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

Josh, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

The first time I ever had the notion to pursue a creative path was during 3rd grade art class. We were learning about Van Gogh and I remember thinking, I would like people to talk about me in art classes when I die. A very grandiose thought for a third grader.

But for me it didn’t seem like a lofty goal or direction. Phil Curtis was a very good friend of my family, which meant I got to spend time around him from a very young age, until he passed in 2000. The majority of the time we would go out for brunch or dinner with him, but from time to time I would get to go visit his studio with my grandparents. These visits were very impactful on me. Seeing a living artist in his element made the thought of being a working artists seem like an obtainable direction and not out of reach.

Though I was always fascinated with art, and deep down knew I wanted to pursue it, I never took any real steps to make it a reality until I was in my 20’s.

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 a self-taught oil painter who currently works in a modern western theme. I began painting in 2009, shortly after the band I was in broke up.

My initial creative endeavor was music. A friend of mine and I started playing and writing music together in his bedroom and eventually moved into a rehearsal space where we started to build our sound and fill out the band; first a drummer, then a bassist and finally a second guitarist. We performed our original music, locally, for a couple of years, then disbanded in 2009.

After we broke up, I knew I needed to continue and have a creative outlet where I could put all my focus, but I wasn’t certain music was the right fit for me. Mainly because I wanted to have more independence and control over the creative process and didn’t want to be reliant on others to create. This is when I decided it was time to switch gears and learn how to paint. I have now been painting for 13 years and feel like I still have so much to learn.

I am very proud of my perseverance and drive to create. And for always pushing myself to continue to grow and progress with my craft. I always want to be getting better and see progress. Chasing mastery is my life’s pursuit and I will continue to push myself to be the best artist I can be as long as I am living.

Though I am very happy with how my work has evolved, especially over the past couple of years, I always tell myself I have not created my best work yet. This keeps me motivated and gives me direction to keep pushing myself forward. I don’t want to ever feel like my work is getting stale and redundant. I might paint similar subject matter, but each one I make harder than the last to ensure the growth is happening.

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

The best thing anyone can do to support an artist is obviously to purchase their art. This not only fuels the progress, being able to pay bills and put money back into supplies, but also gives the artist encouragement to continue. I was told very early on that success is built off of success. So, you have to start small and build from there. I will never forget being told that my first piece sold, after I began exhibiting my work. It lit a fire inside me and made me continue to push forward. It also provides the artist with a bit of validity and peace of mind to know that there is a market for their art.

There is so much mass-produced art in the world that most artists get overlooked. Most people don’t realize that there is affordable original art out there for purchase. And that sale will mean much more to a living artist than to the corporation selling the mass-production.

Other things that are also beneficial are engaging with their social media platforms. Liking and commenting encourage artists, we want our art to be seen, and also helps with the algorithms. Also, sharing our work to your platforms helps broaden the reach of our art and can lead to potential sales.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Something I believe that non-creatives struggle to understand is that creating is not really a choice we make. Creating is something that lives inside us and has to be pursued.

I know for me personally; I don’t create for any other reason than I need to and love to. It consumes most of my thoughts and without it I would feel like I wasn’t being authentic to who I am.

Most non-creatives also lean towards the “starving artist” mentality and think there is no way to make a living off of it. Which couldn’t be farther from the truth. The whole world is comprised of art. The buildings we frequent the advertising for the products we purchase, the movies we watch, the golf courses we play…are all made by creative people. And the world would be a very boring place without all of the art surrounding us, that most people take for granted.

Though finding success as an artist can be very difficult, but so is becoming a doctor or lawyer, it takes focus and discipline and a will to succeed. And even if an artist doesn’t find success, their life will be much more fulfilled by creating than by denying themselves that outlet. Take Van Gogh for example, arguably one of the best painters to ever live and the father of modern art, he only sold one painting during his lifetime. Imagine if he decided to give it up because he wasn’t able to find financial success.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://louchheimart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louchheim_art/