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

Alright, Jeff thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I was four years old when I saw the cover of Death of Superman in 1992. The anguish on Lois Lane’s face as she held a lifeless Superman blew my four year old brain straight out of my skull. I had never seen such raw emotion depicted in a comic book, or anything really before. Even though I was too shy to speak, I knew at that moment that I wanted to be an artist. I would use my art to move people the way that image had moved me, without ever having to use my voice.

I’ve been trying to do just that ever since. I’ve studied art, I’ve practiced my craft, and I’ve shared my work with the world. I’ve never been able to capture the same level of emotion that I felt when I first saw that cover, but I’m still trying.

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’m a freelance traditional Illustrator and artist that primarily paints fantasy art and editorial illustration. That may sound fancy but in truth I am a Software Dev that codes as a dayjob and daydreams of being paid for art. I’ve dabbled in just about everything from 3d sculpting, animation, music production but nothing brought me more joy than laying down ugly textures to make a beautiful painting. Since switching to purely traditional art in 2020 I’ve been focusing more on trying to making art that demands the viewers attention. In a world made of scrolling I want to make the thing that gets someone to stop.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Being sober. I was an addict/alcoholic from 13 to 23. I tried everything to get sober, but nothing worked until I got serious about art. Art was the only thing more important to me than getting drunk, and I couldn’t draw if I was drunk. So I chose art, and I’ve been sober ever since.

Art saved my life, my relationships, everything. It gave me a reason to get up in the morning, and it gave me a way to express my pain and my joy. I’m still an addict, but I’m a sober addict. I’m not perfect, but I’m trying my best. And I’m grateful for art, for giving me a second chance.

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

I was once on the cusp of achieving my dream of working in animation as a background painter. However, the low salary and the high cost of living in animation hubs forced me to make a difficult decision. I decided to learn coding instead, and in just 4 months, I was able to land a job that paid more than the animation gigs I had been applying for.

Coding is not my passion, but it allows me to support my family. I know that I am not alone in this. Many people who love art have to give up their dreams because of the financial realities of the industry.

I know that I will likely never be able to make a living as an artist. Most of us won’t, but screw it, if it helps you be even slightly happier, than it’s worth it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.artofjeffkristian.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jekrimo/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeKriMo
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeKriMo
• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jekrimo