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

Jason, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

Being an artist is a full time job and it has its benefits. I am happy with the path that I am on and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Don’t get me wrong, being an owner of a small business requires a lot of patience and ingenuity. You need to have an open mind and have to be on top of your game in terms of research, materials, and be more business-oriented. You also need support from your family and friends. My wife is my biggest support. She introduced me to the interior design world and the evolving trends that go along with that profession. I don’t think of myself as anything else but as an artist with a job. I don’t think that a regular job necessarily puts you in a category that makes you less of a person. It is a choice in the end. You have one life. choose what makes you happy.

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?

Well, I’m an artist and a designer. Meaning, I have two personalities. one makes no-holds-barred abstract paintings and landscapes. The other has a softer touch defined by the crispness of design. So I guess I provide fluidness, creativeness, a kick, a jumpstart to a room or venue with my works. What sets them apart is that there is energy flowing through them and they are quite bold at times. Their texture and movement reinforces that fact. And on the other hand, there are pieces that just calm people. They are simple, monochromatic, and vessels to take you off somewhere where there is less stress. What I am most proud of is being represented by General Public through Restoration Hardware, having my work in private and museum collections, having some work in a Netflix series called ‘Obliterated’ coming out fall 2023, and the overall persistence I have with my business and making connections and friends.

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

While I am only vaguely familiar with NFT’s, they seem like something imaginary that only exists in a certain realm. They are void of any emotion due to their intangibility. Why would anyone want something imaginary that they couldn’t show off to their friends. Wouldn’t you want to hold it, inspect it, stare at it at any hour of the day? NFT’s are like stocks. They only live, and exist, in a world where we cannot travel, live, breathe, or sense anything real.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I changed direction, in a sense, when my wife introduced me to the interior design world and how the influence of a select group of top designers decide what colors, textures, patterns the world will see on a consistent basis. It was absolutely mind boggling the there were people that decided this. The power of influence is strong in this world we live in. It seems like no one really can, or wants to, make a decision for themselves. That lack of independent thinking that I see through design glasses everywhere forces me to question what freedom people really think they have. So that made me pivot and kind of gave me an extra personality to carry around. It has been beneficial, though. More than I ever thought.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jason-adkins.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/throw_that_paint/

Image Credits
Jason Adkins