We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shaun Buckalew a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Shaun, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. One of the toughest things about progressing in your creative career is that there are almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?

My life on the road of creativity has been a long line of roadblocks, barriers, steeps, and canyons as far back as I was a child. I have always had a fascination with cartoons, both animation and illustration. All the colors and lines working together to tell a story, even if I didn’t understand it then, were mesmerizing. I started drawing robots when I was a wee lad, partially because of Transformers and partially because drawing squares was more manageable than drawing people.

However, I ran into my first wall around 5 or 6. I grew up in a Christian Fundamentalist Baptist home, and when I would be drawing these multi-armed machines with swords, axes, flamethrowers, and cannons. Naturally, that raised some issues with the adults within the church. I already had a story for the characters when they asked me about it. They were guardians of Heaven who protected the gates to ensure no bad people would get in. It seems innocent enough to most people; however, that was not the impression they got, and it was deemed borderline blasphemous. I was scolded and punished by the church and my parents about it and was told to never draw again.

So, until age 10, I did not do any drawing, which coincided with the worst years of my childhood. During those years, I went through the darkest points of my life. Not having a way to express myself or vent my frustrations was agonizing. It made me feel more alone, more distant from anything and anyone and made the trauma exponentially worse. Once I was 10, I decided to return to drawing since I was not surrounded by those same adults, and I mostly drew in secret. This was also when I started to develop my love for storytelling. Creating comics and backstories for all my characters. The cup of my soul felt like it was filling back up. Even if I didn’t have that many friends, I still had my creativity and a way to express it. Thinking back on it now, I learned that if you are passionate about something. Do it, no matter who demands you stop. A somewhat cliché message but a cornerstone for a creative mind.

While plenty of other obstacles have been on my path, the previous one and this next one, I would say, were the most impactful. Years have passed since I returned to my creative roots, and most around me have come to accept that this is the path I will follow. While I still received very little support for my artwork, writing, or when I started to go into doing character voices. I still pushed on, trying to learn and grow as an artist to the point I applied to an Art School after High School. I was accepted to The Art Institute of Indianapolis and spent the next 4 years getting a Bachelor of Science in Media Arts and Animation. Plenty of struggles in those years, but I achieved my goal and graduated in 2013.

My goal after that was to go into the film/animation industry and work my way to directing movies. Which has been a life goal of mine ever since I made a movie in high school. However, one week after graduating, I started to develop some pains in my lower back. Pains similar to sitting wrong or pulling a muscle in some annoyingly mundane way. Unfortunately, this would reveal itself to be far more than a simple tweak in the muscle. Over the next month, the pain spread through the rest of my body, causing me to spend weeks curled up on the floor, spasming and crying. It was like having every form of pain imaginable, just assaulting my nerves 24/7.

I spent the next two years desperately trying to figure out what the problem was, and within that time, my left leg became paralyzed. So, in horrible pain and unable to use my leg, I was in quite the situation. Spending all my time trying to function, seeing doctors, and getting tests and scans done, I had little time for my creativity, though that didn’t stop me from trying. I would grit my teeth and force myself to sit up and get to work. I continued to freelance and hone my skills as an artist. At the same time, I was pushing myself to walk again. I could not go to a Physical Therapist because my leg went out at a Physical Therapist, which made me a liability for any others.

In 2015, I could walk 95% of the time without assistance, which led to me getting a day job. After another year, I could support myself through work and freelancing. Around this time, I also found a new love within the creative world. Teaching. I began mentoring people, using the knowledge I’ve accumulated in self-teaching and schooling over the years. I still struggle with my health as that has never gone away, though, in recent years, I have finally found the cause of the pain that started 11 years ago. Turns out I have Fibromyalgia, a nerve disease that causes intense pain and debilitating fatigue. It’s a daily struggle, but my life has been nothing if not persevering with a cup of stubbornness. After all of this, I know that Life can sometimes seem like it’s throwing rotten lemons with rocks jammed in them. Push on, that lemonade is not worth drinking. Sooner or later, life will hand you a ripe, juicy lemon to enjoy. This goes for life in general as well as your creative journey.

I’ve never been able to support myself with just my artistic prowess, which is another goal, but I believe that day will come, so with all the obstacles, from the little potholes to the chasms, in 33 years into this cosmic play called Life. I think I’m in a better place now. I’m more confident in my skills. I take more pride in my work. I take more joy in watching those I mentor flourish into amazing artists. I have gone through a lot; some would say I have gone through more than most. If there’s anything anyone gleams from my life, it is that struggles don’t define you; what you do with them does. You can get through it, both with life and with art.

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

As I said, I was always fascinated by drawings and animation. The thing that thrust me into my craft was escapism, for sure. A way to go into worlds of my creation and run rampant, seeing the characters grow and develop. I would also add that I have what I call AADD (Artistic Attention Deficit Disorder), which causes me to not be satisfied in creating just one type of thing or genre or even medium. I naturally have my favorite genres like Horror but make works in action, comedy, slice of life, and many other genres.

The services I provide:
Illustrative works
Character Design / Concept Design
Merchandise Design
Art Direction Consultation
Teaching / Mentorship
Video Editing
Writing
Voice Acting
Directing

I also enjoy learning new stuff and relearning various skills I haven’t touched for years. The kinds of issues my clients tend to ask me about are developing a brand or revamping said brand. Most of the time my clients seek me out because they either have an idea they can’t articulate or have a vague idea that they can’t even begin to develop. Brainstorming is one of my best skills, as clients are shocked at how much they adore the ideas we create. Many clients simply give me 1 to 5-word descriptions and just have me work my magic. It’s one of the most enjoyable things to have someone simply flabbergasted at how close I am to what’s in their head or how much better it is. That’s probably the thing I take the most pride in.

I’m confident that I’m different from most people in my field because of how much I work with my clients to give them the perfect outcome. From brainstorming all the way through to payment, I care more about my clients having something they love to brag about having than making a fat paycheck. My unique art style and perspective are the other things that set me apart. I still can’t find anyone who makes anything similar to me.
For followers/fans, I’d say my relaxed personality, mixed with an unhealthy amount of dad jokes and silliness, I get up to on my Twitch streams and interactions. Coupled with my strong desire to help people grow as artists and/or as people. I’m kind of like that Uncle that you wish was your Dad. An Uncle Buck.

I also have a gallery of nearly all my works I’ve made since 2010 available to download for free on my Ko-Fi page. As well as a free downloadable gallery of line works, like a coloring book. In fact, most things I provide are free. I don’t like the idea of a paywall in art. I get it, I just don’t like it. The only things I charge for are custom designing and getting involved in projects.

Things that people should expect to see from me in the coming years are:
Returning to making Video Creation (Timelapses, Commentaries, Tutorials).
Working in new genres of illustrating (Pixel art).
Return of a Comic Series and debut of a new Comic Series.
One to three books being published.
More consistent Live Streams
Collaborations.

I’m constantly growing, always learning, and always sharing. The world is a far more grand and exciting and fascinating place the more creativity is expressed in it.

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

Other than becoming a filmmaker, I’ve had one goal/mission ever since I stepped into doing art professionally. I want to create a central hub for creatives to support each other. A place where young artists can connect with mentors to help them develop into their best form. A place where struggling artists, be it financially (Needing supplies), creatively (Needing inspiration), or mentally/emotionally (Needing structure and healing), can find resources to better overcome those struggles. A place where everyone can share their passions and learn from each other. A place that gives purpose to those unsure where to aim their lives. Something that would not have a subscription and is accessible to as many people as possible. I want to build something that will give people the chances and support I never had. Learning as much as I can to use that knowledge to help others fuels me in this mad journey.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Often, society appears to forget that the arts and creativity are the bedrock of culture. A society is only as strong as its imagination. Want to improve the economy? Let creatives loose into the wild. Stop regulating where and what can be created. It has been shown that if you let people who are high in creativity into an area that is run down and economically struggling. They will change that area both aesthetically and culturally. This, in turn, attracts and/or cultivates businesses that move the money. Creatives create businesses.
Want to improve the lives of people everywhere? Stop crushing the minds and souls of children into cookie-cutter molds of easy-to-control citizens. Studies have shown that nearly all children are inquisitive and have intricate and wild imaginations. Yet, parents and teachers and those with authority over these kids suppress and even damage children until they lose that spark in their eyes. If a child is struggling with something, find a way to reach an understanding between you and the child. When creativity is smothered, answers to complicated questions become more challenging. The most significant period in Western Society was the Renaissance when creativity fueled the technological, cultural, and social boom.
There are so many aspects of the world that are improved or even achievable through the minds of imaginative people. Society seems to forget that occasionally, and it suffers every time.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/missingminds
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/missingminds
• Other: https://www.twitch.tv/missingminds – Twitch Streams
  https://www.ko-fi.com/missingminds – Free downloadable galleries and ways to support me
  https://www.cara.app/missingminds – I use this similarly to Twitter/X