We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brandon Wallace. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brandon below.

Brandon, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

Making a living wage as an artist can be a challenge. Few are hired frequently enough and at high enough rates to make it solely based on their work.. Even if they can, it can be feast or famine from year to year.

Most artists will need some sort of day job, and my goal was to make that day job something that fed my art.

I achieved my goal through becoming a visual arts professor, which naturally compliments an artistic practice. In addition to financial compensation, I receive a great deal of inspiration from the developments my students make each week. The beautiful thing about teaching art is that it is one of the more symbiotic teaching relationships.

In order to instruct at the college level, I had to earn my Master of Fine Arts, which is generally a 2-3 year terminal degree. The mentorship I received at Syracuse University helped me hone my skills as an artist and educator.

In addition to my teaching practice, I take on client-based illustration work, and sell prints of my personal work at art markets.

Brandon, 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’ve been telling stories through drawing since I was a three-year-old.

I got into my industry through goal-oriented persistence. Giving myself long-term and short-term goals helps me stay focused.

At the same time, I’ve learned the value of patience in my practice. I can’t always control the flow of freelance clients, however, I can control my own work. By making art, posting on social media, and getting involved with my community, I’ve been expanding my client list.

For illustration, clients typically hire me to draw colorful portraits and environments in order to make their brands more appealing to a contemporary audience.

For comics, I’m sought out as a collaborator for my clear storytelling and compositional skills.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Between undergrad and graduate school, I was working a variety of customer service related jobs, most notably being a rental car manager.

I had money, but I was very frustrated. I was very burn out at these jobs, and felt very creatively isolated.

I broke out of my depression by; taking online classes through The Oatley Academy, going to art conferences, and eventually going to grad school.

Even though they were hard, I’m thankful for those years. The management soft skills translate directly to teaching, which has helped a ton because you’re not really taught those in an official capacity for collegiate education.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I would say “non-creatives” struggle with the idea that art is primarily a developed skill, and not a divinely instilled talent.

I put “non-creatives” in quotes because I don’t truly believe that any human being lacks creativity, however, I do believe some people are less practiced and educated in creative problem solving.

As an Art Professor, I am often assigned a Drawing I class. Entry level art students make up a small portion of these courses, but they are primarily comprised of students in other degree programs who are fulfilling their arts requirement.

In these courses, the notion students have of “I can’t draw” or “I can only draw stick figures” is the first I work on dispelling.

Most of us start in a similar technical place, but not everyone learns how to improve or practices.

Through education and dedication, anyone can learn to bring their unique vision into a beautiful work of visual art.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.brandonjwallace.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bwallzart/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-wallace-b6431340/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/bwallzdraws