We were lucky to catch up with Adam Sprague recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Adam, thanks for joining us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

These days it is relatively easy for a person with a very narrow skill set to position themselves as a social media marketer or manager. My warning is the old saying, “When your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.”

Views, likes, and followers only goes so far, especially for artists. The internet isn’t everything, and the most opportunity for artists and other creatives often comes from real life interactions. We shouldn’t be mistaking social media for reality. I see online presence and marketing as way to fuel those real life connections.

With Little Deer CC, we want to offer our broad set of support skills to artists. Each artist comes to us with a specific set of needs and we can develop a bespoke and responsive service for them. To be successful, we need to really understand their practice and their work, and find as many ways as possible to develop opportunity for them in the real world. In a basic way, I see those real-world results as the conversion, even if it is more difficult to quantify.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Artists struggle under a combined burden of managing show submissions, grant writing, managing their social media, re-writing statements and C.V.’s, and so on. This all leaves very little time for them to actually make the work they want to make.

My partner and I co-founded Little Deer CC to meet those needs. We act as personal assistants, copy-writers, artist assistants, agents, web designers, and marketers. We have a large tool-box of skills to offer so that the artist can reclaim their time for the important work. We can be a whole support system, not just a social media management firm.

As artists ourselves, we are uniquely qualified to understand our clients’ work and motivations. My background is in studio art, art history and a splash of curation. I also love art writing. When I work with an artist I hope to become the number one expert in their practice. This gives me the perspective needed to support them in a broad variety of ways.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Of course I’ve had to pivot many times – I’m a millennial. The first time I entered the workforce as an adult was right at the beginning of the 2008 recession. For my generation, its that same pattern over and over. We end up fitting ourselves in and making the best of things wherever we can.

There is an upside: I’m left with an extensive list of skills that I’ve developed with each pivot. I’ve done IT, customer service, set-painting, agricultural work, web design, web development, programming, writing, editing, product photography, commercial illustration, layout design for print media, mural painting, search engine marketing, analytics, logistics, gallery hanging, and renovation, to name a few. I can sharpen a chainsaw, solder electronics and sand-cast metal jewellery. Its just a big bag of tools.

My partner has a similar story and a different set of skills that compliments mine perfectly. Between the two of us we can do almost anything.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

The average person may not understand how much energy goes into making art. So much of the creative process is unseen and unquantifiable. Sometimes creativity comes easier and other times it is a real struggle, and if your energy is spent on other concerns, it isn’t always possible to switch into the creative mindset. That is why professional creative people become protective of their time.

That said, I also believe that anyone can engage with and benefit from creativity. You don’t have to be a master of the craft to get something from the experimentation and play of creation. I think a lot of folks have a creative practice and don’t even realize it: creativity seems to be something inherent to the human condition. I don’t think a ‘non-creative’ person exists.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.littledeer.cc/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spreggo/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamsprague/