We were lucky to catch up with Akira Usagi recently and have shared our conversation below.

Akira, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

I feel there’s still a long road ahead for me to be considered successful, but I like to believe it takes sacrifice, love, giving it your all, and a lot of faith and hope.

Mike Shinoda summed it up perfectly in the lyrics of Remember The Name,

“This is ten percent luck
Twenty percent skill
Fifteen percent concentrated power of will
Five percent pleasure
Fifty percent pain
It’s not about the salary, it’s all about reality and making some noise.”

I think there will be many times when you feel lost, cynical, that you can’t go on. I get the feeling these are the limits that must be pushed and tested to not only actualize who you are and what you are made of, but then to take that knowledge and apply it to your success.

Akira, 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?

I’m a painter/muralist and enjoy working with prospective clients about the type of mural they would want on their wall, they type of artwork would be best suited for their needs and tastes. I recently celebrated my 1 year anniversary of doing pop-ups where I showcase my art and prints and that’s always a great way to meet new fans of my art, and new fresh ways to interpret the work. If there is one thing I wish clients/followers/fans can take away from my work, is that while I dig from personal experience, I aspire for universal interpretation. The magic of art is that the more personal and vulnerable we get with the experiences we share, the more relatable they become, and that is the experience I wish to bring to viewers of my work. If that is something I can accomplish, that would be something to be immensely proud of.

Have you ever had to pivot?

The biggest pivot in my life was in becoming an artist. Prior to that I did my undergraduate studies in chemistry and became credentialed to become a high school chemistry teacher. I felt passionate about it and knew I can become very good at what I did. Still, there remained a loud and empty void inside that wished to paint. And the more I painted, I came to a painful realization that I had to sacrifice everything-my education, career, lifestyle, my ego, to start this journey. So I did, and ran out of money fast. I almost became homeless. I began eating food people threw away. That transition was difficult. I never went to art school, didn’t know how to paint; all I knew was that I wanted to do it and had all the time in the world now. It was scary and I was very insecure at first but in retrospect, it was the best decision I made.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

You can’t spell painting without “pain” (laughs). I don’t know why there’s a voice inside me that tells me it’s easy, that anybody can do it. Painting murals can take a lot out of you. You’re exposed to the elements, the unpredictable weather, and painting murals can get very emotional as there is always an inevitable phase where everything looks terrible to you. I’ve had to do mural projects where I had to paint 8-10 hours a day for 30 days straight to make the deadline, and painted in the storm, rain, the blistering heat. I was very exhausted but even more proud when it was all done!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @akirausagiart