We were lucky to catch up with Malcolm Turpin recently and have shared our conversation below.

Malcolm , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Taking a risk seems to be extreme to some people and not worth it to others. Risk taking to me is more of an opportunity to grow and be a witness to what can be accomplished if the limits are pushed… a little. During a recent summer, I chose to focus more on my business development instead of giving all of my time to a corporate job working a 9 to 5. Being confined to one workspace with redundant tasks to complete is something I knew I did not want to do. Although I was just out of college and unaware of what the next phase of my life entailed, the uncertainty of income was a small factor compared to the degree of freedom I longed to establish. The biggest motivation thus far has been the ability to set and raise the bar on the value of my art and skill. Showcasing my creations is merely a compliment to the milestone of finishing a project. The process flourishing from an idea to a masterpiece is the reward… especially when the factors of production are stacked against you and the task you set out to complete. No matter the challenge — low finances, no canvas, little support/recognition — there’s always a path to happiness when doing what I love. Some times you have to start the business to get the business heading in the right path.

Malcolm , 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?

I am a mixed media painter with a background in graphic design. After attending the University I started my corporate and artist career in Atlanta. Since then, I have completed art commissions and more opportunities continue to arise. My journey has landed me jobs like event vending and showcases of some of the art skills I possess, portrait drawing at Controllerise, timed painting at paint & sip, and face painting at afro punk. When my schedule permits I take part in projects with gallery shows and competitions. I have created my own Artist and art class websites as a safe haven for creatives in a public space. It is the perfect location for artists searching for unique outlets amongst fellow creatives seeking expression. GraffitiClassATL.com (@graffiticlass.atl) for more details.

Alright – so here’s a fun one. What do you think about NFTs?

I believe the drive towards monetizing digital art is a great push. Some great steps forward in the push towards integration of big corporations in using and giving value in their initial launch of products will be impotent. As of now the market has been used and abused. The common consumer has lost too much through rug pulls and price point effectiveness.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Fear is not what it seems. To many we hold an old mentality to what we have experienced. Our childhood dictates many future experiences through emotional tethers that brings us back to moments we had as children. The most vulnerable time in anyone’s life.

I grew up in a big family. I was and believe am the quite type. I had a bad stutter as well. In my art class showing off my art always followed with questions, draining my self esteem. Art was used as a self empowerment outlet I could communicate fluidity. The hard part came after exposing my art and made to talk about it to the whole class. The spotlight is frightening with a speech impediment and no public speaking class.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.graffiticlassatl.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/graffiticlass.atl?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/100077689903838/

Image Credits
@malcolm.creations