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

Stuart, appreciate you joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

Ever since I was a kid, I dreamt of making a living from creative work. I started out entering drawing contests. Kelloggs stick up for breakfast – I won new bicycles. I used to go door to door in my neighborhood selling comic books that I drew when I was in elementary school. When I was in high school, I had drafting and art classes so I was able to translate that into working for the city as a drafter. College was much of the same. I worked as a furniture refinisher and wood shop monitor in architecture school. The start of my professional career was a real eye opener. I hated it. I almost quit and changed paths multiple times. Creative opportunities were few and far between. Most of my time was sitting at a desk drafting and wasting time browsing the early days of the internet. I had to find ways to insert creativity. When opportunities did arise, I had to find ways to stand out. Take risks. I would do what was asked and also do another version. Show my preferred version first and fall back on what was asked. If the presentation went well I wouldn’t even show the requested version. I also kept my brain active with creative exercises and art while I was doing the profane. Paintings, mixed media, graphics, music. Eventually I got more and more opportunities but these still were not enough to satisfy my creative appetite. Eventually I came into some seed money and was able to go out on my own. This was exciting and I didn’t hold back. Risks are what got me there and I was going to take every risk I could find. I still have to do certain tasks and projects just for money, that’s an acceptable tradeoff for the freedom to pursue other endeavors on my own timeframe. I am still working on growing my architecture practice into the highest level of design possible by increasing brand recognition and becoming my own client. I am also working on paintings and art projects as another vehicle for income and branding

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

Everything is everything. Magic can happen if you let it. I am never not working. Some might think a nap, bike ride, surf, travel are lazy or irresponsible but the best ideas have come from the darndest places. I used to ride my bike past this road cut along the highway on a regular basis. I turned that roadcut shape into a building. I like to think that creativity is kind of like using the force. If you blur your vision, use all your senses and feel your surroundings.  The universe opens its doors. I was never one to take a task and do it better than anyone else. I quickly discovered in college that someone else was always better, faster, smarter. What I did learn is that I had a way of seeing the world from a perspective that no one else had and if I was true to that people appreciated it more.  Shortly after college a friend of mine and I started a t-shirt and craft company and the first conversation we had about it was that we were going to make things that we liked and that if we liked them other people would too. For the most part that turned out to be the case. The problem was we couldn’t make enough of them to be profitable. We didn’t know yet about the world economy and how to engage that. 

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Go to museums and galleries. Buy art. Not just the famous status icon special exhibit gift store, but find real artist that you like and buy their art. Keep doing that. Some people look for new bands and go to concerts. Do the same with art. Impress your friends with your art collection. Be original in your own way. Curate your collection. Give museums and public institutions feedback on what you see. This is one of the only times I will fill out surveys. Especially at the community level. Reject themed art shows. Find your own meaning in the art.  Art does not always feel good or look pretty. its telling a story. We need that story told. 

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

That money is not first. I went to college to be an Architect thinking that this was a good combination of creativity and business. I think I could have been more successful faster without the constraints of the business world. On the other hand, I might also be dead by now. That freedom might have killed me. Who knows.  I would have had to find a way to be committed and responsible to the task. My path would have been very different. Sometimes I like to daydream about that. Not as regret, just as an alternate universe. Sort of a PK Dick – Man in the High Castle. What if creativity had won the war? This also serves to guide my future actions. Now that I am closer to the full realization of my powers, how will I use them? 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.s2garch.com/
• Instagram: @s2grunow
• Other: https://www.works2art.com/