We were lucky to catch up with Russell Faxon recently and have shared our conversation below.

Russell, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I have been able to earn a full-time living from my sculpture over the past 45 years. I think endurance of continually being able to create and promote myself has been a tremendous asset. God has certainly stepped in at the right time, and with the right people to continue my career. There was a period in the early eighties when I wasn’t receiving any commissions and took a job doing carpentry work. When I was in a ditch digging a foundation footer for a house, I asked God if this is what He wanted me to do. The next day a received a call from Cracker Barrel, wanting me to do a sculpture for them and I never looked back. Commissions have continued to this day and clients are even waiting for me to create works for them. I am very fortunate and blessed, to say the least. In regards to commissions, I have had the principal of achieving the goals and objectives of my clients in the purpose of fulfilling their desire for the sculpture. In my own creations, I try to express energy and emotions that convey a message, as a dialogue between me and the observer. There is a story in every artistic expression, or at least, there should be. We are communicators in a basic sense. There was a period of time, early on, when I asked myself a question: I have the technical skill to create whatever I want to create, what do I want to express, do I have anything to express, what is my message? I think every artist must ask themselves that question at some point in their careers and then proceed to answer their own question, otherwise they resort to selling insurance and become “stuff makers”. I couldn’t do that. I don’t know that I could have sped up the progression of my career, other than possible been more progressive in promoting myself, but I’m not very good at that and don’t think most artists are. Keeping our work out in the public’s eye is the best policy, otherwise the old principal of “out of sight, out of mind” applies.

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 became interested in art/sculpture in Junior High school, when my art teacher was complimentary of my creations and suggested I might look into a career in some field of art. I studied art in high school and fell in love with clay sculpture. I continued my art in college and received a degree in art education and taught Junior High art class in Nashville for two years. While attending an art conference, we were all sitting around discussing what we really wanted to do. I wanted to go to Italy and learn the art of bronze casting in order to create the types of designs that were not possible with just ceramic clay. A fellow teacher referred me to the sculptor, Bruno Lucchessi, who was from Pietrasanta, Italy. So I saved my money and went to Pietrasanta the following summer, and Bruno helped me find an apartment and directed me to a foundry to set up a small working space with a mold maker, Ivo, at the Founderia de Mariani. I was in two international shows that summer and was exposed to sculptors from around the world. I realized that I was good enough to compete and gained confidence to begin to expose myself to the art market. Upon returning to the US I packed my sculpture in the car and traveled to cities and knocked on gallery doors. I got gallery representation in Chicago, Philadelphia, Greenwich, Conn. and Washington DC. During an exhibit in Nashville, I was approached to being a resident sculptor at the Webb School for a year in Bell Buckle, TN, I liked the community and bought a two story brick building build in 1850 and converted it to my studio and residence. It reminded me of a New York loft and suited my needs for a permanent studio and living space….. and I have been here for the past 45 years. During this time, I continued to create my own expressive sculpture and began to pick up commissions for doing specific individuals and creating designs for business, government, and private individuals. What sets me apart in my field is meeting the objective and goals for the clients with a high quality product, from developing the design to the final installation. I am a bit eclectic in my creations, as certain expressions are best created realistically, others are stylistically designed for movement and rhythm, while others are more organic for the viewer’s visual engagement. I am not restricted to a specific style any more that thoughts always run in the same direction. I think my versatility is an asset to the creative process as not to restrict the possibilities of an idea.

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

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the impact others have in viewing my creations. When we/I create, sharing my thoughts through my creations, I’m amazed and grateful of how my work is appreciated and brings pleasure or thoughtfulness through its pure existence. We create to release what inside our hearts, head, and spirit. The expression, by releasing through the artwork feeds our soul as a spiritual nourishment, so to speak. It’s gratifying to realize that others receive a kind of spiritual nourishment as well, by viewing our creations.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Non-creatives….. I think everyone is creative in some form or fashion. Art is one way of being creative, but there are many ways of being creative, to give ourselves a way of thinking out of the box, changing a traditional way of thinking or action. We all have the ability to express ourselves, whether it is in words, business, activities, sports, hobbies, points of view, seeing the world and people from a different perspective than the one we always hold on too. Sometimes we need to step out of the boat to see if we can float or swim. Changing our perspective of how we see the world will always ensure growth.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.russfaxon.com
• Instagram: russfaxon
• Facebook: WR Faxon

Image Credits

All images are by Russ Faxon.