Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Paytan Rapue. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Paytan, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

Aside from a few art classes in school, I basically learned to draw, paint, and develop my artistic medium by myself. I never enjoyed the crowds of lunch rooms, so in high school I would spend my free time in the art room with my best friend while she was developing a portfolio for her studio course. Seeing so many creative individuals doing what they loved freely gave me the inspiration to do the same, and it was at this time that I began to take my artistic creativity far more seriously.

I still continue with my art in a self-taught manner, but I certainly regret not taking additional art or media courses with the opportunities I had available in my adolescence. Though I am still proud of the work I produce today, there is no denying that additional understandings of art in various sectors could have certainly been beneficial to my continuing progress.

With my artistic view of “winging it” with creative pieces, I think the most essential skill with creating art involves the ability to accept mistakes in the process of learning a new craft. While I like to think this is something I have greatly worked on while adapting to new styles and mediums, it can also be a major hinderance with my eagerness to put out a perfect piece. Too often I will find myself not enjoying my art even just a few lines in, and giving up in that instance is a major obstacle towards improving in that area. Even though it can be uncomfortable to work with something that isn’t as “perfect” as I’d like it to be, I understand that, just like nearly every new experience, practice makes perfect over time. Although that might amount to a few struggling pieces in the meantime, it ultimately promotes growth in the future.

Paytan, 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?

Pursuing art was initially just a hobby to avoid the thoughts that were streaming through my teenage brain at the time. Now, I continue to use art as an emotional outlet, but my art has also allowed the opportunity to create gifts and custom artwork for clients. Over time I’ve worked on physical canvases, digital prints, and have recently moved over to neighborhood rock art and crocheted items. Though I still navigate these areas mainly as a hobby, these pieces have allowed me to spread my creativity to areas I previously never thought would be shown.

While it is absolutely terrifying to acknowledge, I am ultimately most proud of being able to display my artwork in other people’s homes, as well as their own bodies for tattoo designs. It can be difficult at times to believe that someone, be it a stranger or friend, would enjoy my artwork as a permanent statement piece, and this is something that urges me to improve even further in my endeavors. It really is true that I put love and dedication into each of my pieces of work, and to have that love extend farther than ever imagined is something I pride myself on greatly.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

With the increased emphasis that educational institutions put on exercise and sports related activities, I believe this too should be applied to artistic areas of education. Just as history, math, and science are prioritized, I think arts of all sectors should be acknowledged and properly funded, both athletic and artistic alike. Art, in many forms, has the capacity to spread so much knowledge, and heal wounds through personal creativity; this is something I feel is often undiscussed when allocating funds to appropriate places. With our existing understanding of the benefits of art therapy and expressing creativity overall, I think showing more appreciation and support for art and art teachers alike is something that would greatly help our society in the long term.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

At this point in time, my goal within my creative journey is to create art that is able to inspire happiness and joy in those who see it. I am someone who personally loves to provide people gifts and items that they’ll remember and enjoy for years to come, and to be able to do that through my art is something I greatly enjoy. I have always enjoyed the personal touch of hand-made items and gifts from peers, which inspired me to ultimately share gifts in that manner as well. I

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.redbubble.com/people/Prapue/shop?asc=u
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paytanart/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paytan-rapue-a74842216/?original_referer=

Image Credits
@paytanart