We were lucky to catch up with Shawn Gatlin recently and have shared our conversation below.
Shawn, appreciate you joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?
When I stop to think about it, after playing music for most of my life, I feel very much like I have wasted a lot of time. So yes, I do often wish I had started a lot sooner with art. Maybe I would have been further along somehow, but there isn’t any point in wishing. The only thing I can do is try to make up time by throwing myself into artwork, if it is helping another artist or my own art. I have to give 110%, every damn time. It is still a fight for me to make my career happen, as I’m sure it is tough for every artist, but I tend to push myself into uncomfortable situations to try to make new and good things happen. It is scary for me most of the time being a calculated person, but the thrill of a new plateau is what drives me to keep going.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Sure. My name is Shawn Gatlin and I am also known as the street artist You Killed Me First. I got my start making artwork around 1997, I remember sitting down at an ex band member’s computer one day and making show flyers a month later & album artwork after that. I had never planned on being an artist, I still don’t feel right calling myself that sometimes. Looking back I’ve realized that frustration about creating band artwork and/or logos shaped what I do. I guess in my own way, I am still making artwork for a band. But the band is called You Killed Me First and it doesn’t really exist. What sets me apart from others is my borderline obsessive traits. I will look for something I need for hours and hours, til I get the perfect image or shape needed for my project. I tend to go overboard with things, but I need to feel the effort I am putting in. Sometimes to everyone’s detriment.
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.
I think this artistic journey, or any, that you can learn about yourself tends to be painful. Growth is painful, but it is a must. It is a huge lesson to stand next to your art for the first time in a gallery and listen to everyone critique it all night long. Some people are gonna hate you, but some will love it. You just have to take the good with the bad, be prepared. If I don’t have a current project I am working on, I tend to fall into depression. I struggle with it so much. But I am able to push myself past it most times. I have had a tough time growing up, even into my adult life, I have had to struggle and pretend not to not feel like an emotionless robot. I can feel so much joy in creating but I am always worrying about the show closing or the gig being over. I have to limit myself to one project at a time, or I will just keep making art endlessly. I feel like I have gotten so lazy with street art, but I am channeling my efforts into other things now. It is a constant fight for me.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I remember being at a band practice talking about going on tour, and I heard the words come out of my mouth “This just isn’t important to me anymore.” I had been playing shows and going out directly after and putting up street art together with my art partner and wife Sage. It became the only reason to play shows anymore, we would research spots to hit afterwards. I got asked to play a few shows with one of my favorite bands to fill in for the guitarist in Los Angeles, and that was it! It was over and time to move and start a new life in Las Vegas. I just wanted to focus and make art and that’s what I did and somehow ended up making some of the best friends of my life making art together. Ya just never know what is going to happen, not ever!
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