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

Coco, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I struggle with this constantly!

Before working full time, I was freelancing and painting. I loved it because I had so much freedom and flexibility, I could choose my own clients, and it was just fun doing something creative every day. I was able to travel and meet a ton of people through art events. Everything was great until it wasn’t.

Juggling projects became difficult and I was constantly burnt out because I rarely turned down projects, I undercharged (a lot of this had to do with confidence), and I underestimated how long some projects would take. On top of that, I just didn’t feel like I was making good work anymore. There was no fulfillment, no experimentation, just another thing to get done. It felt like I was pumping out work just to pay the bills.

At that point, I decided it was time for me switch careers. I got a job as an interior designer at a studio which I loved. Having a balance of structure and creativity was really important to me, which is part of why I chose that industry. Another added bonus was that I could focus on the creative parts and not worry about managing clients, budgets, and other admin tasks. I thought everything was perfect, until I had to start declining mural jobs and commissions because I really didn’t have the time for them anymore. I had just participated in the all-female mural festival, Ladies Who Paint, and it really bummed me out that I couldn’t do more.

But my mood varies. Some days I just want to be an artist traveling the world to paint murals and do art shows, while other days I enjoy being able to just work at my computer and clock out at the end of the day. I think eventually I’ll be able to do both, but I haven’t found the sweet spot just yet.

For now, I’ve come to realize it’s better to be grateful and make the most of your current situation; I appreciate that I can work full-time in a creative capacity though I’ve traded in a bit of freedom.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Coco and I’m an artist and designer. I paint, illustrate, and do murals in a fun way! Once upon a time in high school I did drawings for my friends’ binders. Then I went to college and took on whatever graphic design gigs I could find. I began doing art shows in the Bay Area which really helped me hone my style which is fun and feminine. Eventually, ShareThis took a chance on me and let me paint some murals for their office which helped me gain the confidence to do more mural jobs. Painting for offices, restaurants, and hospitality projects really made me want to get more invested in the design, so I switched everything up to follow my architecture/designer dreams. What I believe sets me apart is having experience in so many different creative fields. I’m really here to help bring peoples visions to life — not just to deliver a quick illustration, but to help bring a whole brand to life. When things are done thoughtfully with an attention to detail it speaks volumes. It excites everyone and that’s what I want to focus on doing for people and businesses.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

– Pandr Design Co. (Phoebe and Roxy) are hands down the most helpful artists on the block. I use their resources constantly, especially with pricing, contracts, tools, and all the non-glamorous parts of being professional artists.

– Hom Sweet Hom (Lauren Hom) is another great resource for muralists! Peruse through her blog for tips and inspiration.

– The Power of Habit (Charle Duhig)

– Creative, Inc (Ilasco & Cho)

– Make Your Own Luck (Moross)

We’d love to hear your thoughts on NFTs. (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

Best believe this is next on my list of things to experiment with!

I think it’s wild how much money is thrown at them, but the art world is like that. Plus, it has really pushed creativity forcing artists work in a new way.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.hello-coco.com
• Instagram: @hello.coco
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cocomorton/

Image Credits
Huy Hoang
@melissamcclure.co.