Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Paul Manning. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Paul, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

Since a child I was always enamored with visual art. My grad father was a notable local Baltimore jazz musician. His instrument was the stand-up bass.

My grand mother was a budding actress who frequented the esteemed Arena Players acing guild and playhouse.

My childhood was immersed in music and creativity. My grandfather was my role model; I’ve always had aspirations of embodying his personality and style.

Honestly art was always accessible and a major part of my adolescent activities. Despite this; I hadn’t considered art as a professional trajectory until late high school.

My initial plan was to pursue math in some fashion (professionally) but I was encouraged by my mother to at least apply to a few art colleges. To my surprise I was accepted into all four institutes. My decision to attend MICA in Baltimore was; partially due to my strong connection to family but majorly inspired by my inherent urge to teach and mentor

Paul, 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 a multi-disciplinary artist that is proficient in wet (painting, markers, pen and ink), dry (graphite, charcoal, colored pencil) and digital (graphic design, digital illustration, branding) media.

I’ve owned and operated a successful caricature and face/body painting business for years. P2Z Artistry &Supplier LLC is my business; which provides a litany of creative services.

I’m a muralist, graphic designer, illustrator, fine artist, body/face painter and writer than in centered in all things art related.

I’ve collaborated with brands such as: State Farm, Washington Nationals, Baltimore Orioles, Sprint, No Kid Hugry LLC just to name a few

We’d love to hear your thoughts on NFTs. (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

NFTs is a very intriguing new creative avenue. Given that NFTS can be not only be static images; yet also animations, videos, audio files and even smart contracts; their overall versatility is vast. They also can be used as a receipt or validation of authenticity; so inherently it’s value to artists alike is immeasurable.

They allow artists to control the rarity of their work and effectively dictate how royalties are allocated. The art realm has seen nothing like it before.

Their existence can eliminate many of the middlemen that artists typically encounter as the develop their creative footprint (galleries or agents) which furthermore allows them to reap more of the financial returns from their work.

Major brands have realized the inherent value of NFTs and have pivoted to position themselves ahead of the curve. Facebook has created the META brand; which will pioneer a digital world centric to social media and gaming.

Their aspirations are to attract artists to create content. I’m time we shall see a progression of such technology and more intuitive utilization of NFT technology

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

In Baltimore, I’ve truthfully had to stay very resilient as a visual artist. As the art scene is concerned; I’ve donated my services quite often. Typically without much notoriety and usually for budding organizations with minimal funding.

Ultimately my obligation has always been to use my art as a tool for inspiration. That dedication supersedes mere financial aspirations.

Staying relevant and visible creatively; shall always be an artist ‘s burden.

I’m appreciative for what I’ve learned by approaching my career in this manner. Despite the fact that I lack the level of mainstream notoriety as many Baltimore artists; my work is prevalent all over the city.

Knowing how to find resources and how to effectively preface oneself as a ideal candidate; was an obstacle (in the infancy of my professional career).

I transitioned into the marketing realm (part-time) a few years back and realized that to elevate my brand I needed to step beyond my professional scope and expand my network.

Today my work is in higher demand and the commissioned projects are bigger and more esteemed. In short staying resilient professionally; involved withstanding the lull periods with passion and patience.

Also my elevation was catalyzed by cultivating my skills further and diversifying my outlets for work during dry spells

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.p2z-artistry.com
• Instagram: @p2z-artistry
• Facebook: @blaaqdood
• Twitter: @PaulManning

Image Credits
Paul Manning