learning about law of attraction and the like, I thought If I have to reinvent my life I can BEcome a new version of myself if I believe it and live as if.

Well it wasn’t a straight line, but within that year I recorded my first song, wrote my first song, opened up for Robin Thicke at a big red carpet Vegas gala, and ended up in Nashville. Crazy enough I ended up winning a Hollywood Music in Media Award for Best Folk acoustic artist and was nominated for best in a digital series for a song I wrote and recorded with Robert Mirabal, who is a grammy award winning native flutist from Taos Pueblo in Taos, New Mexico. Since that time I came full circle back into Las Vegas where this year I put out a single. It was titled BattleBorn (Vegas Golden Nights). It was created with Ty Taylor and Rick Barrio Dill from Vintage Trouble. It happened to as the Las Vegas Golden Knights hockey team was heading into the playoffs. Fast forward and I was on Fox News, CBS Sports and performing the song in front of thousands at an official local Stanley Cup Watch party.

I’ve written a book that is also an audio book with the music of my journey titled, Carl John, The Journey hOMe. I continue to teach mediation and coach others in making huge powerful transformations in their own lives based on everything that I learned over this last decade. This way they can make major powerful changes in months instead of taking years. I think that this is what makes my music unique to me. Its healing and about the transformative journey in one way, shape or form.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I was a non-creative, a business person only for most of my life. I had to learn to be a creative and continue to every day. The thing that I had to understand is that it’s not just about the doing as in business. creating white boards and scheduled execution of ideas. Don’t get me wrong, there is an aspect of that and it’s important. You can’t just sit back and wait for divine inspiration. you have to be in motion, stay in the motion of doing the work that makes the art. But, you also do need to play, color outside the lines, hell color outside the page, on the walls and sidewalk too…. Go out experience the world and connect with whatever it is we’re in this divine dance with (whatever you choose to call that higher still small voice). Because The words, the music, the art. it’s of you as an artist, but not just of you. You know it as an artist too. It comes through you and you throw a lasso around it and ride. Once you’ve done that dance and the work is complete..its no longer yours at all. Its for the world and will connect with who it needs too. Maybe it was just for you for your own evolution, to heal an aspect of yourself…maybe its for one person that finds them at the right moment helping them navigate through this world…and maybe its for the whole world to sing…if you’re so lucky.

Alright – so here’s a fun one. What do you think about NFTs?

This is something new to me this last year. I like the idea of a digital file of ownership and the ability of the fans to own aspects of the art in a tradable format. This last year I decide to try this out. I interviewed Jason Paige (he is the singer of the Pokemon theme song among other well know songs)…so if you’ve heard that song you know him. Based on that interviewed conversation I wanted to create art. So after the conversation I picked up an instrument, we were in a recording studio, and started playing. then he started playing and riffing. We wrote a song that we recorded. I painted a Pokemon themed acrylic piece of Jason Paige. So if you own that piece you also will own the digital file and a piece of the song, We Are VR. So its art on your wall, audio art and in your digital wallet…and as a collectible you have a piece of the voice of a generation. I think that its just at the beginning and will give so many opportunities for fans and artists to intertwine in new ways.

Contact Info:

• Website: carljohn.com
• Instagram: iCarlJohn
• Facebook: carljohnofficial
• Youtube: carljohnpage

Image Credits
James Van Salee