We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Maggie St.Thomas. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Maggie below.

Alright, Maggie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you take us back in time to the first dollar you earned as a creative – how did it happen? What’s the story?

The first dollar I ever earned was back when I was just a kid. I’d draw little pictures, then go door to door around the neighborhood, asking if anyone wanted to buy one for 50 cents. But the real first dollar I ever made was in 1989 at the Harvest Festival in Madison, Wisconsin. I was ten years old, marching with my dad for the legalization of marijuana. My dad had 50 copies of Overthrow magazine sent to him (Vol.10 No.2), and I sold them at the rally, making a dollar profit on each one. I’d hold out the centerfold—a stunning piece of artwork—to catch people’s attention. They went fast, and I still have my own copy after all these years.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My dad, who I was raised by, used to take me to concerts, and he was in a film class, capturing all the action on camera. One day, I grabbed one of his 35mm film cameras and went right up front and started taking pictures myself. At first, it was to show friends at school what I was experiencing on school nights—because it was impossible to put into words.

Not long after, I started working as a freelance photojournalist for a few magazines. This was back before computers were a thing, so I’d make xerox copies of my work and piece them together into a collage to fax to record labels and venues for photo accommodations to shows I wanted to go to. Over the years, I’ve been published in more than 300 print magazines—most of which I still have. A few I missed out on because I was still in high school and didn’t have a car to pick them up at Tower Records or wherever they were distributed, mostly in Los Angeles, and I was living in Orange County.

Though I’m mostly self-taught, I had the chance to develop my skills at Idyllwild Arts.

Life’s all about carving your own path—or finding one to follow. I wouldn’t recommend mine, I’ve even gotten lost on my own path a few times, but it’s the one I was meant to walk on. My work is just that—snapshots of moments in time, or words from my head I’ve put together. My greatest legacy is my sons, and they’re what I’m most proud of.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Absolutely—it’s the fragility of life that pushes me forward. Too often we hear people say, “I’ll get to it tomorrow.” But tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. Heck, the rest of today isn’t even promised. The only thing that truly matters is now.

Creativity is how I cope with life. It’s a complex, unpredictable force. I always say that we have a date we’re born, and a date we’re going to die. In between those dates is a little hyphen that we call life. Live the heck out of that hyphen. Do what feeds your soul.

The greatest sin and curse is wanting to do something with your life but just letting the time slip by until it’s nothing more than something you said you wanted to do. I refuse to let that be my story.

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

Understanding someone else’s journey will always be a challenge because perspective shapes everything. It’s not about being right or wrong; it’s about how we see the world and the experiences we’ve had and how we were raised. Life is full of people, ideas, theories, and what we call “art” or “creativity,” though those terms mean so many different things. I believe everyone is an artist in their own way, even if they don’t fit the typical mold of what we think of as artistic. My journey is mine alone, and I don’t feel the need to explain it. Like art, that would miss the point. Some things can be explained a thousand times, and they still won’t make sense to others. Live your life as an exclamation, not an explanation!

Language itself is an art, and like any art, it’s often misunderstood. I’ve struggled with communication and relationships, which is why I pour my heart and my soul into my work. Whether people understand it or not doesn’t change my journey—it’s mine to own. Creating, expressing, and repeating is what keeps me moving forward, not the need for validation. I will always be creating, regardless.

I’m thankful to still be here, doing what I love. I may not make a fortune, but I truly love my life and my work. Too often, artists aren’t recognized until they’re gone. So, being here, creating and sharing, is a gift I never take for granted.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jerkofalltrades.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maggiestthomasphotos/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaggieStThomas/

Image Credits

Photos courtesy Maggie St.Thomas Photography LLC