We were lucky to catch up with Tony Seepersad recently and have shared our conversation below.
Tony, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?
Since I graduated University I’ve been lucky enough to only have to work as an artist. I have on occasion taken teaching and administrative jobs within the arts world on projects that I felt passionate about. However, when the world stopped during the pandemic, life was at a standstill for all of us performing artists wondering how we were going to survive. I saw an opening for a one year artist-in-residence position opening at a world renown cancer institute in Miami and applied. I got the position which meant working daily clocking in and out. I tell you my body was not used to getting up in the morning as I am a nocturnal creature. That upset in my circadian rhythm and the everyday grind, traffic and all, was really taxing for this free spirit. I was definitely lucky to have a job after not working for about 8 months so I wasn’t complaining. There I learned a different set of skills that I never needed in my normal performing life. I had to be somewhat of a therapist using the arts and spontaneously interacting with a troupe of other artists daily. It was like improv theatre everyday with musicians and patients with the goal of healing people emotionally as well as physically. It was a beautiful turn of events that was pretty life changing for me.
Although there were so many beautiful elements to that job I realized that the everyday grind of work life was not for me. After my one year residency ended, I chose to leave and get back to the other hustle and bustle I was used to. As a creative, repetition is something very hard to deal with. For many, routine is a great thing. You can play your life out so much better, especially if you have a family. As a single man, I want the ability to drop what I’m doing and explore the world. If Malta knocks at my door for a performance, I want the ability to just go. I like having the free time to think about my next creative project. Another issue with 9-5 work is the lack of time you have to create. Creation is not just about the time you’re consciously spending on a project, but it involves being able to continuously introduce yourself to new stimuli and have time to let ideas flow to you. It’s hard to allow for that in the 9-5 workflow. So I left and have luckily been able to get back into the artist life full speed ahead. I’m glad my life turned in that direction briefly and I’m glad I’m back on my path.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I think what sets me apart from other artists out there is my upbringing and training. As a child I grew up from the age of six training in classical piano. I was also singing lead roles in children’s musical theatre. In middle school I picked up the violin and studied seriously. I was also a studious kid equally dividing my time in math competitions and spelling bees. As a high school student I was competing nationally in academic subjects as well as traveling the country during the summer in classical music festivals. At university I majored in Math, Music Education, Music Business Entertainment, Performance, and minored in Marketing. Upon graduation I worked in all those fields and have branched out to many more. I would say having such a structured head start in the arts really helped me get ahead once I entered the “real world”.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
What we can best do to create a thriving creative ecosystem is to build audiences. As someone who has taught arts in the classroom, I’m fully aware that the vast majority of my students will not go on to do arts professionally. You always need a lot more audience members than performers. If not you’re in trouble lol. So we have to make sure that kids from an early age develop an interest in the arts. There are so many benefits they’ll receive outside of what one may think that will help propel them into any career. However they will hopefully develop an interest which will make them future audience members. Also we need to make sure children have balanced educations. Most artistic expression, if not all, has a basis in something other than the technique. The art represents something greater than just the notes on the page or the choreography. They’re about telling a story and challenging points of view and stepping into the shoes of another person’s walk in life. This is just as important as any other subject. We need to raise curious children and foster that desire for knowledge. An intellectual society knows they need the arts and craves it. Whenever you can, get involved and support your local artists and arts organizations. Your community will be better off for it.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is seeing the big picture. When you’re in the 9-5 grind raising a family, your life is so engulfed in busy work you often don’t have time to evaluate if you’re in a good place in life. You just keep swimming to pay the rent and keep your family alive. As an artist I’m constantly asking the big questions. Is the society I live in supporting the best interests of the people? Are we behaving like avatars in a real life SIMS game? Why are we here and what should we be doing with our lives? Is there a Utopian society? If so how do we make this happen? I constantly ask these questions and try and create pieces that address these questions in hopes to effect change in the community. Being an artist for me means cultivating wisdom and sharing it with others.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @tony2cent