Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ulrik Christian Ahlefeldt-Laurvig. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Ulrik Christian thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
Risk-Taking Elevated My Artistic Journey. As a creative artist, I believe taking risks is crucial to the artistic journey. It takes boldness to step out of your comfort zone, experiment with new techniques, and explore uncharted territories. But how to harness the power of boldness to elevate the art to new heights is a journey.
Firstly, it was important for me to recognize that taking risks is not just about trying something new for the fun of it. It’s about pushing yourself to grow and evolve as an artist. Whether it’s experimenting with a new color palette, exploring a new genre, or trying a new medium, taking risks allowed me to discover new facets of my creativity and expand my artistic boundaries. It helps keep my work fresh and exciting and hopefully helps me stand out in a crowded artistic landscape. Secondly, taking risks can also help me overcome fear and self-doubt. As an artist, feeling uncertain and vulnerable about sharing one’s work with the world is natural. But by pushing yourself to take risks and try new things, you can build confidence in your abilities and trust your instincts. I now love to experiment, but it also means I sometimes need to move farther from my ‘brand’, my signature art style. But embracing boldness allowed me to let go of perfectionism and focus on the process rather than the outcome. It encouraged me to trust in the journey and the lessons learned.
So, my learnings to cultivate boldness in the artistic journey? Start small by setting achievable goals that push you out of your comfort zone. Surround yourself with supportive and like-minded individuals who encourage you to take risks and offer constructive feedback. Remember, taking risks doesn’t always lead to success, but it always leads to growth and learning. It is ok to fail. To make art people don’t necessarily like. Try again. Twist and learn. Accept what your art stands for.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m a full-time artist with a 20 years background as an art director in the advertising industry; I have worked for: Mediacom, McCann Copenhagen, Advance, Bates/Red Cell, TBWA\COPENHAGEN, Tribal DDB. For almost 20 years, I have navigated a creative world of advertising, design, film, and content creation – known for my humor, twisted, and colorful mindset. Some think I’m too much, while others love it, as I never aim to stay static or within well-known norms.
Initially, I grew up with strict family rules and private schools. I joined The Royal Life Guard (a Danish infantry regiment founded in 1658 by King Frederik III) at 18 as it was a must-do in my family as one of our ancestors helped found the regiment… However, at the beginning of my 20s, I started my creative journey as an advertising guy in the daytime and DJ at night with a red mohawk. But one day, at 44, I was hit by stress and decided to fight it with creativity. So, in 2018 I started painting – first oil on canvas, a bit dark but reflecting my feelings. I then started experimenting with different shapes, materials, colors, and light. Today 5 years later, I found a balance to use my skills as an art director to build the base for my pop art before printing lithography and painting in my ‘signature’ style. I constantly challenge myself, take risks, and test new things to grow and expand my artistic journey, which defines my works as playful, full of colors and humor, timeless, and without boundaries. All is unique 1:1, and nothing is static.
Three fast ones:
1) What do you want with your art?
For me, art is not just an object to admire from afar. It is a multi-faceted experience that engages all our senses and emotions. Art is more than a pretty picture hanging on a wall or a sculpture. Art has the power to evoke emotions and feelings that words alone cannot express. It can make us feel happy, sad, angry, inspired, and nostalgic, among other things. Art is a reflection of our experience. I love weird angles, passion, energy, humor, and love – lots of luv! So I try to bring that into my art and artistic journey.
2) What is the greatest thing in your process of creating?
Being bold. Letting go of my perfection and experimenting to see if the colors and shapes fit together. And when I know what the final result should be.
My favorite artists are Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Yayoi Kusama. They work on different media; they make complex work look simple and beautiful. They deliver a visual and joyful experience I love, with a boldness I respect and drive for.
3) What is the biggest achievement so far in your life?
When I melted my future wife’s heart – with my red pants and colorful soul. She’s very business-like, always in black! But I activated her love for colors and forms and added a little craziness to her style. That’s what I love to do!
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It was a bumpy road until I let go and embraced the challenge and boldness to take risks. I work in my studio every day from 10 am to 5 pm and make the ideas in the evening, and they may change during the artistic process. It all became more smooth when I started to accept this artistic journey and changes to original ideas. It’s a full-time job to be an artist in my eyes, and I enjoy it 😀
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
Even though I have 20+ years in the advertising industry as a creative, I realized that I’m not a digital native… as my step-teen daughter also points out. She can do videos, animations, and communicate on social platforms I need more time to learn. And honestly, I’d rather spend time on my art. So, I wish I had joined forces with a digital native person to boost my brand, art, and stories earlier. Especially moving from a little country like Denmark to International markets like the US.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
People’s reaction to my art. Knowing I create something that affects people is the greatest reward. For me, art is a medium that enables us to engage with the world around us, and it has the power to move us. It is the artist’s vision and intent which is brought to life through the use of various mediums such as paint, clay, fabric, and sound. So, I love feedback, even if it’s negative, but especially if they love it :)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ucal.dk/
- Instagram: ucal.art – https://www.instagram.com/ucal.art/