We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jacob McLean a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jacob, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

Earning a living from creating art is something I was always convinced was not a possibility. I am still shocked when I am able to earn enough to sustain myself, let alone my creative practice. It is recently that I have jumped into it full time, retaining part time work as a glass blower for another studio. Learning just how fickle the art market is has been a challenge, for sure. It can feel like such a gamble, and learning to manage the initial stress of inconsistent income took some serious internal work. Through that I have found my ambitions larger, and my discipline stronger. I seek different avenues to supplement income between paintings that I wasn’t taking advantage of before- like print sale or mural production. I think that once you pursue your art practice full time, you find your creativity seeping into everything you do. Even if thats finding a creative way to make $200 before rent is due.

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.

My name is Jacob Mclean and I am an artist based in Seattle, Wa. My work takes form in acrylic, watercolor and gouache paintings. As a self taught artist, much of my process is informed by experimentation and pushing through my own technical barriers. My creative pursuits and expressions are guided by romanticism, idealism, and simplification. I try to snuff out all non essential elements of a concept, keeping only the juicy good stuff. Often asking myself “What is it that draws my eye to this scene, and how can I expand or refine this?”. The aim is that my work is immediately understandable and digestible. I steer away from intellectual barriers and intimate sentimentality, allowing any viewer to find the image’s place in their own story.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I started seeing increased engagement on social media when I integrated the images I was producing with my creative process and a bit more of myself. Initially, I used all platforms as static galleries to showcase work and provide details. Once I started building content that expanded on those narratives, I was able to connect more people with my art. Not every person can easily dissect imagery, so helping viewers connect the dots will make a strong impression on a new viewer.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

There is something so gratifying when a stranger views your work and you see a wave of thought and emotion run through them. The simplicity of my work leaves so much up for interpretation, and it is really beautiful to see where my creative impulses take other people.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.jacobmclean.com
• Instagram: @jacobmcleanart
• Other: Tiktok @jacobmcleanart