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

Trap, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with 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?

Being able to make a full-time living from creative work felt like an experiment for me. When I realized I wanted to be an artist, I just felt so liberated from what I felt was the lie that I was living. At the time, I had been working toward my Marketing degree and as much as I enjoyed studying business, I knew I didn’t want a traditional marketing job. After graduating and beginning to explore art more on my own time, I saw the many ways that my Marketing degree could be of use, specifically in marketing my work and running my own business. As I would practice and learn, I began sharing and branding my work, way before I started making income from it. This built consistency and trust from my growing audience, which brought on my first freelance projects. Freelancing became my classroom, and even though I couldn’t do it full time yet, I was able to grow my portfolio and brand quickly because I was always taking chances and putting myself out there. I never worried about success or money really, I just wanted to keep getting better and be a resource for the community that inspired and supported me so much. Before I knew it, I was making enough money consistently to take care of myself and grow my business, while also being offered projects and opportunities that I couldn’t have dreamed of. To this day I focus on the same formula – learning and exposure – and focus on putting out there what I want to do. Another huge part of supporting myself off of my art is diversifying. Because freelancing is my classroom, I was trying everything. That lead to me offering services and building my portfolio with multiple mediums, and allowed me to do some important relationship building. Many of the relationships I built from the beginning of my career have continued to bring me work, and grow with my clients.

Trap, 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?

While studying Business and Marketing at the University of Maryland College Park, I found myself very stressed about the future and what I wanted to do with my life. For some stress relief I turned to something that I always enjoyed as a child but never took seriously, which was art. I immediately fell in love and decided in that moment I would be an artist. I didn’t have a plan, or really even an example or blueprint to follow. I just went head first and committed myself. I took one oil painting class at UMD that really opened me up to the art process and then began teaching my self Adobe Illustrator, and really fell in love with illustration. I continued to share my work on social media and began showing my paintings in DC, collaborating with the many driven and passionate creatives in the area – djs, clothing designers, event planners – in the era of the “art parties”. I loved connecting with my community and inspiring others, and really loved representing and championing DC. Among other things I won the Pabst Blue Ribbon art can contest in 2019, began my first artist residency, and created a staircase installation for Refinery 29’s “29 Rooms”. My dreams became reality fairly quickly, and I was able to try so many new things. Before art, I had experience with so many different, unrelated things – I was a serious competitive dancer through high school, played multiple instruments, and led organizations. Without knowing it then, I was developing a skill set that would set me up to be a well rounded and experienced artist before I even picked up a brush. What I’m most proud of in my career is my work with the youth and students in the DMV, educating them about careers in art and leading in school mural workshops. I always imagine there may be a kid, like me, who loved something, but never thought it was worth pursuing. I push students not to be an artist, but to think creatively and build the life of their dreams. I’m also very proud to partner with and support the many amazing non-profits in DC and around the country, because I truly believe that art will save the world.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

As I was preparing works for my first solo gallery exhibition in 2021, I felt absolutely stuck. I had creative block and didn’t feel able to get past that along with the emotions of being a full time artist, relying on myself, and continuing to grow in my craft as I also grew personally. I was also completely burnt out. In that moment I thought – if I can’t control how I feel, I can at least learn and understand how my body and mind work. I started to read books and listen to podcasts about brain chemistry, psychology, and how our mind and body function together. This completely changed my mindset and allowed me to feel able and in control. I continued to learn more and gain knowledge and inspiration from experts outside of my field. Cal Newport’s work, specifically “Slow Productivity” and “Deep Work”, really helped me get a grasp of my own productivity and how to plan for now and for the future. As creatives, we’re often expected to flow freely always and not really have a plan. But the more successful and professional you become, the more your planning and vision for the future matter. Additionally, learning about how my brain and body work from scientists like Andrew Huberman and his many impactful guests, helped me regulate everything so that when the emotions that come up with being an artist, I could understand how I felt and deal with managing myself. These different topics are things I wish I started studying much earlier, as they also allowed me to find a healthy balance and connection between my personal and professional life. Success is a habit – getting your health, routine and lifestyle together allow you to do your best work.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I live by the idea that “Art will save the world”. While studying Marketing in undergrad, I saw just how important art is in every aspect of life and the world. You can’t create a movement, connect with a community, or share a message without art, it’s literally everywhere. What I love most about being an artist is connecting with people who are trying to do something. I know that I am a tool that can support and amplify that thing, and the symbiotic relationship between my and my clients creates real change. I think people also get discouraged thinking their voice isn’t loud enough or message can’t be spread far enough. But in my experience and belief, change happens at the smallest level. In conversations between neighbors when they walk past a mural in their community, or even the thoughts we have to ourselves when we see a protest poster. Art makes us think, reconsider, and imagine a different perspective. It doesn’t tell us how to feel or what to think, it starts the conversation and allows us to find our own way through interpreting it. As an artist, I just want to make you think about difficult things in a digestible way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.trapbob.com
• Instagram: @trapxbob
• Twitter: @trapbob

Image Credits

@africanist