We recently connected with Rory Odom and have shared our conversation below.

Rory, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

A quick summary of my journey into the arts began as a hobby or more to the point, a way to kill time. After high school i chose to serve in the US Marine Corps, where I spent a four and a half years of honorable service and got to see a little of the world. After discharging i chose to join the trades and began a welding career in both the industrial construction arena as well as the offshore drilling industry. This was my life until a car accident in 2015 left me paralyzed from the waist down. This meant no more construction work and alot of time in and out of the hospital, as well as tons of time stuck in a hospital room or stuck at home. I immediately began sketching and trying out different painting techniques, watching videos, anything thing to get my mind in going in a more creative lane. I felt like and still do feel i had a unique opportunity to take a chance becoming an artist, and well here i am.

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

i explained a little of how i came to be in art in the previous panel, I am now a 45 year old who has been working in the art space for nearly eight years now. My years of work in the welding field took alot of attention to detail and I think hand eye coordination, which i gave me a head start actually forming my visual arts skills. i have thus far been entering a few exhibitions, (with some limited success) as well as mostly custom abstract works for individuails in between. I live and was raised in rural south Alabama. I grew up hunting and fishing these woods and love all things in nature. I think this is probably the most influential idea that comes through in my art. I guess this same trait of my work is the thing I take the most pride in. I really love animals and bringing them into my world.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I really enjoy learning new things, I absolutely regret not researching careers in the arts as a younger man. I essentially started at 37 years old with no guidance other than what i could find online. I still find great resources, and love experimenting with new things. My favorite teachers are other more experienced artists, just wish i would have got on the train a little sooner, but im totally fine with how far i have come… Especially from where i began.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I would of course like to become a successful artist. I of course know this may or may not happen. I was in a coma for nearly three months after that car accident. I picked up a brush and wanted to paint those things i saw during that time. Were those angels real? Just codeine dreams? who knows, but they were beautiful and i wanted to show the world. I quickly realized it wasn’t that easy, and so I draw and I paint, always trying my best to improve my skills. One of these days I will give it a shot again, when i feel like I’m ready. One day, as for now im doing the best i can and art is a part of me now. i will never stop, success or no success…

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @roryodom @soulshineartworks