We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful John Barlow. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with John below.

John, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I recently (this year) started a project that’s a first for me. I’ve always envisioned myself doing some sort of narrative artbook, so I finally took the leap and decided to start one called Letters from the Far Shore. Teaching has given me some stability so I feel more confident exploring creatively, and it’s been super rewarding so far.

I’ve always tried to make my art fit into something that would be marketable, so it’s super nice to finally (within reason) get to explore and try something I’ve always wanted to do. I get to bring in my love of design, since I have an undergraduate degree in graphic design, and also my love of writing fiction that I discovered when I got into Dungeons & Dragons a few years back. Right now I’m focused on building out a world that’s surreal and strange but also recognizable. The form it’s taking right now is sending out letters to my patrons every month with an illustration and a story accompanying it. There are recurring characters to help frame the narrative, but getting to see what my limits are–in terms of what I can come up with, creatively–has been super fun so far. I’m really looking forward to seeing how this project evolves in two, five, ten years from now.

John, 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?

I started out as a graphic designer, but I graduated right into the first wave of covid and was immediately laid off. That led me to grad school to get my MFA in illustration–something I always wanted to do–and since then I’ve done a mix of different things! I primarily make fantasy illustration for books and games, but I’ve also been teaching at the university level for a few years now.

There are so many great artists and illustrators out there that it can be hard to not feel overwhelmed, but I try to focus on what makes my work unique. I love incorporating storytelling in every drawing, and making art that FEELS like something–conveying emotion is something that’s really important to me. Whether it’s fantasy, sci-fi, or even just portraiture, atmosphere and story are everything to me.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I think about my creative journey a lot, given that I’ve made it my career. I’ve realized that my creativity ebbs and flows and depends on my mental health a lot–so it’s become really really important to me that I take care of myself. I know that sounds obvious, but genuinely the happier and more stable I am the better my art is. It’s taken me a long time to get to a point where I can execute artwork at a skill level I’m happy with, and so now for me I’d like to focus on being as consistent as I can with any kind of creative practice.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding part, for me, is always the making of something. I always like seeing the end result, and sometimes surprise myself with what I’ve made–but the best part is always just doing the creative work. As cliche as it sounds, the process really is everything when it comes to what I do. There’s so much decision-making and choice that goes into a single drawing that it really feels like I’m guiding something I barely understand. And I love that! The fact that it’s still scary to start a project after years of building confidence is what keeps it interesting. Exploring and creating and making is the best part of my creative practice, for sure.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.johnbarloww.com/
• Instagram: @johnbarloww
• Other: Patreon.com/TheFarShore

Image Credits
all images copyright John Barlow Illustration