We recently connected with Jamaal Durr and have shared our conversation below.

Jamaal, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. 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 full-time living from my artwork is a goal that was first birthed in 2016, during what was probably the lowest point I’d ever reached in life. It was a time where I had to look myself in the mirror and say “What are you going to do? Who are you going to become?”.

I spent 4.5 years working a regular job by day and creating new art at night that I could share on social media the next day and start building an audience. What I noticed was that opportunities and the price point at which I could sell work gradually increased as my skillset improved, so I wanted to make sure each new piece was my best work.

In 2016 I made maybe $400 from selling my artwork. The next year, that number grew to $4000. The year after that, $8000. Then $20,000. The momentum was building! With this momentum I began to feel like I could make more money as an Artist if I solely focused on it, and that is what ultimately pushed me to take the leap in June of 2020.

Major milestones in that 4.5 year window would probably be my first couple of mural projects (very high paying opportunities) and when a drawing I did of Kanye West wearing a Margiela mask from the Yeezus era went viral on social media.

Something I think that could’ve sped up the process back then would probably have been to simply understand business better, and having a better idea of all of the different avenues of how I can generate a consistent profit.

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 merely a spirit that is here to share experiences of life with those who can see themselves in my work and/or hear themselves in my narratives. Art has always been a part of my life, something I can recall back to the age of 6/7. The work that I do serves as a connection between my inner thoughts and the outside world, which facilitates imperative dialogues. This enables me to define my relationship to the world, so that I may best understand what I can offer to the world.

I would say the problems I am able to solve for clients/collectors of my work primarily lies in the realm of connection. Through shared experiences we are all able to better understand each other, which is paramount for businesses or clients who are wanting to gain larger audiences and strengthen their branding. What I am most proud of about my work is that it is authentic, and people are able to see themselves in my work or hear themselves in my narratives no matter what background they come from.

Along with making and selling original drawings and paintings, I also have a background in graphic design that I utilize on a commission basis for logo work and promotional materials. I facilitate my own work-based workshops for groups of all ages, have created murals, and am currently piloting a couple of arts integration and art as therapy programs for a couple of local school districts.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I think artists are often overlooked on the daily within society, and I do not think it is intentional. We are present, but moreso on a subconscious level. Art is consumed every single by people who simply do not understand what it takes to create the things they enjoy.

I think if society as a whole could take the time to educate themselves on creative processes, and allow more space for artists/creatives to speak on their journeys and share their experiences so that there is more understanding across the board could be helpful.

I think society as a whole also needs to ensure that artists are paid their worth and paid in a timely manner. This is the #1 problem I have as a full-time artist, and while I realize that it happens in other industries where freelance/independent contracting exists, but the notion of the “starving artist” has been perpetuated for far too long. We deserve to be paid for our work and we deserve to be paid on time.

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

Knowledge of grants, residencies, workshop opportunities, etc. would have been supremely beneficial information to have early on in my journey.. Artists often have large ideas that require funding we simply don’t have. Flexible teaching options can provide consistent income while also allowing room for enough freedom to explore other opportunities at the same time. I have been the recipient of many awards and opportunities that were funded by organizations that I did not know existed up until I began doing research, and it opened my eyes to so many more pathways to sustaining full-time artistry,

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jqvisuals.net
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/jamaaldurr_
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/jamaaldurr
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/jamaaldurr_

Image Credits
William Smith Photography (for image of myself)