We recently connected with Rodney D Butler and have shared our conversation below.

Rodney D, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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 learn to do what I do, by being “A student of the game”… Meaning, I mostly watched, listen and learned a lot from the Artist around me…

I actually couldn’t tell you what I could have done. Everything happened so quickly. It feels like my learning process happened as quickly as I was able to comprehend and adapt. A seasoned artist could share knowledge with me today, and I might understand today, and then again, I might not understand for six months, when I come across the situation that calls for the knowledge.

For me, it’s all the skills surrounding adaptability… I believe for me to grow as an artist, each piece should have its own set of challenges that you will have to adapt to and overcome… No piece I’ve ever done looks exactly how I originally imagined it…

I’ve been my biggest obstacle to date… Whether it was my pride, stubbornness, insecurities, you name it the list goes on… I believe for a lot of artists… They have to get over themselves and get out there and see what knowledge the art world has to offer them.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Rodney D. Butler is a native Houstonian. While attending James Madison High School he excelled at art, wood shop and drafting. After graduation, he attended Tuskegee University, where he received a Bachelor of Architecture degree. While working for a local architecture firm he realized the industry was headed in a 3D design direction, so he decided to pursue a degree in Computer Animation at the Art Institute of Houston. It was there Rodney realized that he was an artist at heart, which came to no surprise to those who knew him best.

A few years after graduating from the Art Institute, Rodney decided to take a welding class. From there he started building BBQ pits in his spare time and using the scraps to build Sculptures creating a style of art he calls “Green Metal Art”. This style is where he takes scrap metal and other equipment parts deemed unusable and recycle them into art. A few years later after attending a friend’s painting event. He fell in love with painting. Now whether its traditional brushes or Air Brushing, he can now use his skills learned in various schools and workshops to express his inspirations on any painting surfaces he chooses.

Rodney’s work has been featured in various festivals, galleries and museums such as First Saturday Art Festival, Houston Fine Art Festival, The Bayou City Art Festival, Houston Museum of African American Culture Bert Long Jr. Gallery, The Kemp Center for the Arts – Wichita Falls TX, JoMar Visions, Texas Southern University Museum, The Black Cowboy Museum, Buffalo Soldier National Museum, Harambee Art Gallery, 45 & Art, Gallery Baroness, Adam and Madam’s Gallery Bistro Shop, Aurora Studios and Gallery, Hardy & Nance Studios, DuVin Pintor Art Gallery, Le Chateau, BR Vino, Insomnia Gallery, 310 Gallery, Rockstar Gallery, 9th Street Studios – Wichita Falls TX, San Antonio Art League & Museum, Art Machine Gallery, Lawndale Art and Performance Center, Breckenridge Fine Arts Center, National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center – Wilberforce OH, Leon County Art Trail-Jewett TX, Gallery Skye, Harris County Cultural Arts Center, Colour Studios – Tulsa OK, Georgetown Sculpture Tour – Georgetown TX, UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum – Austin TX, Cooperstown Art Association & The Smithy – Cooperstown NY, Alpharetta Arts Center – Alpharetta, GA, University of Houston Clearlake Art Gallery – Clearlake TX, Monterroso Gallery at Spring St, Bisong Art Gallery, Irving Art Center – Irving TX, Archway Gallery, In the Eye of The Beholder Art Gallery & Studio – San Antonio TX, Primal Gallery – Dripping Spring TX, Cultural Activities Center-Temple, TX, Glassell School of Art and countless underground art shows.

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

Mostly it’s about having the freedom to create what I want, when I want and how I want, having the respect and admiration of my peers and seeing the way my artist journey entertains, inspires, and heals. These are the things that are rewarding to me.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

To be honest, I don’t believe there is such a thing as non-creatives… To me, “non-creatives” or just creatives that have either lost or not found their Art form… I hear adults talk all the time about what they use to do… But never have or had the courage to pick it back up… Or they’ll do a little painting or sculpting, like it, then stop for no reason… You don’t have to be good to be a creative, you just have to create. So, when they build up the courage to start creating their own creations for other to appreciate, critique or whatever… Then they’ll be able to step into the circle of true understanding and see the respect and admiration artist have for one another.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rodneydbutlerartist.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ArtbyTheRodney/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RodneyDButler.Artist
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArtbyTheRodney
• Other: Http://www.linktr.ee/artbytherodney