We recently connected with Stacey Dyer and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Stacey thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Alright – so having the idea is one thing, but going from idea to execution is where countless people drop the ball. Can you talk to us about your journey from idea to execution?

Having an artistic mind can be a dangerous thing. Inspiration can come from all around. A song on the radio can spark an idea for a new painting, a person walking on the sidewalk could become a whole skit, or just looking blankly in the sky could tell you an odyssey. What an overload!

For me, execution is the only release for these ideas. Beyond A Conversation sparked in this very way. A podcast I host with my friend and creative partner, Alex T, we explore our minds and new ideas. As our audience began to grow, we introduced merchandise in order to engage and express our other talents in new ways. This was a hit for our fans! We received invitations to local events and even festivals in other states building our brand into more than just podcasting and merchandise selling, but a whole lifestyle. Over the next couple of months, we began to learning how to elevate our skills in illustration in chase of “The Cool”. In this I mean imagery that stands out, that pushes artist limitations. That is where we found Augmented reality, a far journey from a simple podcast.

Our gear is minimal, using laptops and iPads, we construct new worlds evolving our business minds with the modern technology we have access to, elevating not only our brand and merchandise but our customers as well.

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

I am co-creator of Beyond A Conversation, a lifestyle brand and Podcast, as well as co-creator of Swarthist, an artist collective. I specialize in illustration and digital media. My journey first began with me sitting in my basement, making drawings and videos with my friends. This gradually evolved into small payments from people to draw their favorite things, and then commissions from businesses.

As my hobby grew into a business, my skills have developed in multiple forms of media. From photography and video editing, to illustration and 3d modeling, I’ve learned to make my clients creative visions come to reality. I am most proud of seeing my work become part of my clients daily life. Ive done murals that are in homes and businesses, brightening environments everyday. What I would want my future audience and clients to know is that my main passion is being a creative. I enjoy making the world I know and interact with more vibrant and interesting, and I put that energy into each project.

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

As a visual artist, I’ve learned to look at NFTs as a new tool. It allows artists and corporate teams to release exclusive content to their audience through digital currency. This is a great way to invest into projects and people you believe in. This isn’t the quick treasure hunt that it advertises. This is a process that we are all learning to adapt to.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

An artists journey is to refine their ability to communicate. We choose a tool, whether it be illustration, photography, poetry, or musical it is all used to communicate ideas and emotions. Each project has hundreds of hours put into that skill before the ideas have even been produced. What some clients and audience members who aren’t creatives may not see is all the work it takes to learn abilities. These are skills that are studied not always something a person is born with.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.swarthist.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/beyondacon
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/swarthist
• Youtube: www.youtu.be/o-FPks7DnTw

Image Credits
Stacey D.