We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Joshua J. Dean a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Joshua, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

Honestly, I’m not sure if an artist can ever truly be happy outside of their element, that place or mindset where we create. In saying that, living as a professional artist isn’t for the faint of heart. It can be rough, inconsistent and sometimes even heart breaking. I remember specifically this time, years ago. I was in Houston, capturing images in the Theater District. It was early morning and at the time, I was in a season of uncertainty in my career. I remember watching the rat race of the people hustling and bustling to work and honestly no one looked happy. Everyone seemed rushed, anxious and completely unaware of the people around them. It seemed as if, even though they knew where they were headed, no one wanted to be where they were. I remember sitting in this particular moment taking it all in, really contemplating my future plans as an artist. It was in that moment I realized that no matter what you do, whether you have a “regular job” or you’ve decided to live life as an artist and gamble on yourself, there’s gonna be moments of stress, doubt and uncertainty. You simply can’t avoid that. So why not spend your time doing exactly what you love to do.
It was with this thought in mind, I decided to immerses myself in my creative element and take control of one of the few things we can in life, our happiness.
Has it always been easy? Absolutely not but, I can truthfully say that since then, I’ve always been happy to be where I am. I couldn’t be happier with my decision.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I left the corporate world of sales/marketing to chase this dream full time ( just before the Covid pandemic, great timing, right? ) My career in marketing, never really satisfied my artistic itch. Because of that, I would regularly sneak my camera into the office and on my lunch breaks id go down to the streets and photograph everything I could.
Before I knew it, the images I was capturing became all I could think about. I was entranced by the notion of telling stories and eliciting emotions with them.
it completely consumed me. I spent every free moment studying the works of the greats like Ansel Adam’s, Bruce Gildan and Elliott Erwitt.
I fell in love with the idea of street photography and had to become a part of it. In my process to develop my own style, it became clear to me what was missing in most modern street photography, The human element. I wanted to set out and capture it.
Since then I’ve had the great fortune to work in some amazing places with even greater people.
I’m really excited and looking forward to this year playing out. I have my first book releasing, where I will present a collection of images I’ve captured throughout my favorite city, Houston.
I’ll also be releasing several limited edition “zines” covering various locations, situations and events from Mardi Gras to Eeyore’s Birthday Festival in Austin, Tx.
All of which, will all be available on my website. When chasing your dreams no matter what they may be, There is pride to be found in that pursuit. Wether it be pride in the bravery to take that
first step into uncertainty or pride in the tenacity to push Forward when it seems the odds are stacked against you.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

The best way society can support its artists and the art community, is by purchasing their work or commissioning a local artist. However, it’s not the only way. Attending local exhibition openings and galleries are great ways to support the art community and local artists. its also a great way to experience something different, as often multiple artists works will be displayed at the same time. In certain situations you could even receive a unique perspective on the works, by hearing from the artist in person. Another great way to support the art community is to get involved. There are countless programs dedicated to the Arts. The majority of which are ran solely off of donations. It’s up to society to make sure these programs stay available to the community. Of course, showing support doesn’t always mean financially, locate your local arts charity or organization and volunteer your time by promoting the arts in your area.

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

There’s so many rewarding aspects to being an artist. To start with, the opportunity to express myself through my work is invaluable to me. It truly is a priority in my life. Being able to travel and still create art is another incredible aspect of being an artist. Which I think has really grabbed ahold of me in recent years. Having said that, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist, is the relationships you form. I feel overwhelmingly blessed to have met so many amazing people throughout my career. Various artist across every genre, gallery owners and print houses. From fellow photographers that give knowledge, direction and encouragement. To colleagues and strangers that have become dear friends.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://joshuajdean.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshua_j_dean/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshuajdean/