We were lucky to catch up with Kelci Crawford recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kelci thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

The timing of this question could not be more perfect. For the last few months, I worked full-time at an office at a “regular job” due to tight financial circumstances. While it had been sort of nice to have steady paydays, it was not worth the crappy HR department, the manager, the coworkers, or the work itself. There were also no protections for discrimination against LGBTQ+ people, so I had to pretend to be straight while working there. After my financial obligations were handled, and saving back just over 6 months of emergency funds, I felt no loyalty to stay at the office. So I turned in my notice. My last day there is coming up in the next week.

Before working that job, I was working in the studio full-time. Now I’m looking to return to the studio. And I could NOT be happier about that prospect.

I’m approaching this second wind with a stronger business plan. Before, I was just bouncing from festival to festival, gig to gig. It worked at the time, but not very well. This time, I have a more solid plan to grow my creative business and make a living from it. It might sound like extra work, but I like engaging multiple parts of my brain: the creative side, the analytical, the organizational, the intellectual – all of it.

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

My creative career began when I drew caricatures at Cedar Point. After a few summers there, and then taking a year to build my portfolio, I jumped into the comics world by creating and publishing webcomics. For the first 8 or so years, I did have to work at day jobs to supplement my income, as well as live with family so I wouldn’t be overcharged for rent or utilities. I kept on making comics, and eventually even worked as Chief Creative Officer at a start-up company based in Cleveland, OH. After a while, I returned to my studio, and am now at the point, financially and logistically, where I can work full-time as a creative.

For years, I made comics – and I still make comics. There have been occasions where I would draw caricatures at parties for entertainment. I also drew commissions for customers, for weddings, other comics projects, and even for other start-ups.

I attribute my success to a few things: I draw fast (thanks to my background as a caricature artist, where you have to draw fast). I embrace my genderqueer identity and my LGBTQ+ clients in a field that usually rewards wealthy, straight, white men. And I put pride in my work. I show my work and say, “Yeah, it looks great!” I don’t apologize for my work or try to write off praise as, “Oh well this was just an accident.” I love my work, and I want people to know I love my work.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

“Business for Punks” by James Watt. Hands down.

I get it, most business books are boring, and in my opinion, most don’t have useful advice. “Business for Punks” actually inspired me to get into the traditionally boring parts of business, like creating business plans, knowing when to hire people, and all that. All while being absolutely punk about it. It helps that it’s written by a punk who started BrewDog, the beer brewing company.

Alright – so here’s a fun one. What do you think about NFTs?

Absolutely not. Never.

If you haven’t seen Dan Olson’s video essay about NFTs, I recommend you get a sandwich and watch that for the full scope of why I’m so against them. He tackles every issue that NFTs have, from the poor quality of the art to the open abuse of creatives to how the tech makes for all new vectors of harassment that you cannot protect yourself from. All with digital “currencies” whose values can fluctuate 800% in less than 4 hours.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kelcidcrawford.com
• Instagram: kelcidcomics
• Twitter: kelcidcrawford
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KelciD

Image Credits
All art is Copyright 2023 by Fantasyville Productions, LLC