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

Aeron , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with 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.

I’m in love with the idea that learning is like the sky, it’s infinite and never ending. You will never reach a point where you can stop learning.

When I got back into art fourteen years after high school, I had a mindset that I highly regret now. I thought it would be better to not learn how to paint/draw from a professional or a school. My line of thinking was, if someone taught me and I wasn’t able to produce artwork to that standard it would be embarrassing.
If my artwork wasn’t good I could say I’ve never taken a class. It’d be a good excuse. On the other side of that, if my artwork was good, I could say that I’ve never taken a class and that’d be impressive. I was so stupid! I wouldn’t even look at an online tutorial!
I’d do anything to learn techniques now.
I realized a long time ago that I could’ve applied the techniques to my own creative vision.

I’ve been making pieces for about fifteen years now. I kept myself locked away for ten of those years so I didn’t get input from anyone except my family.
I didn’t have any art world connections.
I didn’t have anyone to talk to about how they go about making what they make.

I’ve been trying to correct my mistaken way of thinking for a few years now.
The hardest part is where to begin.
There’s so much to learn!

Being self taught did lend a hand to my style but it’s time to elevate that.
Time to try new things. New ways.

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.

I was in a hip hop band for many years. My Nickname in high school was AZL. For some reason my friends started calling me Azrael (which I hated so I guess that’s why it stuck) and over the years it shortened to AZL. The band broke up and I needed a new creative outlet, something I could do at home so I could spend more time with my daughters. I decided to go back to my childhood roots and pick up painting. I fell in love with it immediately.
I decided to keep my nickname as my artist name and sign everything I make with AZL.
It took about five years for me to build up the confidence to start submitting my work to shows. I was turned down by everyone! But… the Hopkins museum showed paintings that the State Fair rejected so I got to hang my first painting. I was so nervous for people to see it. I ended up getting some good response thankfully. It was enough to keep me going. I finally did get into the State Fair (a couple of times) while starting to get into other shows and making artist friends.
I slowly learned about making prints, framing artwork and opening up an Etsy store. By this time my nickname morphed once again into Razzle Dazzle. So my Etsy storefront is Razzledazzleazelart. A bit of a mouthful but that’s where you can find all of my work for sale.
I transitioned out of painting with acrylics and oils and more into sketching (I would buy a one hundred page sketchbook and fill it up with one common theme) and watercolors.
I also started getting stickers and air fresheners made of my work.
I do commissions but I’m rather slow at them. It’s a lot more difficult for me to transfer an image onto the page if that image didn’t first start in my own head.
Commission work is very challenging and I ultimately grow from it but it’s kind of painful. Haha.
People always say “I like/love your style” but I honestly don’t feel like I have one. I tend to draw mostly women. When asked why, my answer is, I like to create the thing that tortures me most.
I love women. I love their form. Their essence. Their beauty. I wish a woman rose and set each day instead of the Sun.
The thing that I’m most proud of is that my daughters like and hang some of my work on their walls without me knowing or asking.
I would love to share more work with more people. If you wish, please follow me on IG at Razzldazzleazel.
Thank you so much

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For sure the best thing about being an artist is that I’m never bored. Ever. I always have a million ideas in my head and never enough time to get them out of my head.
It’s a great way to meditate. To shut off reality and escape into your mind and soul.
If I can’t sleep, I’m at the drawing table. No tossing and turning for me. Any free time is time to use working and work like this is fun.

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

Hands down the best thing a person can do is share an artists work. Share, share, share and buying some of their work doesn’t hurt either. Haha

Contact Info:

• Website: Etsy.com/shop/razzledazzleazelart
• Instagram: Razzledazzleazel

Image Credits
Aeron Iverson aka AZL aka Razzle Dazzle