We recently connected with Fuquan Ferrell and have shared our conversation below.

Fuquan, appreciate you joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

I’ve always been in the arts. My grandmother enlisted me in dance classes, drawing, music, and so many more from a very young age. But, like most children we tend to rebel against the lessons we’re learning. Ironically all the arts I was doing as a child, teenager, and young adult are all things that i’m cultivating now and making a living from. I wish there was more exposure to “non traditional” lifestyles. We’re not al meant to go to college and grind at a desk. There needs to be more of a push for the arts and crafts.

If I could do it all over again I’d double down on my arts background and make better choices to focus on these areas of my life to be further along in my creative and financial pursuits. Everything needs time. Skills need time to grow, artists need time for perspective, and you need time to build your network and to actually be able to make money from your crafts.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Fuquan Ferrell. I’m based in Atlanta, GA. And I’m a full time artist. I use the word artist because I wear many hats. I’m a professional dancer and own my own dance company. I’m a photographer and cinematographer. I’m a home chef. Last but not least, I’m a father of a soon to be 11 year old.

My partner and are traveled all over the world to teach and perform latin dance. We’ve been to Vietnam, Berlin, Italy, Mexico, the UK and all over the states. When covid came about it was a huge downtown in our career. I was stuck in the house and depressed. I’m a huge extrovert, so no human interaction or dance had me spiraling. So my partner in her desperation to get me out of my funk told me to take my camera out and shoot something, and with that a new passion was created.

I’ve been shooting and growing for 4 years now and I’ve done a lot in a small amount of time. From shooting small commercials and independent films, to being a burgeoning underwater photographer and filmmaker. I’m enjoying this creative space very much and look forward to seeing where it leads me.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Being an artist is already an effort in resilience as it’s the best and worst parts of being an entrepreneur, but, lacking a traditional infrastructure for growth and money making. But then, add covid on top of it and you’ve got a storm or very unlucky circumstances. 2019 was a great year for my partner and I and our dance company. And we were booked even more so for 2020. But then covid came knocking, and our bookings dissolved, and so did our savings.

We make money very simply, we have weekly classes we teach, we have private lessons, we host a monthly dance event, and we are booked for various events where we teach and perform and social dance. That being said, when the world closed down, all that was no more. Even with teaching classes virtually, it wasn’t enough to cover our monthly expenses. Thank goodness for the stimulus checks the government passed. It’s one of the only ways we made it, that and support from our dance company and close friends.

It took a lot of financial creativity and positivity and resourcefulness, but we made it through. Eventually restrictions were lifted and we were able to host small classes and rehearsals in our home, then in the studio. Then travel restrictions were lifted and we were getting booked again.

Lots of people found new careers and hobbies during covid, but we stayed the course and came out stronger for it in the end.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Honestly, I’m kind of weird, I am an artist because I truly love creating. Any more money that I make of fame that I gain goes. directly back into the craft or my companies. For example, I get a couple of good paying shoots, I might upgrade equipment, or buy some cool props or clothing items. For dance I might invest in new furniture for our studio.

So in short my goal is success so I can continue to create and spread my visions, what is art without being seen and experienced?!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.forfuqssake.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forfuqssake
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fuquan.ferrell/