We were lucky to catch up with Max Arrington recently and have shared our conversation below.

Max, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Learning the craft was something I started from some of my earliest memories. Back before I knew anything on color theory, value, or composition, and was just a carefree kid, I’d choose to sit down and with my crayons and paper to draw. The hunger to get better and improve was always there. I’d watch educational art shows aimed for younger ages and have a blast laying out my robots and dinosaurs. Once I was old enough to start school, I didn’t let that stop me. One of the classes I found myself most excited for was Art, and often found myself choosing to draw instead of pay attention in the other classes (which I don’t recommend, haha). It was hard to miss the opportunity to study people, lighting, and various expressions of emotion for multiple hours a day. To me, this was, and still is, the most essential aspect of learning how to do art. Using the mediums to transfer it from your mind to reality will easily come with a bit of practice if your eye is trained to pick out what you need.

Max, 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?

My name is Maximilianus, but I often go by Max as those around me shorten it to that, which is how I came up with my brand’s name: Arts By Max. I consider myself a fairly simple person, and wanted the business name to reflect that.

I knew from some of my earliest memories in life I wanted my life’s pursuit to be artistic in some way, and started aiming for that from that point on. More than anything else I could do or achieve, I felt the most fulfillment from providing a visual for others to enjoy, knowing I was sharing a piece of my mind that could invoke a feeling for myself and the viewer. I often boxed myself in then, believing I had to pursue a specific line of art instead of realizing I was defeating the purpose of artistic freedom. As I realized this, I opened myself to the idea of just being a general artist and decided to buckle down with making it a full time career around 2017. I learned not only traditional mediums, but also digital, to expand my opportunities.

In my career I’ve done portraits, business logos, comic strips, and cards. I’ve also practiced multiple styles, methods, and surfaces to create on. Though I used to see it as a weakness of mine, I now cherish the fact that instead of taking a traditional approach of going to art school (which I still absolutely encourage if you have the opportunity), I chose to take my lifetime as a general lesson in art; experimenting in every corner of it that I can, learning new techniques to achieve the desired effect, and always keeping my creative eye aware. I feel it’s given me something of a unique advantage to be equipped for the look or style of art a potential client may approach me with. There’s always one thing I want clients to feel when they interact with me and it’s that they’re more than a dollar. Without their ideas and thoughts, I would never have the basis to use my skills to provide what they want and create something special together that will last for many years.

If there’s one thing I’m most proud of, it’s certainly the genuine connections/people I’ve met on this journey and the achievements I’ve accomplished being based entirely on the internet. Coming from a very small, rural town meant hardly any local exposure or much opportunity for a path like this. However, through the ups and downs of that, I chose to still keep my eye on prize and pursue what I feel I’m meant for. I encourage anyone in a similar situation to never give up on their creative endeavors even when it feels like the circumstances just aren’t lining up for it.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

From the beginning of time, as evidence has shown us, creativity is a core aspect of every life form. There’s hardly anyone who lacks the desire to create and consume creation, and we should nurture that to live fulfilling lives. As people are pushed more to work to survive, we grow further away from our roots. While I understand an overhaul isn’t feasible right now, humans should be allowed to create and be shown appreciation for sharing it, away from their busy lives. While there are many advances in technology now, there will always be the unique charm of seeing something made from a human mind; flaws and all. From the moment an interest is shown in creating, it should be encouraged and supported not up until a “working age”, but also given time to let it thrive through adulthood.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

This lesson is a tough one, and one I still have to remind myself of at the start of every project. That lesson is ALWAYS create what you want to put out. That sounds simple enough, but crossing into the line of business with it, you learn otherwise. It’s easy to have a clear vision that quickly gets muddled or entirely put away based on what you think your followers/customers will want to see or buy. I have to remind myself that they didn’t follow me based on any preconceived notions about what they would see me draw, but instead what I had already put out. Art is a part of the harmonious energy that flows through us all, and if your work isn’t true to that creative flow in you, others will feel it when seeing it.

Contact Info:

• Website: Etsy.com/shop/ArtsByMax
• Instagram: Instagram.com/arts_by_max
• Youtube: YouTube.com/@artsbymax