We recently connected with Ezra Dahl and have shared our conversation below.

Ezra, thanks for taking the time to share your stories 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?

Yeah, I have—though it’s definitely been a journey. There have been stretches where it’s been amazing, where I’ve had the freedom to live comfortably and take on projects I’m passionate about without worrying about the next paycheck. But there have also been times when it’s been really tough—unemployment, scraping by, and a lot of late nights just trying to figure out where the next gig might come from.

A big example of this was when I graduated back in 2008, right at the peak of the economic crash. The job market fell apart, and I found myself competing for the same roles as folks who had been in the industry for a decade. It was a rough start. I actually ended up pivoting to a different career for a few years just to get by, but I got lucky and managed to work my way back in. And that’s kind of the nature of this path—sometimes you’re riding high, and other times you’ve got to grind it out and find your way back.

What you start to learn over time is that you’re really in control of your own destiny. In this industry, especially as a designer and creative, you’re an asset—you provide a service. It’s a very different experience compared to someone clocking into a traditional 9-to-5 job. Of course, you still need to be a decent person to work with, and building relationships is crucial. But the biggest lesson for me has been realizing where I fit into the bigger picture—and sometimes realizing I don’t fit.

There will be times when you’re not the right person for the job or the project, and that’s okay. The important part is understanding that as you grow and change, the opportunities available to you also change. It’s about making the most of what comes your way, even when it’s not what you expected. Every experience is a chance to grow, and that’s the real job—beyond any specific creative skill, it’s about continual growth as an artist. The moment you stop growing, that’s when someone else is going to pass you up.

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.

If you’re not familiar with my work, it’s probably because the majority of it has happened behind the scenes. For nearly 20 years, I’ve been part of client meetings and strategic sessions, working through agencies to shape projects from concept all the way to execution. But it wasn’t always this way—I actually started in galleries, comic books, and video games, chasing my love for drawing and storytelling. My early journey involved working at Dark Horse Comics and running a comic shop, where I first got a taste of what it means to create something people love. But back then, making a living off comics wasn’t sustainable, so I shifted gears.

Eventually, I found my way to art college as a high school dropout who got his GED just before starting classes. That was a pivotal moment for me—I realized that there was a real path for me as an artist, something I’d never been told before. I dove into game design, started freelancing, and had an incredible year where I made six figures while still in school. I felt invincible but made a lot of generally stupid financial mistakes, blew through that money, and by graduation, I was broke. Then, the 2008 recession hit, and I couldn’t find work, so I pivoted into community work and nonprofits for a few years.

Meeting my future wife however changed everything. She encouraged me to dive back into the creative industry, just a little freelance, to see how it may go, and so I did. I learned 3D modeling and expanded my toolkit, eventually moving into brand design, which took me to New York. I helped launch flagship stores for major brands like Nike, and for five years, I was all about retail design, brand experiences, and 3D modeling. We moved back home when we got pregnant, and I continued focusing on retail and brand design, including projects with partners such as Adidas, Twitch, and Ring. But then COVID hit, the retail industry collapsed, and I had to pivot again—this time, going all in on 3D modeling and honing my craft.

Now, I work primarily in creative development, from initial concept sketching to 3D renders, execution, and launch. What sets me apart is my experience across the entire creative pipeline and process. I bring a unique range of skills, from sketchbook ideas and strategic conversations to the nitty-gritty of 3D modeling and final execution. Before anyone picks up a pencil, I’m already imagining what the final product could be. This lets me hit the ground running, educating and aligning clients early on so that by the time we’re introducing big ideas, they’re already primed and excited. It’s not just about delivering a project—it’s about elevating their brand beyond where their ideas had taken them.

For me, it’s vital that clients don’t just feel like they’ve launched something cool—they need to feel genuinely proud of what we’ve built together. It’s easy to get jaded in this industry, especially when you spend months pouring creative energy into something that only lasts a few weeks in a store. But that’s exactly why passion and love for the craft are so important, especially with big clients and corporate environments. If you stay present in the process, seeing those ideas come to life is incredibly rewarding.

To any potential clients, followers, or fans reading this, here’s what I’d say: It’s okay if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing or what you need to work on. It’s okay to feel like a fraud sometimes—that’s part of being an artist. Those doubts and struggles are what push you through creative blocks and keep you striving for better. I have heavy ADHD, and it’s easy for me to get lost in details and lose sight of the bigger picture. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to slow down, take a step back, breathe, and tackle what’s right in front of me. By focusing on the small wins, the big picture starts to make more sense, and you find your control.

In reality, what I create, I hope, inspires—it only takes a single moment, a single look. If I can create that moment for someone, then every ounce of energy I put in is worth it. How long it lasts in the retail space matters less and less with every smile and curious eye that takes in the work.

The number one thing I’ve learned and what I’d offer as advice is this: You are your own biggest obstacle. If you’ve been hired, people already see your value. You don’t have to prove anything; you just have to do the work to the best of your abilities. Often, that means getting out of your own way, finding your flow, and trusting the process. If you can do that, you’ll find success in whatever you choose to pursue.

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

For me, the most rewarding part of being a creative is that I get to live out my ideas. I’m given the permission and resources to bring my concepts to life, and that’s a rare gift. There are so many creatively capable people in the world who don’t have the opportunity to turn their ideas into something tangible. Sure, sometimes the end result isn’t as grand as I’d like, but it’s what people will pay for. Maybe one day, someone will pay me just to create my own personal work, but that’s not the reality right now.

What I can say is that every day, I get to craft my ideas into something the world sees. It may not always take the form I’d imagined or hoped for, but I’d be foolish not to acknowledge the impact I’ve had globally, through so many different projects—things that simply came out of my head. It’s a heartening feeling, and I don’t need to see the direct fruits of it. Just knowing it’s out there is enough, and it’s something that keeps me moving forward.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Honestly, I don’t think a lack of resources is something we struggle with in this day and age. Right now, you have access to almost every tool the professionals use, often for free. That’s something we take for granted, but back when I was starting out—before the internet was what it is today—getting access to programs like Photoshop or even basic creative tools was a real challenge. These days, that barrier isn’t there, and that’s a huge advantage.

The real resource that’s often overlooked isn’t a tool—it’s the mindset of learning through imitation. There’s a lot of stigma in the creative world around copying or emulating other artists, but that’s usually a viewpoint held by people who don’t fully understand the process of becoming an artist. If you want to grow into the artist you aspire to be, you need to find work that inspires you and copy it mercilessly. Your voice will naturally emerge through the process—you’ll never create an exact replica. The muscle memory you build while emulating others will help shape your own unique style. The way you hold the pencil, the way you paint, the way you design—all of that comes from practice, repetition, and learning from the masters.

The number one piece of advice I can give to any aspiring artist is this: Put in the hours, and let yourself be inspired. Without inspiration, you’re just creating out of necessity, and the work will never be something you’re truly proud of—it’ll just be something you finished. Don’t weigh yourself down with unnecessary limitations. Take the pressure off, embrace the process, and trust that your voice will come through. Over time, those comparisons to other artists will fade, and your style will flourish into something entirely your own.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://randomhamilton.artstation.com/albums/3925939
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/randomhamilton/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ezra-dahl-583b235/

Image Credits

SET Creative (Nike/Sennheiser)

Latitude (Adidas)