We were lucky to catch up with Eysen Pollard recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Eysen thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I’ve had the privilege of working on many projects over the years that have made me feel incredibly proud. While it’s hard to choose just one, a few definitely stand out as personal favorites—and, coincidentally, they’re also the ones that have received awards. I’ve been fortunate to have several of my pieces recognized, spanning a variety of mediums including fine art portraiture, photography, and ceramics.

One especially meaningful piece is a graphite portrait I created titled “Malcolm”, named after my childhood best friend. It was awarded a Silver Key in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, which added an extra layer of significance for me. The award itself was special, but the emotional connection behind the work is what makes it truly meaningful.

This drawing still hangs on my wall today, and as I look at it over the years, I see how much I’ve grown as an artist. I can now recognize technical flaws in a piece I once saw as perfect—but those imperfections don’t diminish its value to me. It will always hold a special place in my heart.

“Malcolm” is not only meaningful because of the subject but also because of how it represents the beginning of my journey in photography. He graciously modeled for a photoshoot; one of my very first photography experiments… the reference photos from that session became the foundation for the portrait.

Continuing with the theme of fine art, one of the most challenging artworks I’ve created is titled “If These Walls Could Talk”. Inspired by the phrase itself, I set out to capture a glimpse into my personal creative space and the life and energy within it. I spent over 110 hours across the span of a month conceptualizing, arranging, compiling, and finally bringing the artwork to life.

What makes this piece especially unique is the process behind it. To achieve the bird’s-eye view I envisioned, I mounted a camera to the blades of my ceiling fan and used a remote shutter to take intermittent photos throughout the day. These photos documented a full day in my creative space

I then used digital editing software to compile the photos into a collage, which became the blueprint for the final drawing. The result was a multi-layered work that blends photography, digital design, and traditional drawing techniques. It remains the most time-intensive piece I’ve ever completed. I was honored when this piece received a Gold Key from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

A photograph I titled “Golden Hour”, taken during the summer of 2023, will forever be one of my most meaningful pieces; not only because of the people involved, but also because of the place where it was captured. I grew up in California, and returning on my own to visit family was a meaningful journey in itself. One of my relatives I visited is a professional photographer for Placer County, California, and our time together became both a personal and creative experience. I wasn’t just reconnecting with family—I was also creating, collaborating, and learning.

My cousin and I spent many long nights wandering through city streets and forest trails on “photography walks”, capturing and experimenting with every subject we came across. I took many cherished photos during that trip, but one image stands out above the rest. We had ventured with a friend of my cousin’s to the tall mountains of Northern California at sunset. A soft golden ray lit up the horizon, illuminating the long stretches of grass and the insects dancing in the warm light.

My cousin, the person who made the entire trip so special- is also captured in the photo. It serves as a tribute to our time together and everything I learned during that visit. The moment was serene, solemn, and reflective, made even more meaningful by the reason we were on that hillside: to honor the recent passing of the family friend’s beloved dog. The photo captures not only the light of the landscape but also the quiet emotional weight of that day.

A additional layer of meaning is brought to the photograph in form of a Gold Key awarded by Scholastic: Art and Writing competition.

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.

My name is Eysen Pollard, and I’m an Artist based in Linn county Iowa.

From a young age, I was heavily influenced by the creativity within my family; especially the artistic pursuits of my older brother and father. I spent many hours simply watching them draw, fascinated by their technique and expression. My brother in particular drew often, and his work always caught my attention. That early admiration quickly evolved into a personal passion as I began to spend more and more time creating art myself.

I consider myself a self-taught artist, having never taken formal or paid art classes. Instead, I relied on years of dedication, experimentation, and practice. YouTube was my primary teacher during those early years; creators like “Draw with Jazza”, “Proko”, and “Vexx” were some of my biggest inspirations. Their videos helped me build foundational skills and encouraged me to keep pushing my limits.

What I Do

I’m a multimedia artist passionate about creating across several mediums. I’ve always strived to be well-rounded in my work, which has led me to master and offer a wide range of creative services, including:
• Fine Art Commissions: Custom pieces created in traditional and digital media, including graphite, ink, mixed media, and more.
• Professional Photography: I’ve photographed everything from professional headshots and family get-togethers to graduations, sports, and candid documentary-style shoots.
• Digital Design & Photo Editing – Services such as logo creation, branding spreads, and professional photo retouching. My editing skills are often what sets me apart from other local photographers and artists. It’s a high-value asset that my clients consistently appreciate.

Why People Come to Me

Clients and collaborators are usually looking for someone who can bring both technical skill and depth to a project. I pride myself on making each client feel heard, understood, and seen. whether I’m capturing a fleeting moment through photography or translating their ideas into a personalized piece of artwork.

Many come to me when they want something unique, something with heart, and careful attention to detail. I offer a balance of professionalism and creative insight that allows clients to feel confident and creatively engaged throughout this process.

What Sets Me Apart

What distinguishes my work is a combination of versatility, execution and authenticity. My creative approach isn’t one-size-fits-all; I tailor each experience and every piece to reflect the individual behind it.

Being self-taught has also given me an edge It’s made me resourceful, adaptable, and driven by passion rather than convention. I don’t believe in limiting myself to a single style or service, and that openness has allowed me to grow into a multifaceted creative with a wide-spanning toolkit.

What I’m Most Proud Of

Over the years, I’ve received numerous awards that validate the technical and creative merit of my work, Gold and Silver Keys from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards among them. But what I’m most proud of isn’t just the recognition, it’s the evolution I’ve undergone as an artist, the challenges I’ve overcome and the connections I’ve made along the way.

Moreover, I’m proud of the trust people place in me to help them capture moments through my lens, express themselves with beautiful custom-artworks and bring their visions to life.

What I Want People to Know

When you work with me or follow my work, you can expect a thoughtful, technical , and collaborative experience. I don’t just want to make something that looks good, I want to create something that means something.

Whether I’m designing a logo, drawing a portrait, or capturing light through my lens, I aim to explore life through art and photography. That’s the heart of my brand and the mission behind everything I create.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

At the beginning of this year, in January, my health took a turn for the worse. It was fast and unexpected. I woke up at 4 a.m., just two days into the new year, in extreme pain. After alerting my family about what I was feeling; assuming I must’ve slipped a rib or dislocated something in my side (given my connective tissue disorder)-I was taken to the ER.

This marked my first visit. A visit that didn’t confirm my assumption, but instead revealed something much more serious. After a lot of back and forth, self advocacy and pushing the staff to run a CT scan, I was shocked to learn I had numerous small to large nodules and masses on my lungs and in surrounding areas. On top of that, my spleen, liver, and lymph nodes were enlarged. I was completely grief-stricken a wave of fear and confusion hit me all at once. The following months would become some of the toughest times I’ve experienced.

I was referred to pulmonology, where I was told a biopsy would be necessary to figure out what exactly was going on. I was terrified and fearing the worst.

During this time, I was in and out of the ER, urgent care, and other medical facilities almost daily. And when I wasn’t being seen, I turned to the few things I felt I still had control over: my hobbies and most importantly, my art. The truth is, I didn’t create much during that time. But in my lowest moments, when I eventually found myself admitted into the hospital from septic symptoms I used what little energy I had to focus on an idea for a drawing.

It was a piece inspired by everything I was going through,
something personal, and reflective. I made a promise to myself that if and when I made it out of the hospital, I would have it tattooed into my skin. A forever reminder of not only my struggle, but also a constant metaphor to never give up, no matter how hard the situation gets.

This artwork is seemingly very simple. In fact it is only about 3 inches in size but its depth in meaning far exceeds its physical form.Its of a voodoo doll. Very tattered and dragged around, covered in patches and stuck with needles. Bandaged up, with an IV bag hung from the needle stuck in its head. And fittingly, it now lives right on my elbow ditch; right where an IV may be placed.

Art gave me a way to process everything. Even when my body was weak, my mind still needed somewhere to go and that place was my sketchbook.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Absolutely. As someone who is primarily self-taught, there are definitely resources I wish I had known about earlier in my journey. Things that would have saved me hours of frustration and trial and error.

One of the biggest tools that supercharged my workflow was my discovery of Adobe Bridge. I was immediately convinced it was the best and fastest way to cull photos. Before that, I was looking through entire shoots on Lightroom or Photoshop, which really slowed down my editing workflow. Bridge gave me a faster, and more streamlined way to view, organize, and choose my best shots without lag or extra processing time, and that efficiency made a huge difference in how I manage photography projects.

Another example would be the vast amount of accessible brush packs and resources for digital art. When I first started drawing digitally, I didn’t even know things like brush packs or texture tools were available. I was just using whatever default brushes came with the software. Later on, finding community-made packs that were specifically designed for sketching, inking, or shading really leveled up the quality of my work and allowed me to work more intuitively. This discovery also led me to eventually creating my own custom brushes.

So much of being a creative is learning how to teach yourself and seek out the right tools, but knowing what’s available to you early on can really help build momentum and confidence. I’m still constantly discovering new resources, and I think that ongoing curiosity is part of what makes the journey exciting

Contact Info:

• Website: My website still in development. However is available to view at https://elpstudios.myportfolio.com/work
• Instagram: Art: @Elp_doodles Photography: @Elp_with_a_camera