We were lucky to catch up with Pierce St. Rose recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Pierce, thanks for joining us today. Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?

The first sale I ever made as a visual artist occurred on Etsy. A small abstract piece I made based on the song “Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst” by Kendrick Lamar. The buyer left a lengthy review detailing how much the song means to them and how the painting represents all those emotions so vividly. It was an incredible first experience having a total stranger be so affected by a piece of mine,

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’ve had a very haphazard road to visual arts. In high school, I followed Bob Ross but didn’t even possess the patience for his simple and clear process. After years of off-and-on painting, I stumbled into abstract and found it an incredible outlet for my emotions. Still, consistency and motivation were an issue for me, community was the solution.
Now I share those emotions with others. Community is what I think of first with my art, supporting others and the support I receive from my friends and other artists is what keeps me going. Large-scale collaboration, encouragement, criticism, and investment in each other strengthen all the individuals in my local art scene.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

When I talk with more business-minded people, there tends to be a gap in our mindsets concerning the production of my art. It may not even be intentional. It makes a lot of sense to think “That piece is doing really well, you should make a lot of those, that’s your niche.” Thoughts like that are very valid but aren’t authentic to my motivations for art. I want my art to reach people, I want to be able to have it as a stream of income, however, if I abandon the experimental mindset that gives me fulfillment, then it takes me back to the mundanity of any day job.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The moment when someone connects with a piece of mine. When someone is emotionally affected in any way, even if a piece only results in a short conversation with a friend or a stranger, makes it all worth it to me. Someone listening to me also opens the door for me to provide that same attention for them, or somebody they know, and find new inspiration through others’ processes.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piercestrose/