We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Reggie Griffin . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Reggie below.

Reggie, appreciate you joining us today. What’s something crazy on unexpected that’s happened to you or your business

The Craziest thing that ever happened would be having Covid twice, which lead to a breakthrough in my Art career. In 2020, 1 week after Atlanta was shut down, I was an essential worker at a printshop still heavily in contact with people and got sick. At that time, you were seeing a lot of people going to hospitals and not making it home. I was really bad for about two weeks, but didn’t recover for 7 1/2 weeks. In that time, I honestly thought I wasn’t going to make it for while. I told myself if I had to go I would at least leave behind as much art work as I can. I promised myself years ago I would teach my self how to paint as well as I could draw but never got around to it. Then having no excuse I started painting everyday no matter what and I did morning, noon, and night. This first time having Covid put me in a position to discipline myself with no distractions. Once I was well enough to make it back to work I continued to paint everyday by the time I hit 1year of this I had 80+ completed paintings. When I hit a year I said I would use all the techniques I had been learning in the largest painting I had done at the time. April 2021, I tested positive for Covid again, fortunately this time it didn’t get much worst then having a cold so I was fully functional. But the difference this time was quarantine for two weeks, which means I can’t go to work and I’m not getting paid and bills are still due. I pushed my situation to the sided went to my art studio room and did what I trained myself to do, paint everyday. My last night of quarantine I finished my largest painting ever my first masterpiece. I was making speed lapse videos each day I painted posting then to tiktok and and ig. The night I finished posted the last video and just went to sleep getting ready to go back to my job the next morning. While I was working the next morning my leg felt like it was on fire, my phone was over heating. I took a look at my phone I had over 100 notifications from TikTok. I went viral 500 new followers 10k views and dms about the painting. It was well received on Facebook and Ig. I was really worried about how I was going to pay bills due to missing work, but getting Covid again lead me to finishing my painting and making 3times what I would have made if I just went to work those two weeks I missed, and also lead to to me getting a few artist interviews, and request for commissions and events.

Reggie, 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 find myself on a journey to escape inspired by skyscapes, nature, and organisms, which are forever changing. I have noticed in my exploration there is an emotional spectrum that can be expressed in all aspects of life. By utilizing various blends of color, tones, and shades; I am capturing moments in time that cohesively relates a subject to its environment to invoke a sense of serenity, endeavor, or reverie. My body of work is heavily influenced by the countless hours I have invested into watching national geographic growing up. With my paintings, I aim to communicate an emotional connection or disconnection between an environment and my subject matter. The worlds I escape to are always erupting with vivid colors and seamless blends, immediately inviting you in to take a closer look. Utilizing all three fields of focus from background to foreground, I create an illusion that guides viewers eyes through a complexed rhythm of Contemporary art.

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

My favorite marketing story would be at my very first Art event. Preluding to this event, I studied the set up and presentation of artist set ups at about four shows before I registered to participate in one myself. Once I had my set up prepared at the event, the first hour and a half I had several people take interest in my work and had minimal interaction from them. Around that time, my fiancé showed up to support me at my fort show. I gave her my chair and left for a few minutes to find another, upon my return to my table I noticed a small group of people gathered and my fiancé taking payment for one of my art prints. In the few minutes I was looking for a chair she had made 5 sales and a few were to people that had stopped by earlier before she got there. Once they left I asked her what did she do to make a sale. She told me nothing she told the the price and they just picked what they wanted and paid. So I decided to try somthing i walked off a small distance and called my brother while watching my table. When I returned after 10min she had sold another 7 prints and even got invited by a curator to be in an Art Exhibition . That’s when I realized they were assuming she was the artist because all my work at the time consisted of women in nature. So for many shows and events after this if my fiancé was present I would sell more work. This is when I would let her interact with people and then Segway me into the conversation as the artist once they start asking more about the work. So I found that my work was better received if it was presented by a woman then explained that I was the Artist.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One lesson I had to unlearn was that I am not a talented Artist. Saying that I am talented is just saying I am naturally skilled at what i do, which is not the case. I have dedicated several years of my life developing and refining a certain set of skills for a professional purpose. Once I realized the difference between talent and developed skills, I was able to evolve with a better understanding of myself and what I am doing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://royallightart.godaddysites.com/
• Instagram: Royal_light04
• Youtube: Royal Light 04