We recently connected with Mark West and have shared our conversation below.

Mark, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

Over the years, my attitude towards learning has grown and evolved. I started as a student of the arts, and then I became a teacher of the arts, mentoring and teaching college-level arts and design students in a range of different types of colleges in the Pacific Northwest. I learned by being taught, I continued to learn by teaching, and perhaps most importantly—I learned by DOING, by trying things and by taking risks.

I have undoubtedly come to believe that learning needs to come in it’s own time, and insights can “magically” appear almost everywhere: In the shower, in the car, on a run, in your sleep… And it goes on. By letting go and “letting things be,” you will strangely enough help your learning process improve—but the goal should never be to make it happen faster. We all have a journey, and we should relish the process.

For me, being an artist is only partially expressing myself in materials like paper, paint, technology, etc. It is essential to be a “whole person,” that extracts the needs and desires of clients by listening just as much as you speak. Asking the right questions is critical, but so is listening—and listening for those in-between moments so that you really start to get at the needs of anyone coming to you for your skills, talents and experience.

I have undoubtedly been one of my biggest obstacles to my success over the years. We can all be our own worst critics, and I have repeatedly shut myself down over the years. Learning from failure as much as success, and continuing to make efforts to be a better person every day is very important.

I think this approach, paired with an openness to learn new things—adopting a growth mindset—will take you a long way. You will never know everything, so stretching, learning and taking risks are a big part of life.

But above it all: BE YOURSELF. Genuine expression of yourself is more important than catering to trends or culture. Being intentional and honest with yourself during the process of catering to the needs of clients is truly exhilarating.

Mark, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am most proud of feeling like I embody a true consultative approach that “meets the client where they are,” but then continue to elevate them to their next level. Of course satisfy the needs of the client, but how can I amplify the value I can bring to them, as well as amplify their business?

Something got me started in art a long time ago. I started drawing people in fourth grade and have never looked back since. Since then, I have worked my way into a variety of creative areas that give me a unique perspective. Whether it’s drawing, painting, graphic design, creating sounds/music in the studio or simply providing recommendations of things like brand strategy, I want my sense of service to come through. A big part of my purpose, is gently lodged in service. To help others achieve their goals is paramount to my success. I have been proud to see that manifest in so many ways over the years., and when I was able to “give back” and mentor college students on their portfolios, it really changed me.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I started in social media years ago. On Instagram, I never really intended it to be anything but an outlet for something new visually. At that time in my life, I honestly felt like I was a HORRIBLE photographer. Social media became a platform for me to not only share my work—but to practice and get better. And based on engagement over the years, I would say I have. And looking at posts from ten years ago(!) I would tend to agree.

Similar to previous comments I have made here, I would say the best advice I can give is to pursue your creative passions because of just that—the passion. It’s less about the trends and making others happy. While you may have clients that need to be “happy,” you also need to have a sense of fulfillment, satisfaction, and integrity. You do you, with no apologies.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

While I have always been involved in “design-related” endeavors, about 15 years ago, after years of graphic design and teaching graphic design, I realized I needed to leave the stability of those endeavors to try something new. I became involved in corporate training development because it involved all my current skills in new ways, and stretched me in new ways. It relieved the burnout I was feeling—or maybe it was the thirst for new experiences.

It was a tough transition at first. I had NO plan and it was based on faith. I knew I was in a transition time, after just having finished a grad school program. I had to figure out a lot of things, and was only making sporadic income for the first year or two. People were telling me to go back. To teach that is. But it didn’t feel right and I kept going.

Today, I focus on several things: graphic design for a wonderful non-profit, project-based art and design for clients, and the exploration of music production for publishing. It has been a joyous journey, and the challenges along the way are part of what have made it great!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.markwestart.com
• Instagram: @mark_west_art @mark_west_creative
• Facebook: Mark West Art
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/markwestdesignpro