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

Bria, appreciate you joining us today. One of the toughest things about progressing in your creative career is that there are almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?

Overall, the most unexpected problem I continue to face in my creative journey is grappling with imposter syndrome. Creativity in both my fine art and graphic design life is such a subjective thing and so much of the basis of outward and commercial creative work is rooted in feedback and validation from others.

It is a constant internal conversation to remind myself that I, indeed, have so much room for growth in all my creative endeavors, but also have dedicated a lot of time to hone my crafts and should allow myself some grace to create with in that safe internal space a bit more often.

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

By day I am a Creative Director at a marketing agency (think Don Draper in Mad Men, but I happen to be a bit nicer 😉), and I moonlight as an entrepreneur and painter. I love getting to lead a team of fantastic designers and writers every day as they make the world a prettier place. I also still get to get scratch the graphic design itch from time to time that I’ve had for the better part of two decades.

Making has always been in my blood and was lucky enough to stumble upon my love of graphic design early on in college. Leaving with a degree in design and marketing I quickly found that they were the perfect pair and found myself immersed in a new professional creative world I never imagined I would be lucky enough to participate in.

About a decade into my career as a designer I felt the need for a passion project where I was the final decision maker. Go Slo, a Wyoming-inspired lifestyle brand, was born and I now had the perfect sandbox in which to test out my design and marketing ideas relatively consequence-free.

I had always loved to paint, but a few years ago a need to expand my creative prowess outside of digital design arose and I picked back up my rusty brushes. Now I am lucky enough to spend my free time as a contemporary western wildlife painter, with my body of work being heavily inspired by my graphic design background and love for bold colors and big brushstrokes.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I think the biggest thing that society can really do to support a great creative environment is to step back and really appreciate how much impact the arts and entertainment fields have on daily life. That, in turn, should help people to understand the value of these endeavors and the people who dedicate their lives to furthering them. Too often artists are ask to create for free on the basis of ‘exposure’, but society would never ask a doctor or lawyer to go without pay on services rendered.

The pandemic really shone a light on the necessity for the arts in our lives and how much it helps to elevate our existence amongst the darkness. Supporting your local artists, makers and entrepreneurs is so important in building a solid appreciation for the work that is being created into the future.

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

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is absolutely, 100% loving what I do and getting to share that love with my kids. I am so appreciative that they get to grow up knowing that there are career paths (that pay the bills!) that are rewarding, fulfilling and, most importantly, pretty dang fun.

I love the creative process and love sharing my work with the world, but at the end of the day setting an example for my family of working hard to find your truth and your fulfillment in life is best accomplishment I’ve achieved so far.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.briahammock.com
• Instagram: @hammock_art
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hammockfineart