We recently connected with April Love and have shared our conversation below.
April, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?
I am a much happier person when I am creating. Occasionally I miss the discipline of working outside the home, a steady paycheck, and miss working with others.
Ultimately I love the freedom to get lost in my head and work on ideas as they come to me, When working a regular office job I found it to be draining of creativity. Sometimes I would get a flood of ideas while at work but by the time I got home and found a chance to actually work on the ideas I was too burnt out. When I was a wedding and family photographer, it was the same thing, I would spend up all of my energy on that and no longer have any room for creating the ideas I want to work on for me. I will say, being a wedding and family photographer for so long was a blessing, a very anxiety induced blessing. Haha It allowed me to use my creativity and I met so many incredible people along the way. So I’m very grateful to be able to just focus on art now.
April, 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?
Expressing myself has always been difficult, but important, to me. I feel everything in imagery rather than words. Growing up I noticed people would react to me strangely when I would try to explain myself by describing visuals.
It wasn’t until I began experiencing insomnia that I would think about topics that weighed heavily on my mind, but as I do, I could only visualize them. That’s when I decided I wanted to get a camera and recreate those visuals to tell a story. Over time that led to many different opportunities that I’m very thankful for. It’s also led to a means of communicating topics and stories that are important to me since words often fail me.
A few years ago I began incorporating encaustic painting with my photography. I feel like it’s been the missing element, adding dimension and etherealness that photography alone wasn’t accomplishing.
Ultimately it just means a lot to me when anyone takes the time to look at my work. Bonus if it makes them feel anything, even if it wasn’t what my original concept or statement was. I just want to make people feel something.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
My hope is for society to recognize just how much art contributes to society. Go see a play, visit an art museum or gallery, even just appreciate the graffiti on the train cars that pass by as you wait in your car at a crossing. Art is everywhere. It’s in the music you listen to, the clothes you wear, it’s in all the different cultures around the world, the differences we as people have. It is beautiful, and it is everywhere if you just take the time to see it.
If you see an artist you like please know interaction is important. Even if it’s something as simple as liking, commenting, or sharing on social media. I know money can be tight but that is the easiest way to show support. And it’s free! Other ways are buying prints or original pieces, and even commissioning an artist to create a custom piece.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
Meeting other visionaries and like-minded individuals. The amount of talent they all have is insurmountable and they’re all so humble too.
Contact Info:
- Website: [email protected]
- Instagram: @aprilloveadams
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/18DwkH4KfQ/?mibextid=wwXIfr
