We recently connected with Laelius Smith and have shared our conversation below.
Laelius, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
Everything I have learned as an artist has come from exploring the world with an earnest curiosity. In some ways this may sound vague or nebulous, but the majority of what I have learned has come organically, and from trying to understand how things work, and why. Music has always been one of my greatest passions, and my education in it started at an early age, from playing with instruments casually on my own, to learning music in school, to then joining my school’s orchestra and band. From then on, I would spend a lot of free-time singing or teaching myself songs on an old Yamaha keyboard my mom had lying around. At 14, I would pick up guitar, and I had a few one-on-one lessons with a teacher, picking up the basics, but after my mentor wasn’t able to continue lessons due to events in his personal life, I kept learning on my own. I would obsessively write songs and practice, and dreamed of being a front-man in a band. In high school, I did end up forming a band, though it didn’t last in the long-term, and continued making music on my own. Aside from wanting to be a front-man, I also wanted to remain independent from record labels, and cultivate success without having to bend my artistic integrity to the will of corporations. The desire for independence, and being a solo musician again, also meant I would need to understand the other aspects of my craft, like sound production, making cover art, or shooting music videos.
These other areas of the industry, and my insatiable thirst to learn and try new mediums, lead me to taking a photography class my Junior or Senior year of high school. This class was my first real exposure to not only the technical aspects of photography, but design as well; though it wouldn’t be until college that I realized my passion for design, or that I had already been designing casually for years before formally learning about it. These classes in school or from teachers taught me a great deal, and I don’t want to downplay their significance, but most of what I have learned for any medium I’ve picked up, has come from spending endless amounts of time learning on my own. Whether it be combing through artist interviews to learn what they do or how they got to where they are, videos online that cover technical skills, reading or listening to book after book, or simply doing the art itself and learning through my mistakes and successes.
The knowledge is out there, and as long as you seek it, you will find what you’re looking for and so much more. If there was anything I could tell myself looking back, it’s that consistency is key, and perfectionism is the enemy of progress. I suffered from a lot of mental health issues growing up, and there were many points in my journey where I was too depressed or discouraged by my perceived lack of progress that I would often stop practicing for months at a time or would barely touch my art, and that will always be my greatest mistake. No matter how little it seems you are learning or growing as an artist, you should never stop doing what you love. In the end, you only hurt yourself, and at times I have wondered how much further I would be now if I hadn’t had all those gaps in my learning or worried so much about not being good enough yet. Not that it matters now, you can only move forward and strive to do better, but the thought has crossed my mind. No matter what one is doing, remaining open to learning and growing, and being receptive to the world around you, are essential to being successful. Being compassionate, patient, curious, and willing to change and adapt, will carry you further than anything else. These traits cannot necessarily be taught, but they can be learned, and they will be the bedrock of every interaction, every experimentation or exploration, and the foundation for all that which will be absorbed from the world and put into your craft.
Laelius, 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?
Currently, I am 25 years old, but I have been making music since I was 14, and started shooting photos and designing at 17. At the core of all my work, is a dedication to improving. Not just the art itself or work I produce, but the communities I inhabit and the world around me. Art in any form is transformative, and influences the way we approach and interact with the world. I try to always keep this in mind, especially when it comes to design. I love using symbolism and taking established stories, mythology, or commonly held associations to communicate new meanings and messages. I have always been obsessed with details and picking apart why something was done in a project, and this often extends into everything I do. From designing album art, posters, or merchandise, to how I shoot and edit photos (or approach staging for photoshoots), to the visuals and world-building in my music. Aside from approaching my work with attentiveness and consideration, I also strive to make sure clients feel heard, seen, and welcome. Nothing is worse than trying to work with someone that makes you feel misunderstood, frustrated, or overlooked. It’s important to me that my clients feel comfortable voicing their opinion or coming to me with their ideas or making changes to a project. I think what sets me apart from others in my industry is not only this focus on inclusion, but the way in which I approach problem-solving and issues. Because I am so passionate about multiple mediums, and continually push myself to learn more, the way I think about my work is ever-expanding and approached from perspectives that others do not often consider. Even the things I learn outside of my art are incorporated and pulled into it, in a way that I do not usually encounter in my peers. For me, everything is connected and influencing one another, leading me to put as much effort and care possible into all that I do.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding part, aside from finally seeing a vision come to life, is the growth that happens along the way. I love the process of making art, learning something new, solving the problems that arise, and being able to look back at that progress, and seeing the growth and evolution of the work. Even when starting in a medium and everything you do seems to turn out poorly or go wrong, being able to finish something, and know that you created it yourself from start to finish, is its own reward. Nothing can replace that feeling of hard-earned accomplishment and pride. Especially once you do start to improve and become more satisfied with your output.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
Aside from my love for the arts, I am driven by a deep desire to make a positive impact and hopefully leave a long lasting legacy because of it (even if on a small scale). Ideally, this impact would be far and wide, and I will be able to help influence the industries I’m in for the better, especially surrounding issues of environmentalism, equity and social justice, and anti-consumerism (and anti-capitalism). There is no room in humanity’s future for bigotry, ignorance, or a disregard for life, not if we want to survive, and thrive. The realms of art and music, like any other industries that have been influenced by systemic powers, suffer from issues that need addressing. Displays of exploiting minorities (whether they’re not white, not cis, not straight, not a man, or not able-bodied), over-producing products, or contributing to processes that actively destroy our planet, harm animals, and other living beings. Even apathy towards these issues, and not actively challenging these oppressive systems is an issue. Neutrality can be just as dangerous as making active contributions, because upholding the current systems and status quo aids it, intentionally or not. If I am able to make a difference in any way through my work, whether it be through direct action and mutual aid, or reaching people, changing their minds, or getting them to interrogate themselves, their beliefs, and the world around them, then it is worth the effort to try.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @antichrist_archive @thearchive_extended @skrrttohell
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@skrrttohell
Image Credits
Laelius Lucifer Smith