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

Taylor, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I am extremely happy. My music as of now is not a business venture, but something I do as a passion. Other things have flowed out from that. I always made my own posters, and then people asked who made them, and I started making posters for others. I approached bands for a small doc series I do called Why I Write The Song which explores the life of a songwriter and how it informs their work. Then said artists invited me to shoot their sets, and then music videos. All the work is something that comes from the heart and even tho it’s content for other artists, it is still something I treat as my own.

Taylor, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My film and graphic design work came out of doing music. My band, Tar & Flowers, needed posters. I made bad ones at first, but in the name of bringing people out, decided to up my game. People started to ask who did them and that was it. That grew into album art, stickers and now more recently music videos. I’ve done multiple music videos for separate artists in the scene. I also do short documentaries on separate acts in and around the scene – the series is called Why I Write and Why I Write The Song. One of them recently screened at The Tarzana International Film Festival and will be in other festivals as well. Telling a story that’s recognized and put on the big screen with other great pieces of filmmaking is very rewarding and as far as my visual art is one of my proudest accomplishments.

There is also the satisfaction of getting a piece right, or the artist is happy with what I’ve done. Artists usually have their vision and it’s up to me to try to steer that forward as best I can while inserting my own artistic sentiments in a way that’s authentic and pure.

Folks are always reticent to give something new a try. Human beings are creatures of habit, so we naturally keep consulting/listening to things that make us comfortable. There are tons of great new artists out there, lend an ear at a bar, buy a sticker or a t-shirt. Art is what makes this world human as it expresses in so many ways the uniqueness of our experience – so go experience peoples’ art and let them know you have. A little goes a long way.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Human begins are creatures whose lives are based on purpose. You have to feel needed and want something to do, something that gives your life meaning. As a creative, you always have that in your art. My creative endeavors are very much my sun and my moon, they make me rise in the morning and go to bed peacefully at night. They call on me to look inwardly and ask who it is I am so I can properly express myself in my creations – also some amazing experiences that have come in just doing creative work – like playing The Troubadour in West Hollywood and meeting some amazing kind folks along the way.

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

I cannot speak to all forms of art because I am in music but there are a few things. Folks are always reticent to try or give something new a try. Human beings are creatures of habit, so we naturally keep consulting/listening to things that make us comfortable, There are tons of great new artists out there, lend an ear at a bar, buy a sticker or a t-shirt. Art is what makes this world human as it expresses in so many ways the uniqueness of our experience – so go experience peoples’ art and let them know you have. A little goes a long way.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tarandflowers/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/silversparkprintworks
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-hungerford-520b74a/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwTcJavSmKLZ8E0-mn8t0Jw
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SilverSparkP

Image Credits
All photos and posters by Taylor Hungerford (SilverSparkPrintWorks) Photo of Taylor Hungerford by Shaina House (@brickhouse87)