Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Pen Wallace. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Pen, looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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 very first dollar I can remember earning from my craft was back in 2018. I got commissioned to make a logo for a coworker’s friend. It didn’t go well to say the least, but I learned a lot from the experience for sure. I was upset because I had offered what was asked of me. They were not pleased, and I took it on the chin. The individual made my coworker pay me instead rather than even face me. What I was paid wasn’t even what we agreed on and I got less than half. But it was a great lesson for me I’ll never forget.
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.
Well one thing I want people to know about me and my work is that I put all and every ounce of my heart and soul into what I draw every single time. What I create fulfills me and drives me to keep going forward. The types of services I’ve provided before are “character designed” based works, so anyone with a project needing such a skill can always turn my way. I usually draw about 5 days a week with break days being “Thursday” and “Sunday”. Although recently some projects I’ve been working on for myself have made me abandon my break days in favor of better deadline results I’m searching for.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
A good friend of mine named, Anthony who is my editor and assistant for my comic were discussing this the other day. He’s a Chicago based Composer skilled in 5 instruments. But we were discussing that we can’t really talk about our goals or mindset of “sacrifice of stability” for the sake of our goals and preferred future with most people. Right now, I still work a day job alongside doing commissioned work for people and some days I’m so tired that caffeine can’t keep me up. Another friend told me to take naps after work, but often times I tell myself in a rude tone to get up and get to my desk. Sometimes I even say that I haven’t earned the right to rest just yet and force myself to work. I think that comes from “Hustle” or “Grind” culture where the pursuit of something “not the norm” makes you feel as if every second not doing what can to put yourself further is wasted time. Creatives don’t have job security like non-creatives. Or rather, they don’t have to hunt as hard as we do for work. Like a 3-legged dog vs. one with all of its limbs.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Aside from what I do every day in pursuit of my goal of total creative freedom, I say the first that always comes to mind is my freshman year of college at SCSU. To make a long story short, I was a walk on student to the band program who didn’t have a scholarship. I was kicked off of my main instrument because I wasn’t cutting it in the first day against other guy’s who were better than me. To give more of an example I was 1 of many fighting for 2 open spots that were spoken for due to scholarship. The “math wasn’t mathing.” So, switching drums I had to fight for a spot on the bass drum line that had a few open spots. In the end during those 2 weeks of “crab camp” I took an upperclassmen’s spot and had the 2nd highest score of anyone on the bass drum line once cuts came. At the time music was my everything and that’s all I went to college for honestly. So, when I think back to that time and think about my endeavors now it reminds me, I can do anything if I push myself and will it.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: PenWallace7
- Other: Email: [email protected]
Image Credits
All Artworks drawn by, Pen Wallace