We recently connected with Cobie Cruz and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Cobie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

Yes, I’m earning full-time living from my creative work. Before becoming a full-time visual artist, I started my career in advertising as an art director and then became a TV commercial director before starting to paint professionally. In 2000 while I was directing TVCs I started painting, in between TVC projects, with the persuasion of my dad. And so I did. I began by creating a couple of series and with the help from my artist-friend I presented to a couple of prominent art galleries in Manila. It got me going when one gallery took some pieces for consignment. I felt the excitement and was very ecstatic. Several months later one gallery offered me and another artist-friend a two-man show, my first art exhibit and I was elated. That show was followed immediately by my very first one-man show. Both exhibits were a success monetary wise. After a few more successful group and 2nd solo art exhibitions in Manila in the early 2000s, my family and I moved to Toronto, Canada in 2005. My priorities changed and I have to help my supportive wife with our finances especially being new immigrants. However, I still managed to paint but sadly not on a regular basis as my priority then was to support my family. In 2015 before my dad passed we had a heart to heart talk about my painting career. He really wanted me to seriously go back to paint. As I promised him that I would, I created my first series of paintings in ten years and titled it The Promise. I started looking for art galleries just like how I did back then and eventually my works landed in two Toronto art galleries currently representing me and my new 3rd gallery is in Montreal. I’ve believed my dad is watching me and my family from the heavens and smiling down on me because I kept my promise. My advice to visual artists who really want to pursue this career is to not stop from learning their craft. Keep painting even if just for an hour, if you have other things to do especially if they’re in the beginners stage. Get some inspiration from other artists. Pick up some art styles and improve on 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

For me, being disciplined and knowing what you want to be will surely get you there. Follow your dreams. It’s only you who can make it happen. The rest are tools we can use to get us to where we want to be. Planning is essential to have but it is us and no one else can make it happen. The discipline I always have in my system when it comes to visual art is what my dad used to tell me… paint, paint and paint. Painting is such a demanding profession. It asks for a lot of attention and time. If you stop for a longer period of time and then you go back the flow of your work and rhythm change dramatically. I’m happy to say that the discipline I’ve learned in advertising and TV production have taught me to produce creatively and I’m applying it to my visual art in creating artistic work regardless of what my mood is I’m always inspired to create.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I loved my two previous careers and they taught me a lot about discipline and creativity. But painting affords me a freedom that I did not totally have in my two past lives. Painting lets me express myself with each stroke of my brush. I am not answerable to a client – only to myself. But with an exemption if it’s commission work. It’s definitely a corroboration between my client and myself. As a painter my only restrictions and boundaries are my own imagination.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

During my family’s first few years as immigrants back then our home space was not as spacious as we have now that my reason for not painting as much was “where will I store my canvases?” Looking back, that reason was simply a lame excuse. Secondly, my first art submissions where I received a not so favourable response from the art galleries let me down. I felt disappointed right away that I lost focus on where I wanted to be. Lessons learned I should’ve been more determined and focused on my plans regardless of the adversities that came my way.

Contact Info:

• Website: cobiecruzart.com
• Instagram: @cobiecruzart
• Facebook: facebook.com/cobiecruzpaintings/

Image Credits
Nothing.