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

Rob , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

I’m taking a risk right now — launching my own small apparel business.

People do this every day, but it’s a risk for me because I’ve never done anything like it. I’ve mostly worked tech jobs with various art-related side hustles, like branding and design for local businesses, sign art at Trader Joe’s, tattoo illustration, and other odd jobs (think pet portraits).

And while I’m keeping my day job and continue to design for local businesses, I’ve just launched a clothing line. It’s a total investment and I’m learning as I go, but I love it. I’m a 37 year old dad with a bad back and a wife in nursing school, so being impulsive and taking risks is out of character. But, pursuing this endeavor at this juncture feels perfectly timed.

For years I created countless obstacles for why I shouldn’t pursue art more seriously, like not having a strong business plan or vision for a product line. But, I had a couple of recent realizations 1) if I want my kid to chase his passions as an adult, I need to be able to model that for him, and 2) that I have the potential to make a more positive impact in my community through art.

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.

I am an artist, illustrator, and designer with a background in fine art, commercial work, and all-around odd-jobs. I’m mostly self-taught but continue to learn from friends and mentors in the space.

My approach to art continues to change but a constant has been “art is for everyone.” I’ve developed some skills over the years, but I didn’t go to art school or learn from modern masters. I’ve learned from countless hours making mistakes and not being satisfied with the results. Kind of like the ethos of three chord punk rock, if they put in the hours anyone can do this. Anyone should do this! I hope to encourage more people to disregard their expectations, gatekeepers, or self-doubt and embrace creating art.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Invest locally!

Explore nature in your area. Walk around the part of town where small businesses are still active. Check out a book from the library. Go to a new restaurant. Go to an old restaurant that’s funky and maybe the food isn’t 4.6 stars but you like the vibe. Go see that friend-of-a-friend’s band play. Stop and give a busker a moment of your time.

I’m hardly the first person to recommend this, but I encourage people to stay present and active within their community. Not every experience needs to be lived online, nor every purchase needs immediate delivery guaranteed. The arts and creative ecosystem is a network that co-exists with the uniqueness of local town life that will continue to remain interesting as long as people stay curious about their surroundings.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Most resources that I “wish I knew about earlier” are technologies I actually knew about but were resistant to using them.

As a high school student I didn’t want to try Photoshop because I found it intimidating. I was hooked when I saw how easily my friend could doctor pictures and create digital art.

I avoided social media for years because I had preconceived ideas about the type of person who uses it and why. When I finally created an Instagram account, I became aware of thousands of artists whose work and business models continue to inspire me.

I didn’t buy my first iPad until my son was born, and now it’s almost exclusively how I draw, paint, and design.

Technology and resources will always continue to develop and “cheapen” or “threaten” the state of art — just look at the shockwaves AI is creating. Who knows what trend will come along in another decade to shake up how we view art and question the methods of production. My advice to my younger self is remain aware and open to change — I didn’t embrace every technology or resource that came my way, but I really didn’t know what I was missing until I gave them all a chance.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.robbeedleart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_rob_beef_/

Image Credits

Liam Scott (Wolf Head shirt)