We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Braxton Fuller. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Braxton below.
Braxton, appreciate you joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later
I definitely wish I would’ve taken writing and art more seriously growing up. I always had a knack for poetry and writing but I never really thought of it as more than just a therapeutic release. In high school, I caught my first glimpse of talent while doing my senior yearbook. Years later I actually tapped into that talent and started writing full time. I quit my 9-5 in 2018. It was such a hard time trying to grow on social media. If I were to have started earlier, my growth would’ve been explosive because social media isn’t what it is now. The experience from multiple years of writing and painting would’ve been nice to have instead of starting cold turkey. I literally worked one 9-5 in my life for a year and a half and I quickly realized that that lifestyle wasn’t for me. I quit and pursued my writing career which quickly turned into me becoming a visual artist. I had to make money and creating products for others was the fastest way I could manage while still surviving. Looking back on my life now, I wish I would’ve taken the creative part of my life more seriously rather than getting my college degree and getting a “good job.” Now I don’t even use my degree.
Braxton, 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?
Braxton Fuller (American, b. 1992) is a self-taught contemporary/abstract artist from Kansas City, Missouri. Braxton started his career as a poetry writer which later transformed into creating text/conceptual art. Over the years, he discovered he could say more by using his own language. The symbols paired with his abstract usage allow him to be more expressive on the canvas. Although there is no direct translation of his symbols, he aims to persuade the viewer to truly feel what they are experiencing in that exact moment. Each work is a period in his life and the pieces communicate what he was going through. Using different mediums, Fuller’s bold symbols keep communication at the forefront of the viewer’s mind. He’s always expressed his feelings through words, poetry, art, etc. Struggling to communicate is something we all deal with. Braxton has pivoted back to text work for the time being. With more experience and knowledge, Braxton hopes to tackle the art world through his symbols and his text work.
(This is my Artist Bio)
I started off as a writer which turned into me creating conceptual/text work. This turned into me making my own language and combining my symbols with abstract techniques to make art that was more engaging. I have since shifted back to text work due to my knowledge of the art world now. With a consistent style and tone, I think I can tackle the art world from different aspects with both of my styles of work. I’m most proud of myself for not giving up. This has been quite the journey and I’ve wanted to quit so many times but my drive has allowed me to continue pursuing my dreams. It is hard being an entrepreneur let alone being an artist. You have to have the skill and the business mindset to succeed in this career.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I’ve had to pivot multiple times in my short career. From writing poetry to painting. I started using visual text concepts that were really good but didn’t have an identity or style. So I created my own language and symbols during covid and experimented with those for years. Those really helped my art practice evolve. I experimented with so many techniques and had to teach myself so many things. I’ve since pivoted back to text work with my known experience to see what walls I can break down with this style. I feel like as an artist, you always have to pivot to see what else you can push yourself to do.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I had spontaneous triplets at 27 weeks. My three sons were in the NICU for 4 months, 8 months, and 19 months. They are all out and are healthy now. However, the challenges and mental exhaustion from that process deterred my art career drastically. I continued to push through and worked when I could. I never gave up, I couldn’t. I had a show right before they were born and a show after they were born. So many times, I would just want to give up and throw it all away but I knew I had a family to take care of. It’s still very hard to work and do things when I need to do just because of their medical needs but I always find a way to get things done.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.braxtonjfuller.com/about.html
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/braxtonjfuller/