We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lee Krauss a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Lee, 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?
I couldn’t be happier living the lifestyle as an artist. It has its ups and downs for sure. Some of the positives of making art and selling it, is seeing the joy it brings to people that have received a piece of my work. I also love the process of making the it and getting my hands dirty and the problem solving. I love being out and stumbling across a piece of my work that I haven’t seen in years. Some of the negatives about producing art are the money, it tends to come in waves so I really need to budget well after getting paid. I’m also not a fan of creating someone else’s idea. I do think about what it’s like to have a regular job and I have had a few and hated them. I got an associates degree in architecture many years ago and worked for a company for about 2 years and went into a pretty big depression, I gained about 60 pounds and had zero motivation to do anything. I quit that job went back to bartending and started making and selling art. I just don’t think I have the mentality to sit in a cubical at a computer for any amount of time haha just sitting at my computer now is making me a little cray cray so back to the studio.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’ve always been an artist ever since I was a kid I always created something. I grew up around my mom and grandparents and my grandfather was a creative type and made furniture or little yard sculptures he even made a bowling ball. I loved watching his process of creating and making stuff. My uncle was an artist as well and he made all kinds of stuff, he even made the machines that he needed to make other stuff. Both men had day jobs and made their craft as a weekend hobby, I always thought I want to do the hobby not the job. Fast forward many years, many mistakes and lots of learning, and I finally started earning a little money from my art. I love doing woodworking, that is probably my favorite medium to do but I do paint and draw as well as a little writing. As far as how I got into creating stuff for money is pretty simple, friends and family saw my work and said you should sell your stuff. Most of my work is done for bourbon distilleries, I make tasting flight boards, coasters, cutting boards, and wood magnets. I also turn bowls on a lathe and my girlfriend and I are working on a children’s book as I type this out so I should probably get back on that.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
So many ways that someone can support an artist, first and foremost buy some of their work. Recommend to someone else to buy their work. Follow them on social media and promote their work by sharing a post or just talking about their work in a post.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The people, I love talking to people about art and how important it is in life. I love seeing the joy on someone’s face when they have a piece that speaks to them. I love the process of making art from start of planning and prepping then the act of physically building a piece and the feeling of completing the creation. I even accept the lows of being an artist when you are not selling work it just makes me stand back and think and problem solve a situation. Bottom line I love being an artist and can’t imagine myself as anything else.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://the-wooden-robot.com
- Instagram: The_woodenrobot
- Facebook: Lee Krauss
