We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rae Groover a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Rae, 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?

As early as I can remember, I’ve always taken a liking to putting pencil to paper. I think Tom and Jerry was my earliest masterpiece, haha!

But seriously, after being introduced to video games like X-Men vs. Street Fighter and animated shows like Sailor Moon and Digimon, and being amazed by the dope artwork on the casing and in the user manuals, I knew I wanted to create something just as amazing.

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, my name is RaeKwon, but everyone calls me Rae. I’ll also take Groov the Artist. I’m just a South Carolina boy with a love for high-impact, distinct character art and a nice French 75. I’m still breaking into my industry, working as a Freelance Illustrator and Character Designer, but I’ve found that word of mouth has helped me the most (it’s important to foster good working relationships).

I offer digital illustrations like Posters, Comic Covers, Book Covers, Stickers, T-shirt art, etc. I also offer Character Design, 2-D Concept Art, and Graphic Art for those looking for flyers, logos, or anything of the sort. I think what sets me apart regarding my client relationships is my personable nature and professionalism. I treat people the way that I want to be treated without compromising my own boundaries.

The main thing that I want potential clients to know is that you will find authenticity when working with me. The characters I design have so much life in them. I do the work, and the research, to pay respect to the cultures that I’m depicting in my characters. It’s important to accurately represent people, especially the marginalized.

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

This isn’t a long story/ lesson. I’ve had to unlearn the notion of being “perfect”, simply because there’s no such thing. With art, the “imperfections” give your piece personality or life. I’ve had to understand that by striving to be perfect, I’m not doing anything but stressing myself and stripping the life from my art.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an Artist is the way our minds work. My imagination is so vivid, and I’ve found it makes for a much more exciting time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.groovtheartist.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/groovtheartist/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raegroover/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/raegroov
• Other: Email: [email protected]