We recently connected with Joel Hedstrom and have shared our conversation below.

Joel, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

My parents were always super supportive of me always following my dreams. It’s definitely hard pursuing being an artist, and it isn’t always looked at as legitimate career by a lot of people until you can actually “Make it” so to speak. I’m glad my parents always had my back and encouraged me even though until recently I’ve been relatively unknown and unsuccessful as an artist.

Joel, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Joel, but I go by Sadboi.

It was a moniker that a few friends gave me since, sadly, I exhibit the “tortured soul” traits characteristic to this lifestyle—artists. I am from a working-class family in the Midwestern united states, and when I was 18 years old, I went to art school and graduated from the College of Visual Arts in the twin cities. with a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree.

The bulk of my adult life was spent lost and wandering, taking odd freelance art gigs but never making a name for myself. Looking back, I realize that, at that time, in addition to believing that becoming a successful artist was just a pipe dream, I lacked the emotional and mental maturity to pursue a career.

It was only until the last couple years that things were put into perspective for me, and I realized I didn’t want to wake up one day as an old man, never to have done anything with my life. I decided I needed to make my dreams a reality and would do anything to make that happen. I started making work every day and throwing it all onto social media. After a time, I started to get a decent amount of attention. I started to get more and more commission requests and the rest is history.

I’d say that my art has a look to it that is really distinguishable and unmistakably mine. That’s why people come to me for work. When people look at my pieces, they see something new, that they haven’t ever quite seen before. It’s a style I’ve developed over the course of a decade. A mix of numerous different influences combined to create something completely my own.

The majority of my jobs are book and album covers, Posters, T-shirt designs, and personal commissions/prints, I think my art has a very specific mood and vibe to it that’s perfect for certain projects. It fits the kind of “dark fantasy” or “medieval gothic” role well.

Is there a mission driving your creative journey?

I want to get to the point one day, where I wont have to worry about my job output and my own survival, so that I can have the time, energy, and space to help, mentor, and support other up and coming artists. I had to figure all this stuff out on my own. The hard way. Art school didn’t teach me the business of freelancing or self employment. I want to become the person I wish I had met early on in my career.

What do you find most rewarding about being creative?

Sharing my work with others is why I do, what I do. The messages I get of people telling me they’re inspired by me, and how much they enjoy my work, there’s no better feeling than that. Having an impact on someone’s life, even if it’s small, is the most rewarding thing ever.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sadboi.art
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sadboi_illustration/
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/joel-hedstrom-310a9a59
• Other: https://www.reddit.com/user/J_Babe87