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

Hi Maxx, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

One of my first pieces that I ever did is called ‘conversations with the sky’ and it’s painted in the memory of my late grandfather. At the time, the sky was the perfect shade of pink mixed with orange, red, blue, and white with the puffy clouds. All blending together but separate, and also one. My grandfather and I used to go out fishing alot when I was younger, and alot of times we could be coming back in on the boat at a time when the sky looked exactly the same way as it did the evening I painted that piece. I love to let my work speak for itself, and I wanted this piece to reassure anyone out there who’s lost a loved one, that the conversations don’t have to end, I believe that we still have them, just in a different way now. It’s all about what you feel and what you’re open to. Meaningful projects are the lifeblood of an artist. All we want is to be able to speak in our hones most authentic ways

Maxx, 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?

My name is Maxx, and I actually started my career as a painter in a bit of an unconventional way. I never attended art school, in fact I was convinced that I didn’t have an artistic bone in my body up until about 2 years ago. I had been going through a really rough time dealing with depression and anxiety, and I needed something to really focus on that would distract me from those feelings. So I ordered my first paint brush set, acrylic paints, and canvas paper. The rest is history!! I fell in love with painting immediately, being able to create something brand new, that wasn’t a part of this world until I painted it gave me a new perspective on things, and a more positive outlook. Once I had the basics down, I became determined to shape myself into the best artist that I could be. Just be cause I didn’t go to art school, doesn’t mean I didn’t put in the work. I pulled all-nighters, studying the legends that had paved the way for all artists, and i practiced, practiced, and practiced more. I have found a sense of purpose with my artwork, having been able to connect with people over it without even knowing eachother beforehand.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding thing for me is the feeling of making a real connection with another individual through my work. There are times when I’ll have work hanging in a gallery, and it seems like no one sees it. And then there are other times when I’ll glance at my pieces, and there’s someone standing there staring at, trying to figure it out, or trying to figure out why they’re trying to figure it out. When I get to make those connections and really have a meaningful conversation with someone about the subjects that I’m featuring in my work, there’s no feeling like it. It’s what drives my desire to paint and create, that chance of sparking another person’s interest, and starting a conversation.

Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

NFTs are something that I don’t understand at all. No disrespect to anyone that creates them, or designs them or however it is that they’re made. The only thing I do know is that I get messages on a regular basis from seemingly fake accounts asking me to sell my work to them so that they can make it NFT. Which by the way, if you’re out there telling people, more bothering people to sell you their work as an NFT…just stop. It’s incredibly irritating lol.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://maxxmade.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maxxmade.artworks
• Other: https://www.artrewards.net/artists/maxx-slater
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