We recently connected with Ronnie Ahlborn and have shared our conversation below.

Ronnie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

It can be hard sometimes to look around and see so many people going down such different (and more stable) career paths. Honestly, I think the hardest part sometimes comes in seeing the day-to-day. At times, it can be easy to envy the 9-5 lifestyle and the sense of routine and security that comes along with it. I used to have a more stable job like that, but my deep-down desire to create became too overwhelming for me to do anything besides pursue it fully. I used to get down on myself because I wouldn’t work on my art practice after I got home from work, but truthfully, I just didn’t have the head space. I had created a vicious cycle of feeling bad about myself for not chasing my dreams and then shooting the second arrow by feeling even worse about not even creating in my free time. I needed a big change; I needed to wholly devote myself to my work (and wait tables at night to support myself). I immediately felt a greater sense of purpose in my day-to-day life. Yes, it is WAY less structured and requires an immense amount of drive and discipline. But that drive is incredibly easy to access when you are chasing a dream you’ve had since you were a kid drawing on the walls (actually much easier than I thought). This is incredibly cheesy, but when I made this transition, I took the time to write a thank you note to myself. I thanked myself for believing in myself, and for taking a chance on myself. Life is what you make it, and I would rather be doing this than anything else. Every day, even the heinously busy days, I am filled with gratitude that I get to do what I love. It’s scary, but it’s worth it!

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

I am a digital artist, which for me manifests into my own art practice and also many freelance projects. I got into the medium in a bit of a roundabout way. I was always a very artsy kid: drawing on the walls, going to art camps, etc. I took drawing all throughout high school and even applied to my liberal arts college with a drawing portfolio. However, I applied as a math major. I’m dyslexic, and for some reason, math just really really worked for me. I loved solving for a distinct answer to a distinct problem, which is basically the exact opposite of what an artist hopes to achieve in their work. During my undergraduate study, I took a digital art course where I learned the basics (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc) and the pieces started connecting. Soon after, I started working as a graphic designer and took on many graphic design jobs throughout the rest of my undergraduate degree, while I changed my major to Studio Art. I also started to take some Computer Science classes and learned how to model and animate in 3D software. It required a level of attention to detail and analytical thinking that scratched the same itch that my math homework once did.

When it came time for me to start my senior capstone project, I decided to combine what I had been learning in my graphic design jobs and digital art classes with what I had been learning in my studio art classes. This became my “dreams” project, a body of work I am continuing to build out today. Dreams are only experienced by the dreamer; they are deeply personal and yet so intangible. So much more than plot, they are emotional, visual, heartfelt experiences that feel just as real as “real life.” Pursuing this body of work through 3D modeling and animation was the natural decision, as it allows me to capture this delicate balance of reality. I often get asked, “What kind of camera do you use?” or “Where did you create this set?” There’s a moment of pause where people question if they’re looking at the “real world” or something of complete fiction– the same feeling one has when one wakes up from a dream: did that really just happen?

Starting this project, I felt like I had truly found my voice, after many years of different media and inspirations. Now, I am living in New York, expanding on my practice, and working as a freelance digital artist. Although my practice is almost exclusively in 3D software, I work on a wide array of freelance projects such as logo design, print/publication design, 2D and 3D animations, album artwork, and the list goes on. I am very grateful for all of these experiences, as they have taught me how to hone my style even while adjusting my work to fit diverse projects. I have managed to do all this out of my bedroom in Brooklyn and am looking forward to expanding on this (both physically and conceptually) very soon!

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

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is definitely the community that has come along with it. Living in Brooklyn, I have met so many amazing artists and creatives basically around every corner, which has inspired me to really put myself out there in a way I used to be pretty afraid of. I seek out to sell my prints at markets, show my work in galleries, and attend any community art event I can to hear fresh perspectives on my work and what other people are working on. I started this journey as just one person. Trying to “make it as an artist in New York” is truly a terrifying thing to take on when you really think about it. But, I have learned so much from the people around me, including many people I have met in the last year, and of course my incredible family and friends for their endless support. It’s crazy how happy for you people will be when they see you chasing your dreams! I certainly would not be where I am now if it weren’t for my existing and new communities.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My mission for my work has always been to make strides to connect with myself and with others. My practice revolves around my dreams, and it really is an intimate peak into my brain. Prior to this body of work, I worked almost exclusively with my loved ones as the subject. At the end of the day, art brings people together. If there’s anything that social media has taught us, it’s that there are so many more shared experiences in this life than we realized. I love putting myself out there through my work and seeing what I get back from the people who see it! It has sparked some incredible conversations and connections, as well as some deep self-reflection and growth. I believe we need human connection, a sense of community and belonging, now more than ever. My only hope is that my work continues to provide me with this sense of being brought back down to earth.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ronnieahlborn.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronnie.ahlborn/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronnie-ahlborn/

Image Credits

photo in studio: Ben Harris

All other photos are mine