We were lucky to catch up with Cleveland Peterson recently and have shared our conversation below.
Cleveland, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
I’ve always been able to make changes in my life. I’ve never want to settle. When your life starts at what most deem the bottom it’s often looked at as a bad thing to turn away from that. Coming from Gary Indiana, anything positive was considered weak. When I discovered art I found a way to add beauty to a world that can sometimes be ugly. I knew that a 50 year old black man coming from a very rough background would be laughed at and ridiculed for spreading beauty and love through art. I know that s*x, drugs and money sell very well but I refuse to express any of that in my work. I feel that I’ve been able to display my ideas to those who can see it. If someone can’t see it then maybe my art is not for them.
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
As a lot of story start out now a days, the pandemic effected my life in an unforeseen way. My daughter and I went to a paint party at our apartment complex clubhouse. We really enjoyed the experience so we started looking for other painting places to go to. We soon notice that it’s kind of expensive. I decided to buy some supplies so that we can paint at home. And then the pandemic hit. We were stuck inside painting and watching videos on how to improve. After about five months I posted some pieces on social media to get some feed back. I began receiving request to buy some of the paintings I would post. I decided to start a company, Empyreal Arts, to build for my family’s future. This way I could accomplish a couple of goals. I can hopefully build a business for my children and grandchildren, I can provide charitable donations to organizations helping in areas that mean a lot to me and I can add beauty and love to the world wherever I can.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Your past does not determine your future! It’s repeated over and over where I’m from and situations like mine…”This is all I know”. I come from the stereotypical young black meal background. I grow up in the projects, I was in a gang, my father wasn’t there, so on and so fourth. For a long time I felt, as many others have, I have no future. I had to consciously seek out books and people to help me unlearn those thoughts. It doesn’t matter where you come from. Plenty of successful people grow up without one parent. What every one around does should not dictate what you do. I strive to continuously evolve and grow. I want someone to see my life and say “I don’t have to be what I am now.” I try to tell everyone that if you are breathing then there’s time. Time to grow, time to change, time to show someone else a different way.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I joined the military two weeks after high school. At the time I felt that was my only option. When my service ended I went back home with no real future. I joined the postal service and wanted to make it a career. But after ten years it found it wasn’t for me. I meet of ex-wife and we decided to start a family in Tennessee. I started a part time job when I moved there and have been with the company for 17 years now. And if my business goes the way I want I will likely pivot again.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: IG@empyreal_arts
- Facebook: FB@Cleveland Peterson