We were lucky to catch up with Kirby Israelson-Villagomez recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kirby, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

As a creative, there are always forever projects that stay close to your heart. Throughout my career, I have created art in memory of lost loved ones, celebrating family history, exalting in joy of the future… Each piece sticks with you and helps you grow as an artist and a person. That is one of the wonderful things about art, its ability to live long past the final brush stroke.

But my newest project—Collect Pickups —is perhaps the most meaningful for a single reason: my newborn son.

One of my artistic quirks is that whenever I find something to be aesthetically beautiful, I feel a strong desire to draw it. After my son was born, it was the first time I felt the urge to create something for someone beyond a piece of art, I wanted to create a legacy.

Collect Pickups is a small creative shop that turns fandom into fine art, with gamer gear and nerdy nostalgia. It was co-founded with my partner, a fellow creative and owner of Tactical As F Clothing, as a way to share our passions with our child. We both remember growing up in an era where being labeled a “nerd” was a Scarlet Letter, and often spent time hiding our interests for fear of judgment and unrelenting teasing. We quickly realized that this was a feeling we never wanted our son to have, and one of the best ways to combat that would be to foster an environment where everyone feels free to pursue their passions, regardless of societal norms.

Society is on the path to recognizing the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion. By starting Collect Pickups we aim to be active contributors to this positive change. We want our son to see that we are not just passive observers but are actively trying to make the world a happier, more accepting place. But we don’t want this to only benefit our progeny. Collect Pickups is not just a meaningful project, it’s a community. A space where everyone can celebrate their interests without fear of judgment.

This endeavor is just starting, so while it may look small today, we will only get bigger from here (just like our little one). We are creating art that celebrates joy and building something that we can look back on with pride—knowing that we made a positive impact in our effort to build a world that is accepting, jubilant, and unabashedly nerdy.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

I am a forever artist.

Even as a child, I spent the majority of my free time consumed by creative pursuits. I re-painted my dollhouses with nail polish, wrote short stories about my toys Gumby and Pokey, and created hand-drawn advertisements telling people to “Come to the Cherry Festival.” I even published Kirby’s Safty [sic] Book with illustrated instructions on how to avoid dangerous behavior, such as getting lost in the woods or swimming in the deep end.

My kindergarten biography states that when I grow up “I want to be an artist” (and that I’m really very good at drawing and hugging). So while it was no surprise to anyone that I have continued an artistic career, it is surprising how many twists and turns the path has taken.

From creating and selling fine art, to becoming a graphic designer, to supporting software companies with UI/UX design. From updating professional PowerPoint presentations, to self-publishing novels, comics, and coloring books, to painting murals with schoolchildren. All the way to starting multiple small businesses. The list is endless and growing.

The inside joke is that my true talent is in making things pretty, and while that seems incredibly vague, it is perfectly accurate.

The best lesson I’ve learned in my artistic endeavors is that art is whatever you want it to be. Being creative isn’t just putting paint to canvas, it can be anything that makes the world a more beautiful place. Designing a gorgeous centerpiece, formatting a well-crafted email, even putting a smile on someone’s face. Everything is art as long as you know how to look.

Because of that, my artistic interests are both varied and wide, and my customers have come to expect only one thing from me—beauty. We don’t always know what it will be made of or what it is going to be, but we know it will be beautiful.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Collaboration. People talk about it, yes, but there is something about being a solo artist that makes you feel like you need to do everything on your own.

I was once told by a professor that to be a successful artist you had to be intrinsically arrogant and self-centered. After all, no one is going to buy art from someone who doesn’t honestly think they, and their art, are the best. While that is partially true (albeit a little extreme), it doesn’t mean you need to do it alone.

Every time I have discussed my art with others, brainstormed creative concepts in a group, bounced ideas off passersby… Each and every time I have come out of it for the better. I thrive on people challenging my perspective and environments of mutual learning. The diversity and shared resources, not to mention the creative and emotional support, have always led to a fusion of ideas that would not have been possible on my own.

I once wrote a blog post about being a forever student, aching to learn more and grow more, and finally breaking the (personal) stigma of acting alone has pushed me farther and faster than anything else in my career. For those still wary of taking the leap, whether it’s out of fear of judgment, inadequacy, or copyright infringement, I highly encourage you to use your network and collaborate.

Surround yourself with people who inspire you to be a better person and a better artist, and before you know it, you will be.

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

The value of art is often unquantifiable. Unless it’s a da Vinci sold for over $400 million, non-creatives often struggle to understand the value art truly has. I’ve often been hounded by questions about why I am wasting my time, what I’m getting out of my artistic pursuits, and when am I going to focus on a real job*. Luckily, I was raised in a family that wholeheartedly supported my artistic ambitions, but that doesn’t mean everyone along the way was an ally.

Art has given me so many things throughout my life. When I was struggling, it gave me an outlet, when I am happy, it helps me memorialize it. It is an avenue to de-stress and a source of great satisfaction. Creating helps me scratch an itch that nothing else can reach, and outside of my child, nothing has ever made me feel prouder (although technically, he too is one of my creations!).

For the non-creatives out there, even if art is not to your taste or you don’t fully understand its purpose, please try to understand that every artist is simply doing what their heart tells them to do—and every harsh critique or unfair censure may be more harmful than you realize.

For my fellow creatives, no matter what someone else might say or do, at the end of the day remember that your art is for you. Be proud.

*Full disclosure, I do have a “real job” at an IT company that I also find incredibly valuable. They saw my worth as a creative and brought me on as Brand Manager now turned Sales Executive. I never would have received this opportunity had it not been for my artistic pursuits because my first introduction to the company was helping them with graphic design and face painter services. You never know what opportunities might present themselves when you follow your art.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://collectpickups.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/collectpickups/
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/kirby-israelson-949b9458
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirbyrockssocks/
• Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CollectPickups
• https://www.etsy.com/shop/JustKirby
• https://www.etsy.com/shop/TacticalAsF
• Painting La Familia (Project Highlight): http://justkirby.me/la-familia

Image Credits
Angela Clouse Photography