We recently connected with Kevin Bongang and have shared our conversation below.

Kevin, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I’ve always had a passion and interest in art and drawing, my cousin really helped me in my younger years with sketching and drawing my favorite cartoons and comics. I knew in middle school that I wanted to have a career in art. I attended Savannah Arts Academy High School before attending SCAD where I acquired my B.A. and M.F.A. in Illustration. High School was great, there were some fantastic teachers (Napoleon Wilkerson, Steve Schetski, and Carrie Chapman) who were also artists that really helped me refine fundamentals and techniques. College was enjoyable but very different, it really helped me in the areas that needed attention such as discipline and focus. I believe in timing in my journey and I wouldn’t have done anything different to speed up my learning process. There were necessary lessons and skills I needed to learn that are acquired over time. Staying consistent at learning and adapting was key!

Kevin, 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’m from Cameroon, West Africa. I arrived in the U.S. when I was 11 and lived in South Carolina before moving to Savannah, Georgia. I’ve always had a passion for art, even before I recognized it as my gift. My parents have always been supportive and they acknowledged my love of art at an early age, going so far as to letting me draw on our walls. As early as middle school I realized it was a true passion of mine and made my mind to take it as far as possible by studying the greats like Basquiat, Haring, Picasso, Kandinsky and Dali to name a few. Later on, I attended Savannah Arts Academy High School where I really began to focus on my craft and actualize it as a great career path. I knew I needed more time to develop my style and learn techniques so I later attended SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) and acquired my B.A. and M.F.A. in Illustration. Throughout the process I explored and discovered mural art and fell in love. I create art digitally, on canvas, on walls and on nontraditional surfaces such as playgrounds and shoes. After completing my undergraduate and graduate degrees I began pursuing mural work. After building my portfolio and refining my style, I became sought after by private and commercial clients alike. I meet my clients’ design needs in a process that allows me to share in their vision. The client usually has a look or message they want. I then study their brand and add my style to create something complimentary to tell their story. These days you can find me painting murals, creating graphics and illustrations for commercial brands and engaging in my local community and communities all over that I love. I work to put smiles on people’s faces, brighten children’s days, and send simple but powerful messages in the name of peace, encouragement, and positivity. I operate my art business with my wife and best friend, Britney, who also serves as my art representative, paint assistant and project manager. I am most proud of the fact that I am able to make a living creating art.

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

The most rewarding aspect of being a full-time artist is being able to set my own schedule and travel all over sharing my art in different communities. Inspiring others (especially the youth) to create is also very rewarding, showing them they too can be a full time creative when they grow up!

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Before becoming a full-time artist I was a regional graphic designer at a fortune 500 company. After several years of working with them, the company laid off thousands of employees after a corporate merge and pushed me into position to decide to pursue more corporate work or pursue my art business full-time. I was devastated and scared but I took a leap of faith, pivoted and chose my art. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. My business began to grow exponentially as I dedicated more time to my craft and prioritized my art career. As a result of my increased demand, I was able to employ my wife full-time to manage our brand and business. I’ve always been a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, trust the process!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bongang.com
• Instagram: @bongangart
• Facebook: @bongangshop

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