Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Solomon Keys. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Solomon, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you feel you or your work has ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized? If so, tell us the story and how/why it happened and if there are any interesting learnings or insights you took from the experience?

I grew up in a small town in Mississippi called Mendenhall. My classmates in Jackson (an hour away) didn’t know where it was or had even heard of it. That’s how small it is. Mendenhall is still segregated by train tracks. My family and I lived on the ‘white side’ but went to elementary school and spent most of our time on the ’Black side.’ I didn’t have any white friends until junior high when my brothers and I transferred over to a better high school, one where preppy was part of the name. Our parents knew we wouldn’t be able to thrive in the environment grew up in. It was interesting to see how differently I was treated while attending our new high school. My brothers and I were suddenly extremely popular, due to the fact we were some of the few Black people who attended the school. But growing up I was always that quiet kid who sat in the corner drawing in his notebooks, hoping nobody would bother me. It wasn’t until I was surrounded by wealthy white people who validated me and my art, that I began to come out of my shell and feel understood. However, it was still hard truly being myself, even in that environment. My talents seemed to be the part of me being appreciated more than I was, so I had to be careful not to step too far out of the “Black best friend” role.
Southern people are known for their manners, but also can be a little passive aggressive. If you struggle with weight like I have throughout my life, the first thing people call you when they see you is “Big Man”. They mean it in a loving way, sure, but it’s never something you want people to focus on or call attention to when they see you for the first time. My family was all about football- my father loved it, and all 3 of my brothers played it, so people would see my size and just assume that’s what I did. The surprise that would appear on their faces when I told them I was an artist is something I still see to this day. It almost feels like they’re saying, “Really? You?” or “What a waste of potential, you should be out there playing sports like your brothers”.
Going to college at SCAD, I never felt I was being mischaracterized. Everyone there was an artist! Like me! And they came in all different shades, colors, and sizes. There, I understood what it felt like to truly belong, and I was finally able to fully come out of my shell. I didn’t need to worry how people felt about my weight or my skin color. The way I look will always bring about assumptions or prejudice. No one will see me as a Bi artist who sings Broadway showtunes, plays D&D with his friends, and enjoys creating cartoons for everyone to enjoy— until they take the time to know me. But I hope when they do, they will learn that an artist can be anybody. We don’t have to be a certain race, gender, political party, or even have deep meaning behind our art for that matter. Sometimes an artist is just someone who enjoys creating.

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

Hello readers. My name is Solomon Keys. I’m a story artist and designer from Mississippi, which means I use my skills in storyboarding, character design, and writing to help create animated TV and series. One of my artistic strengths is being able to work fluidly across multiple artistic styles and genres. In my pastime, I try to study animation, both western and overseas, to help me better my skills. In college, I majored in animation and minored in performing arts, which I think helped complement each other and made me into a better artist. I also like to work on commissions for people, drawing their characters and designs. You can check out my work on my Twitter.

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

I’ve wanted to create animated television shows ever since I first picked up a pencil. To see that dream come true has always been the end goal. One I consider my magnum opus is a fun cartoon I have envisioned full of references to all that inspired me over the years. I want that show to be a cultivation of all my hard work; everything I learned from the industry. If I only let these stories run on repeat in my head, that would be an absolute waste. I’ve always been a resilient person. If I try something out and it fails, then I try a different approach. If you can still move, you can still fight. And I intend to fight until the last episode of my last show airs. If I have any advice for aspiring artists out there, it’s to keep at it. This industry especially is extremely hard to get into. The more connections you make out there the better. It may take a while to get your feet off the ground, but it all comes in due time. When you find yourself stuck in the same place you were last year, don’t just sit there, take that time to focus on honing your skills. Treat your art like your job, give yourself deadlines and goals to overcome, then do it again. Your art will improve, and people will notice.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on NFTs. (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

Honestly, when I first heard of NFTs I thought they were a joke. The entire concept of owning a piece of digital art, that you then share on the internet, is baffling to me. And with no regulation, the number of scams, and art theft, it seemed inevitable it was going to be a bad idea. I’m reluctant to go into further detail, but I was offered many jobs to help invest and create NFTs, but in my opinion, there were too many uncertainties; not to mention the enormous environmental effect it has. I’m a little sad to see them go because there was potential out there for some of the art, but obviously the current system of art ownership is better than rampant unregulated scamming. I think similarly we’re facing the same problem with AI art. It’s impressive and shows a lot of potential, but without regulations on it, it can become a dangerous thing that does more harm than good.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.solomonkeysart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solo_monkeys/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/solomon-keys-770690106/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/goblinKNG24
• Other: Tumblr: https://solo-monkeys68.tumblr.com/

Image Credits
All images owned by Solomon Keys