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

Alright, Ike thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

My Mother and Father definitely have had a very profound impact on my life and career.They really did set me up to be ready both mentally, and somewhat physically, for working as a professional artist. My father trained us in boxing growing up. From age 5 to about 12, I trained everyday after school. I was taught at an early age to have a physical regiment, but along with the training, was the mindset that no amount of time and effort will guarantee success. You can only work as hard as you can, sacrifice everything unnecessary and hope you are rewarded for the effort. I was never the boxer my father hoped I would be but I learned what a “fighter” mentality was. Having that mindset really helps motivate me when I do get tired or frustrated.
My Mom passed away in 2006, but she by far had the biggest impact on my career. She was, is and will always be one of the greatest people I’ve ever known. I spent some nights with her the last time she was in the hospital so she had a talk with me about my work ethic, or lack thereof. She told me I was lazy, but she also told me that if I worked at painting every day for 20 minutes and pushed myself continuously, I could accomplish anything. It hurt, but it was the truth. She knew how to get through to me and that became my therapy after she passed. She changed my life. I try to honor her by being the best version of myself I can.

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

I am primarily a painter, but I started by doing pencil portraits for friends which eventually led to me getting interested in painting. I would practice drawing and painting athletes, musicians and celebrities to have samples to show potential clients, but I ended up selling my samples. I had a friend convince me to go to a sports memorabilia show to get some of my artwork signed and there I met NFL Wide Receiver Donnie Avery, my first professional athlete client. He became a big promoter of my art. His investment in me led to working for NFL players like Reggie Wayne, Jamal Charles and Nate Washington. Since then, I have been slowly but surely building my career working for professional athletes.I have had work published in national magazines and in 2021 I became the Official Artist to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.

I do mainly portraits in different types of media,but my focus is on painting. I also offer guidance through the process of their commission so my client and I can come up with something they love and I can feel good that the artwork is an accurate representation of me as an artist. I think one of my favorite commissions was a client that hired me to paint a Christmas gift for her mom. I had painted her in her wedding dress with her two grandfathers who passed away. Both she and her mom loved the painting. I was able to give them something that really meant a lot to them, and it’s a good feeling being able to make that happen.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I think the biggest misconception a lot of people have is that it’s a simple job or what I do just happens magically. I put a lot of hours as well as research into my artwork. It can be very frustrating and sometimes depressing when a painting just doesn’t work out as I hoped, and that happens a lot more than I would care to admit.

I’m a “one man band” so to speak, so I’m responsible for the bookkeeping, correspondence, the website, filling orders and inventory, so it wears on my mind. Even though I’m paying the bills, it can be a struggle at times. If I were to talk directly to non-creatives, I would encourage you, if you see an artist doing really good work, to not only share it but expound on why you like what they do. For me, this helps to persevere through some of the lean months

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

The most rewarding thing about being an artist is the freedom that comes with being my own boss. All good and bad decisions start and end with me. I always felt I could do well if given the opportunity, and it feels good to know that I just had to give myself that chance. It’s satisfying to know I have that control over what I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ikesartstudio.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ikesartstudio/
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/ike.rodriguez/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/IkeRodriguez
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/IkeRodriguez76