S7E10 - From Hobbyist To Artist; A Journey of Resilience, Determination and Passion!!

Ever had a lot of time on your hands and didn't know what to do with it? Our guest, Q, found himself in that exact situation after graduating college. Unemployed and with time to kill, he discovered his passion for art and never looked back. 

Q's journey from hobbyist to full-time artist is nothing short of inspiring, as he crafted his own roadmap to success. We dive into his unique approach to art, from using reclaimed materials to channeling deep emotion into his tattoo designs. 

What does it mean to align your work with your brand and personal beliefs? Q learned the hard way that compromising his values for money was a road to dissatisfaction. His story is a testament to the power of intuition, patience, and staying true to your brand. 

We also explore how he navigated the financial challenges of being an artist and the transformative experiences he had while tattooing. 

Artists and creatives, this episode is for you. We discuss the importance of mentorship, the role of a supportive community in honing your craft, and the potential rewards of volunteering. Despite the global pandemic, Q found ways to stay active, motivated, and inspired. His story is a beacon of resilience and determination, proving that passion can overcome any obstacle. Strap in for an inspiring conversation that will motivate you to embrace failure, make mistakes, and keep pursuing your passion.

Quamaine Giles, a Multi-Disciplinary Artist from Martinsville, VA, now based in Atlanta (since 2018), GA, is known for his abstract paintings, tattoo artistry, and custom framing. Formerly a Senior Provisioning Engineer, he transitioned to a full-time art career in 2018. Giles has curated art shows for emerging artists, exhibited widely in Atlanta, and focuses on the intersection of people, the planet, and discarded materials. His unique paintings, crafted from reclaimed paper, magazines, cardboard, oil pastels, fabric, and sawdust, igniting social conversations on beauty and waste.

Transcript

Creative Journey and Tattooing With Q

Speaker 1 0:00

And that's just like. That's pretty much what this experience is. It's like it's nothing that's extremely deep or whatever. It's just about. They wanted a tattoo, they wanted this experience and they liked me as an artist. You know what I'm saying. I'm an abstract artist, so you have an abstract tattoo on you, like, but it's like what's the dopest thing? That the goad doesn't want to say yeah, I was like. It was like I actually designed this tattoo, like legitimately, like those are my brushrooms, like I made that. All he did was trace it over and pieces it together and did it. But it's like that's literally my shit.

Speaker 2 0:35

I own the shit, I own the shit.

Speaker 1 0:38

You are your man, you know.

Speaker 3 0:40

And then, Hi shit talkers, Welcome to Talks European. And I am your spoiler, the shit talker, I mean. Don't we all like talking shit anyway? Are you a creator? If so, you are in the right space. Talks European is a place where we showcase and celebrate the talents, works and stories of creative minds from all walks of life, while also raising awareness for mental health through providing a supportive space to share their stories, insights and experiences. We will be discussing creative journeys, the high lows and the ways we manage our mental health through it all. Join us each week for inspiring conversations, useful resources and a community of like minded creators as we dive into the minds of creative beings to explore their journeys, struggles and triumphs. So, whether you are seasonal creative or just starting out, talk shit with peace. The podcast for you.

Speaker 2 1:47

Hi Q. Welcome to talk shit with peace how are you? Doing today.

Speaker 1 1:52

I am doing awesome, wow, wonderful.

Speaker 2 1:56

So for y'all who don't know, q recently gave me a tattoo right there and that's how we met. Actually, actually, I met him on a hot penning I think it was glass house full and then my friend showed me the tattoo he did and I was like cool, I'm gonna hit him up. And then I hit him up and he did my tattoo and we were talking and just sharing and vibing and I said we had to come on my podcast and be a guest on my season seven. And here we are. Thank you for coming on.

Speaker 1 2:29

Yes, I'm honored. Thank you for having me. You know, like I said, I'm just trying to talk to people more and do this kind of interaction a lot more, so I'm thrilled to be here. I'm honored. So thank you for taking your time out today to actually speak with me.

Speaker 2 2:44

Definitely definitely Thank you. So how did you get into that at world?

Speaker 1 2:52

Well, let's see, I got into it around 2014. I had just recently graduated college, in 2013. And in that in that timeframe I kind of picked it up as like a hobby. It was just something just to to to fill my time. I realized I had a lot of time on my hand. I was playing for jobs and playing a lot of video games and stuff at the time and I was just like, yeah, there's, there's something else I can do with my time other than these two things. So, you know, I got into just painting and drawing, you know. So I just started to spray-pay from just some YouTube videos I saw and I felt, felt in love with the insulin. You know, it kind of just tapped back into when I was a kid, when I used to draw a lot, and, you know, just kind of reminded me of of. I did have that dream and aspiration as a kid one day, you know, to be an artist.

Speaker 1 3:46

But you know, I lost it, you know, and then, and that's what came back, you know, in 2014, through just the the of me not having a job and wanting to do something else with my time, Because I noticed I had a lot of time on my hand.

Speaker 2 4:00

You see, it's amazing how you thought about that, like, oh my God, I have so much time on my hands, let me let me self self teach myself something, and other people just be like yeah, I got so much time in my hands, so let me play more video games.

Community Support in the Art Industry

Speaker 1 4:19

No, for me, it was just so much time on my hands, like it felt bad, like you know what I'm saying, like a part of me, just like it didn't feel right, like it's just a person shouldn't be doing this, like because, at the end of the day, it's like, what are you doing to actually get out of the situation you are in? You just can't sit around and just wait for something to happen. And that's what I kind of felt like I was doing, you know. So I was just like, oh no, I just got to do something else In the meantime. For me waiting, you know, because playing the game doesn't actually progress me anywhere, and let them try to become a professional gamer, and I mean, I'm not that good that part and I feel that like I have this sometimes when a weekend goes by and I feel like I haven't done enough.

Speaker 2 5:02

You know, there's some weekends where you just be lazy Like the entire week. I'll be I'll be going extra hard because I'll be feeling guilty Like oh, my fucking God, I didn't do a lot on the weekend, like I wasted a time, so I'll be going extra hard on the weekend. Next weekend I'll make sure I overlaid myself, like okay, last weekend you didn't do shit.

Speaker 1 5:24

Yeah, I still have that issue to this day. You know what I'm saying. My wife reminds me. It's like, hey, you don't have to always work. You know what I'm saying. Like it's okay to chill, it's okay to not have anything to do, like it's okay to sit down for a little while, like I promise you you're going to be okay. But I'm just like I mean, like I just can't, like I just, you know, I just I just don't want to sit still.

Speaker 2 5:43

But I'm learning that. I'm learning to give myself grace, to be like you know what. Sometimes that's what your body needs. It's okay, you know. Sometimes you do need that time so that you can. And once your mind is relaxed, you go, you figure out a plan, but I still feel bad, like I have that bit of me that I'm like fuck, no Like, and then when something was wrong in the week, or if I don't, if I don't reach my goal, I go even harder, like you see, you didn't do shit on the weekend. That's why now it's not working out and I'm like God damn.

Speaker 1 6:17

That's exactly what I do to myself If something happens. It's like you took off, like you know what I'm saying, like that that came in the right to the ass later on.

Speaker 2 6:32

So when you say you're a self-taught artist, you taught yourself art.

Speaker 1 6:36

Yes, pretty much.

Speaker 1 6:37

Yeah, I'm self-taught, yeah, I'm saying I'm self-taught all the way up until until, like I was saying, until I really got to move to Atlanta and I was really starting to be around a lot more artists and started really getting a lot of feedback and critiques from those folks who I say, will really then really up my game from the sense of where I've kind of had it, because I think I did a very good job at teaching myself to the skill level I got to a point right.

Speaker 1 7:06

But if you really want to push past that, you kind of got to be around people who are kind of a little further in those so they can help you push and be able to see past certain things that you are doing at that time that you really wouldn't recognize. That you might think that is cool and dope, but it's just like, hey, actually you can do this. That makes it a little bit better, you know. But that comes around being trained and just being around the craft a lot more. So, you know, I would say, yeah, I'm primarily self-taught, you know. And then, yeah, I would say after that it's just more or less just getting been mentored by a couple of older gentlemen and also just a community of artists that I'm around who just has helped me really become who I am today.

Speaker 2 7:48

And that's the true, the importance of community. I tell people I taught myself podcasting, but I think the reason why I keep growing is because I surround myself in those communities. I go to those conferences, I hang out with those people, I learn from them and I attend those. I show up for those around me. Sometimes people are like, oh, my god, I'm not growing. I'm like, okay, what are you exactly doing to grow? Are you showing up in those communities that other ones are going? Oh no, I just talked to my family and friends. Yeah, they're not the ones who are going to be supporting you.

Speaker 2 8:19

You gotta be out there. You gotta show up for these people so they can know you and show up for you. People underestimate the power of community and showing up on those communities.

Speaker 1 8:31

Yeah, something like that when it comes, especially in the art industry, that is huge, right, because at the end of the day, we all need to be there for one another and support, and you gotta have that good support system In the art field if you're not a person that's out there supporting and really out there. And supporting doesn't mean necessarily just buying their shit, right? Supporting is literally just going to their shows, showing up, just going to their events and being there telling people about them engaging with their community, just talking and just having that people interaction in that community.

Speaker 1 9:08

That's just like that takes it a lot further than what you expect, right? Because, then those? Because you will find that a lot of people that attend these events, they go to a lot of the same events. You start seeing a lot of the same faces.

Speaker 3 9:19

So then when you?

Speaker 1 9:19

start seeing a lot of the same faces. People are then going to be obligated to really kind of just like, want to get to know who you are, what you do, because they constantly see you. Right Now it's this curiosity of like, hey, I always see this person, what do they do? And then it just draws and brings conversations to you and then that's like, and it's like you can't expect to have support if you ain't out there supporting no one.

Speaker 2 9:42

Such one such a and such a. And I tell people like support is not necessary, as you say, not necessarily buying, because I know sometimes some people don't have those funds, but you can share their work, you can tell people about their work, you can even if I can't attend it, I can send it out to my friends. You know, if you're looking for something this weekend, check this out like just connecting and all that, all that helps. And in order for people to do that for you, you gotta be doing that for other people as well. But people always have this mindset oh, buy one to their show, oh, but, but they are, but okay. So there's more to that than just yeah, just buy it.

Speaker 1 10:21

You know what I'm saying, just buy it. You know what I'm saying. Like that's cool and all, but it's like, hey, did you actually talk to them? Did you actually like interact with them and kind of connect and find out a little bit more about it? And you know it's just. You know you have to have conversations, you have to talk to people, right and like and that's what I'm understanding and seeing as well. Like you know, sometimes for me, when I've had events that people showed up for me, I really didn't expect the kind of support that I would have, you know, for my events. But then it kind of like dawned on me, like you know, when I had them and I was like you know what, like I'm always at a people's events and things like that, you know it's like is that is actually is expected for me to have this type of support, right, because I'm always people, my community it doesn't matter who you are, if you're in the art industry, in the art field here in Atlanta, and there's shows within, within driving distance.

Speaker 1 11:10

Whatever, I'm going there, I'm going to see, I'm going to check it out, I'm going to connect with people and it doesn't it doesn't have to be in the same field as me, you know, I just I personally, like to be able to meet everyone in it and because, like I said, that this, this field, is so broad, it's so big, you know, and there's just so many different people, you didn't just, at the end of the day, like you just don't know who that one person might know or might be able to connect to you, exactly, exactly.

Speaker 1 11:35

A lot of us be just missing. We'll be just missing the puzzle pieces. You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 11:41

So you actually are talking and actually explaining your things. When you're, you know, talking to certain people, they might be able to actually help you fill in that puzzle. Like you know, say it might not be them, but they actually might know the person that can. Hey, I know that that guy that actually can do that and need this right now, and you know it's just. That's just how these things work, you know, and that's how it's worked for me these last five years.

Speaker 2 12:02

And that's so true and that's why I like this thing of this way you don't always have to network around. You have to network left, right, corner, up, down, because you never know. And the power of just having those conversations, because look at me, I'm a podcast, right, but if I don't talk about my podcast, I talk to people. I'm never going to have people like you. When I came to do your, when you did my tattoo, I could have just kept quiet, laid over there and be done.

Speaker 2 12:28

But I'm curious being I like talking to anybody and hearing the stories and I just kept on having conversation with you. And next thing, I'm like, oh my God, for real, and because I like making people uncomfortable, Like I literally we've hanged out, like when you do my tattoo, like I just talk shit, like literally I talk shit. And then we ended up talking about mental health and you're just like, oh my God, you wanna come on my podcast. But if I didn't start having that conversation, I wouldn't understand. You're just like and I wouldn't know that, oh my God, there's a perfect guess for my podcast because it kind of aligns with what I'm doing for my podcast. So the power of conversations in people people underestimate that people just like to still have the small talks and I hate small talks. Like I wanna have those deep conversations, Like when I talk, what's your mental health struggle, Like what's wrong with you? Like why are you toxic? Tell me why you're toxic.

Speaker 1 13:17

Yeah, and I'm like I'm very terrible at small talk, Like I don't.

Speaker 1 13:23

You know, and that's just something I've just had.

Speaker 1 13:25

I've really I just haven't really done well with that in my it's just in my past or just even in you know what I'm saying in my present now, like.

Speaker 1 13:33

So it's like when I speak to you and talk to you, like I, you know what I'm saying, I wanna have a legitimate conversation and talk about legitimate things, you know, and just like see what your interests are or you know how you think or just how you might see the world. You know, like those are the conversations I enjoy having and those are just those deep conversations that you know I'm all about like just having and talking with people. Like you know, it's just you know. And then for me it's just about also becoming very open, you know, to talk about my life and the things I've been through, because, like, at the end of the day, man, like just saying that one thing can just either help someone really well or really just help them get to the right place, you know. And then, like I say, that's what I've been learning, it's just being able to be okay with being uncomfortable.

Speaker 2 14:21

You know what?

Speaker 1 14:21

I'm saying Like, that's just like and that's just what we have to be Like. I don't have to necessarily know that I'm saying all the right things, you know, but just like.

Speaker 1 14:30

This is just how I feel you know, and then you know, and then just, yeah, that's just how I balance and interact with conversations. So that's why, like, I can end up, I guess, go into a whole rabbit hole and talk about mental health to someone because, like I said, I've been there, I've done that, like you know, I've had that experience, you know, and this is like I still haven't gotten over it, you know, but that's something that I have to deal with my life now. That's just what I'm learning, as you know, as I get older.

Speaker 2 14:59

And that's the truth. And I feel, like most people, we always think other people have it all together until you have those conversations. As soon as you start opening up and having those uncomfortable, those authentic conversations, you figure out like, oh my God, we actually have similarities, we're all struggling, we're all still just figuring it out, we're all. And then you end up finding more doors are opening to you because you had that conversation and you never know where it ends up leading you or it connects you with. So I feel that Let me ask so, now that we have figured, can you share with us your artistic journey? How has it been for you?

Speaker 1 15:40

So yeah. So, like I said, I got into art in 2014. So at that time, like I said, I didn't have a job. So I realized, like how expensive the craft was, so I didn't actually pick it back up to a year later, when I actually found the job. It started working in IT. So I started working on IT in 2014. And then, like I said, a year later, I picked up art with my now wife. We did a painting sip at the house and she reconnected me again with the paint and then, from that point on, I was like, oh yeah, I forgot that.

Speaker 1 16:13

I tapped into this last year Like, oh, she brought it back to me and I was like, you know what? I got a job. Now I can actually afford to actually do this. I wanna go ahead and just do this in my spare time. So, and I would say, in 2015 is when I actually just started painting for the very first time in my spare time. So I would do it every day, I would get out off work and I would say after that, you know, a year later, that's when I realized like, hey, I think I really wanna like try to pursue this as a path, a career path, you know. So then that's when I just started trying to figure out the right answers in the right way, just trying to reach out to people, which that's when you find out, like don't nobody really have a path, or oh what?

Speaker 2 17:01

There's no formula. There's no real formula, there's no real formula.

Speaker 1 17:06

There's like there's no real formula, there's no roadmap, really Like, you have to really build your own roadmap, you know.

Speaker 1 17:14

So yeah once I realized that I just know that All right. Well, the one thing that people always bring to me is like, yeah, they're always broke. You know what I'm saying? They always have to end up going back to a job to end up paying for their bills. So for me, I created a dream fund, you know. So from that time from 2016 to 2018, I just saved enough money for myself to when I knew I was gonna quit in 2018 and I was gonna take that plunge and just pursue art full time, without necessarily really having any financial success. But I just knew that if I at least had to finance to cover my businesses and my expenses for at least a year and a half, almost two years, then I could figure out the rest within them two years. I was like is there is no way, with my work ethic and just how I work, there's no way I would not make money within a year. Like I will find a way to start making money. So, yeah, so I would say I did. That dream fund In 2018 is when me and my wife quit both of our jobs and we moved to Atlanta June of 2018.

The Value of Volunteering and Mentorship

Speaker 1 18:20

And that is when I became full time self-employed artist and I will say I had no idea what that looked like or what that entailed At first. I thought it was just like me paying every day, but it wasn't so I just had to really like learn how to like create a schedule for myself and create some sort of discipline. Just like, what am I trying to get out of my weeks? Because, like, just painting, like I realized me just painting in my studio all day, every day, is cool, but it's like who the hell is seeing it? And just me posting on Instagram isn't really enough. Like people think that's enough. It's like I actually got to get out there in front of people and actually talk to people. So at that point I really just started doing a lot of events on the weekends, like underground shows, and I probably did all of that all the way up until probably like 2019. Like, I did underground shows and events from 2015 all the way up until 2019. And I did those all over the East Coast DC area, maryland, new York, philly and then, once I moved to Atlanta, I started doing it here in Atlanta. So I took that same little method and just applied it to myself here in Atlanta full time. So every weekend I would just do events and I would meet people in the community, and then that's kind of how I landed here.

Speaker 1 19:41

Where I am today is at Peter Street Station. I did a show here and then at that point they were saying it was offering volunteers to build out the space. And for me it was like, okay, well, the space needed, there was an abandoned building, so they just needed help and volunteers to help build out this space. So I volunteered to help build out the space. In return, I was mentored and basically just given a blueprint you know what I'm saying and that's the way that I could work, to how I could use it, to my career path of being a painter. And, yeah, that's pretty much led me to here, to where I am today. You know what I'm saying. And then from that point I became a tattoo artist. I also have a framing business and I am a painter, you know. But I learned all of those three things under this roof here at Peter Street Station.

Speaker 2 20:34

And you say something so important over there. You know People always think volunteering or even doing internship or because they're not getting paid, it's a waste of time. But if you're actually paying attention you get much more worth out of that than that money you could have gotten, because I mean I could have gotten paid and went and bought beers and smoke. Then the money is gone, but the knowledge you end up getting, the mentorship you get, that's something you probably couldn't afford to buy it, those classes, because the coaches being paid and charging you a lot, you know to get a personal development coach mentorship it'll be costing a lot. So to get it just for volunteering your time and look how it has set you successful, that's priceless over there.

Speaker 1 21:23

You know what I'm saying so a lot of people really didn't really they didn't really understand that you know they're like well, dad, you really helping doing all that stuff.

Speaker 1 21:30

It's like you know, I used to work like I really turned to volunteer into like my part time slash full time job. So I would spend 10 and 12 hour days here six days a week. You know what I'm saying. So I worked it as a full time job, but at me it's like I didn't have a full time job and art was my full time job. So if me volunteering my time for 10 hours out the day, like I was cool with that because for me I was me learning something new in return, so it's something I can apply you say I can apply it to my lifestyle and that's how I saw this whole volunteer shift like volunteer and mentorship here you know what I'm saying. It's just being able to take something and be able to apply to how I wanna live, how I wanna live my life. You know it was, at the end of the day, I don't really need the money value. I can make the money for myself if.

Speaker 1 22:19

I got the right tools to do it, you know.

Speaker 2 22:22

And that's the mindset, cause I've worked the social security jobs, I've worked the Kroger, I've worked the home goods and every job I've worked. They would even tell those coworkers like I take it very serious and I like to run everything and anything, cause I'm not just gonna take it oh, I work at a grocery store or whatever, so I'm gonna take it like that. No, cause there's always something to run if you pay attention and most of the shit either will set you up once you have your business, cause I ended learning how to do cash office, how to do this and those are things. In that moment I'm thinking what am I gonna need them for? But once you're starting your own business or brand or building something, there's some of that shit which comes to play. You're like, damn, I'm so glad I learned that shit At least I have I might not know the new pop-up, but at least at the surface level I can do that shit because I paid attention.

Speaker 2 23:11

But it's all the mindset. If you do decide to put your mindset like, okay, let me not just take it as a job, job just wasting my time, like let me see what I can learn from it, what mentorship I can get from the people who are here how they can push me forward in any direction. Cause even those people over there, if they see you're serious, you might live there and in the near future they might remember you for something different and give you a call like hey, I remember you used to be very interested in this. Are you looking for this opportunity? She knows what happens, but nobody thinks farther ahead. People are just always like but what am I getting right now?

Speaker 1 23:51

Now instant gratification. You know what I'm saying and that's what a lot of people, especially like with my generation and then the newer generation, like there, where, like you know, there's just that instant gratification. It's like, hey, I did this for you, so what are you gonna do for me now in return? Like it's like I immediately want my return after I just did that, did that help for you? And it's just like, just be patient, you know.

Speaker 2 24:12

Yeah, cause I remember when.

Speaker 1 24:15

It's key.

Speaker 2 24:16

It really is. I remember when I started my podcast, right as I started, everybody was like so how are you getting paid? How much are you making? How many downloads I'm like brah, let me first figure out if I even like it. Let me see if I actually wanna Like. Right now I'm just enjoying doing it. Like, how are you gonna ask me how much I'm making when I just have one episode and I don't know shit about this? It's still mediocre. It's still like come on, man, make it make sense. But then once I decided, okay, I love this, I wanna invest more in this, then I started actually pouring into it and taking it and I'm like you all can't expect me to be a Joe Rogan. When he started he had different background. He had all the money to do the marketing. He had the people around him. I'm no one from there, so I'm not gonna be Joe Rogan today or tomorrow, but best believe I'm a fucking.

Discover Passion, Overcome Challenges, Fulfill Career

Speaker 1 25:09

Make it there hey baby steps, though it's baby steps and it's about consistency. You know what I'm saying, so, but it's like also like when you're for me. What I learned is like, if you tie a dollar amount to it, like you just gonna lose interest eventually, right, because you would have-.

Speaker 2 25:25

Pushing, you gotta be pushing it to buy it.

Speaker 1 25:26

Yeah, I mean you know what I'm saying. Like you know what I'm saying, because you're gonna lose interest in the dollar. Like you know what I'm saying, you end up making it just like, oh man, like I'm just, I'm bored and like I feel like I had. That's where I had reached my life right.

Speaker 3 25:38

Like I got my engineering degree.

Speaker 1 25:39

I worked in IT and I reached a certain level and then you know what I'm saying I was making really good money but I was extremely unhappy. You know what I'm saying? I'm just like, damn, I really got everything I wanted and worked towards these last like five years in college and all of that shit, you know and so but I was just like, why am I so unhappy? And it was like for me I had to ask that question. It was like I truly really never really enjoyed it to the front where I would do this for free in a point Like I did this.

Speaker 1 26:06

One, I knew I could make money from it, really good money from it. And two is just like it was just the easiest thing that came to me like and it's just like, if I'm gonna go to school, I was like I'm gonna go to school for this because, like, I'm least interested in this. But like for me and I kind of knew it in college that it really wasn't for me because, like, a lot of my classmates did a lot of the things on that spare time and for me I didn't do that shit in my spare time. So for me I'd already had that trigger in my mind I was like I don't really love this, like I think I love it, but I don't love it as much as they do, because I don't do half of the shit they do outside.

Speaker 1 26:42

If you don't ask me to do it for homework or something like that. I'm not bothered, I'm not. You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 2 26:48

I gotta even overthink doing the homework, and you're trying to tell me I gotta do this on my spare time as well. Fuck nah.

Speaker 1 26:54

Yeah, you know what I'm saying. So when I realized that I was like yo, like yeah, I was like well, it's gonna pay well when I'm in the long run, like, I was like fuck it, you know, it's gonna pay long, you know but you know and then I was like everything happens for a reason and yeah that's how I spoured into depression. You know what I'm saying, just like. And that's so true, received everything that I had, but then felt lost.

Speaker 1 27:15

You know what I'm saying, and I didn't know how to get out of it, you know, because it's like I worked so hard and I thought this is what I wanted and, yeah, I just didn't know where to go after that, like, and for me, at that point I didn't know about starting over, didn't wanna start over, because I was like yo, I'm 25. Like you know, it's like fuck starting over. I've just graduated college, just got a job, just kinda got my life figure. You tell me I'm about to start all over again, but I had to do that, like, yeah, you know what I'm saying. So that's what I had to do and that's how I ended up with my whole art career I have today is just, you know, I had to just be willing to start over.

Speaker 1 27:52

And, like you were saying that mindset thing with just like with my jobs, like I used to hate going there so much because I was just so miserable. But after a while I had to realize like, hey, the reason why I'm going to this job is because this is fueling my future dream job for me being a painter. So I gotta deal with this for the next two and a half years. But this is my angle and this is a temporary situation I'm in. This is not forever, and that's all you have to tell myself every day, just so I could get myself up and actually be there you know what I'm saying and spend time without looking miserable.

Speaker 2 28:27

Trust me, I know that feeling. That's what I'm telling myself now, and only because, because I know I gotta still do that to grow my, my, my talk show with P. And then eventually but in the beginning as well, and that's the thing about part when you say, don't put a doll on it. That's why, when I started my podcast, I didn't wanna think about the downloads, the numbers, how to make money, just follow it. Yeah, in my head it was like I just found something that's curing me from my depression right now, something I'm excited about. But the more I kept doing it, the more I kept loving it.

Speaker 2 29:04

Two years later, I started going to conferences, started showing up and getting excited and wanting to be around people. So this one, I was like, okay, fuck, now I wanna do this forever. I wanna work in this industry, I wanna grow this industry, but I needed first to make sure that I'm enjoying it without actually being paid, without even making money. Am I really loving it or am I just gonna love it Because, oh my God, I can get paid to talk shit? No, and something is said here about how, when you went full in, you thought all you would be doing is painting, all there. It's like also in your podcast. You're like oh, all I'm doing is talking my shit in, but oh my God, you realize, there's editing, there's promoting, there's creating content, there's attending conferences, there's learning new things, there's. I was like okay, so it's a whole full time job.

Speaker 2 29:58

It's not there's more to it than just creating.

Speaker 1 30:02

Yeah, man, like some, it's a lot of people. That's why, with that whole great resignation situation that we had with the whole pandemic, now that it's over, I think a lot of people started that business and a lot on the field they realized like, oh shit, like fucking, being a business owner is a lot harder than these folks on the internet making it look.

Speaker 2 30:25

There's a lot more to it, god, these.

Speaker 1 30:29

Don't fall for those 15 second clips.

Speaker 2 30:32

And the more I keep working on building my brand, the more you realize more money is going out than the money will start coming in cause. Everything fine for your business paperwork, everything requires money. And you're just like Damn, that's what I'm saying. You really need to love and enjoy what you're doing to turn it into a business Cause, otherwise you're gonna fail, it's gonna drain you, it's gonna yeah, I'm gonna do all those things, or trust me.

Speaker 1 31:03

I've had those days where I don't know what the fuck I'm doing, like you actually really want to do this, you know, and.

Speaker 2 31:09

I and then you keep seeing others behind you, Behind you, like my day, should just you know.

Speaker 1 31:15

You start filling out job applications and then you just been like, nah, I can't do this right here yeah. And I'm willing to stick out whatever headache I got and figure it out. Like you know, it is what it is. I can't go back to that though.

Speaker 2 31:31

So true. So your approach to abstract is very fascinating. You're incorporating unconventional tools like scrap wood and old clouds. Oh my God, Like where did this idea, this style of yours, come from?

Speaker 1 31:47

So, like that is, from taking my time with painting.

Speaker 1 31:52

I first was a figurative painter and an illustration painter, so that was how I got my career started. I got into art through abstract and then you learn that abstraction is a lot harder than people imagine it to be. So for me, just studying art, I eventually ended up pushing myself to doing abstract full time around the pandemic. And then from that time I knew I had to find my voice. And I felt my voice literally, just, I would say, from just like I look at my lifestyle, like I'm trying my best to practice a zero waste lifestyle, trying to at least understand it, trying to be very, very more conscious of, necessarily, the waste that I create as a human being. So like that's, just like that's how everything kind of started to formulate. And one day I was also broke, you know, and I was like I can't go buy no canvases because for me I don't spend money on a craft that isn't necessarily bringing me money at the moment. You know what I'm saying. That's what I've had to learn. So it's like I can't really I can't be fueling a business that isn't bringing in any money, right? So anytime I make money with that business, I put it back into it.

Speaker 1 33:09

So at the time I really wasn't making any money from painting. So I was like I can't be using my money that I make from tattooing and all that just to try to fuel that, because then that's gonna put me in a hole somewhere else, you know. So I was like, hey, I mean I got all of this material around me, I have this paper, I have this advertisement stuff. I was like all of this stuff is used in artwork. You know what I'm saying. People apply it to canvases. You know so for me, it's like I can just build my canvas from these materials from scratch, like, and then I can just paint on top of that. You know so it's just like all of these, all of this material that I'm gonna necessarily throw away or recycle, I now can have endless of material to build and make my canvases from without a cost of me necessarily having to go to the art store. So that's how that necessarily was born and created.

Speaker 1 33:59

And at this point now I am just like. You know. It also ties into my lifestyle and who I am as a person. You know For me, I went and got an engineering degree, went in IT, decided you know what, like that really isn't the life that I want. I'm actually gonna be a painter and this is what I'm gonna do. So I'm all about second chances. You know what I'm saying? I believe in them and I believe that when you have that opportunity of a second chance, you take it and you make something beautiful out of it, and that's what I'm doing.

Speaker 1 34:30

All of this stuff I'm taking all of these things that I either was too small, too ugly you know what I'm saying or broken People give up on them.

Speaker 2 34:41

They don't give up on it. Lift and run.

Speaker 1 34:45

Yeah, it's been hanging around for a long time and it's just you know what I'm saying. So it's like all of these things that you know, sometimes people just don't want to let go, you know. So for me it's like, hey, you know what, instead of me just getting rid of you, I'm gonna now put you in a new setting you know what I'm saying and recreate you in a different setting and make you beautiful in that way, you know, through my painting. And that's how I'm able to give all these materials a second chance to be somewhere else, instead of just end up in the landfill somewhere.

Speaker 2 35:15

I like that second chance. So would you say you have a specific process on choosing these materials to create the texture and visuals you are, or it just kind of whatever that day is feeling.

Speaker 1 35:31

It's not like it's not extremely thought out to that per se right Like. For me, it's more or less like as I collect these materials they take interest from the time I collect it.

Speaker 1 35:44

So for me, like I say, I automatically keep all the advertisement papers I get sent in the mail, like all that advertisement from Burger King, all the companies and all that stuff, cause I find that stuff is very good just based up, to just to start my platform on you know what I'm saying, because one you get so much of it, you know. And then I specifically save certain fabrics and clothing due to just necessarily the texture of the clothing, the color of the clothing or if there's a certain type of pattern. So that's where I might hold those. Now, for me, using this stuff, I just necessarily use what I have in hand. But I've already thought, they've already had the thought process of I've already liked it and wanted it because that's why I kept it. So I'm just not keeping everything and then trying to figure out if I want it later. It's like if I've already put it in the bag, I've already something already intriguing.

Speaker 2 36:38

Your mind has always started processing, from when you decided to keep it.

Speaker 1 36:44

Yeah, that what is going to be used and how it's going to be used. And that's typically how a lot of my stuff goes. You know what I'm saying, cause sometimes, like when I have all this stuff bonded together, like all these papers and these cardboard and stuff, I'd be like, hey, you know what I need, that piece of fabric that I had or such and such. And I was like, oh, let me go through this bag and see if I can find it. You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 3 37:04

And then I was like oh, there it goes you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 37:06

So it's like you know that's just how my mind kind of necessarily working that way.

Solo Show, Hometown, Artistic Integrity

Speaker 1 37:10

But like if the actual material itself has some sort of specific meaning. I really wouldn't say, per se, None of the works that I did in the past, but for my solo show I am trying to convey that you know what I'm saying With these new pieces. That's the reason why my solo show is going to be title second chances, and they're going to be a little bit more thought out with the materials of what is precisely used. And I want this to be sort of dedicated to where I come from. So I want to use things from my actual hometown and stuff like that. So you know, and then I'm trying not to pay as much over these materials. So then for people can actually see that they what they were beforehand, Because right now I saturate it so much with paint but sometimes people don't even realize that they are, that the entire piece is made from reclaimed material. You know what I'm saying? Like every aspect of it is made from reclaimed material.

Speaker 2 38:12

Nice. So when is the second chances solo show.

Speaker 1 38:15

That's going to be next year, so it'll be around Mother's Day weekend. The second one.

Speaker 3 38:20

Nice.

Speaker 2 38:22

And where's your hometown? You said it's going to affect your hometown, so where is hometown?

Speaker 1 38:27

Hometown. I am from Martinsville, virginia. It is a small town in Virginia, southwest Virginia.

Speaker 2 38:34

You are a small town boy Making it in the big city as an artist.

Speaker 1 38:40

Look at that. Oh my God, that's what I say there's a nature with you.

Speaker 2 38:47

I'm a country music lover. Like I keep telling people and I need to find myself a country boy, because country boy is not an understanding of love. When you listen to those songs you're just like can I get a country boy? Because this rap and hip hop clearly don't know shit. So I'm going to need you to hook me up with your country single friends. Okay, I'm looking for country boy. So you're also a tattoo artist. Would you say the way you create your artist influence how you do your tattoos?

Speaker 1 39:26

Nah, I would say my tattoos is just necessarily comes from like, it comes from a deconstructive mind state. Yeah, I'm saying so for me. For a tattoo, I see an image. I want to deconstruct it, put it back together in its most simplest form and then make it to where it's still there, without what we're moving chunks of it. You know what I'm saying. So what's about for me is like breaking things down and putting it back together. That's how I see tattooing.

Speaker 2 39:54

Has there ever been somebody who has told you listen, I want this piece? And you've been like no fuck, I ain't drawing that piece.

Speaker 1 40:02

I mean honestly. I mean it's just, it's more or less like people are sending photos beforehand and I let them know. I was like yeah. I don't do that I don't know what I do and it's like I can do something similar. I can do something on my flair, otherwise I'm not. There's no need for weed for us to continue on going back and forth, you know you might not want to.

Speaker 2 40:24

No time wasting. Ain't nobody got time to waste, that's exactly what you want.

Speaker 1 40:30

Then I was like I'm not the artist for you.

Speaker 2 40:33

And I like that. Some people tend, when you already know what you are good at, or even it's not being good at, when you already know what gives you pleasure in doing, like it's okay to say no to other things. I feel like some people end up getting lost in the misses because they get hungry for the money. That, okay, fine, I'll do that, but that's not your brand, that's not your out of the norm, that's not. You end up confusing people. You end up losing yourself. You end up wondering like, oh fuck.

Speaker 1 41:06

You confuse your own.

Speaker 2 41:08

Yeah, the universe doesn't even know how to end up blessing you, because you just running all over because you're greedy yeah, greedy, greedy.

Speaker 1 41:18

Yeah, I mean, at the end of the day, you still gotta be conscientious of how you except some blessings right, Like every yes isn't a good yes you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 41:29

Like I mean that's just point blank. Like I mean you don't have to say yes to everything. Like if it doesn't align to necessarily how you see yourself or see your brand, then you shouldn't necessarily go with it. It doesn't matter how much they pay in or what they are, what your like end results will be. And I feel if you're morally, if aren't like really connected to something or it doesn't align with you, you shouldn't do it at all. Like you know what I'm saying. Like you shouldn't force yourself to be doing shit that you don't wanna do.

The Power of Saying No

Speaker 2 41:59

That's so true. There was a time, like recently I'm doing my last season a company hit me up, they found me and it was like my first sponsorship email and I was like so excited oh my God, you know, this is one that I didn't reach out to them. They found me, they reached out. You know, you get that excitement like I'm a big person now, people reaching out to me, yeah, and then I didn't even know how. I didn't even have media kit. That's when it was also like a wake up call to go do a media kit and shit.

Speaker 2 42:30

And then we went back and forth on the pricing and they didn't agree with my pricing. And then something told me you know what, paula, and I was very hung with the money, like I was like counting on that money. But I looked at it and I was like you know, what they're branding doesn't also kind of go with me, so it's okay to say no to it. I was like it's all right, maybe next time. You know, maybe it's not the right time for us to work.

Speaker 2 42:56

And then next thing I know I got another better sponsorship deal where I'm not getting paid but I'm getting the help with writing a book that I've been wanting to write for two years but I've been stuck and not wanting to do it and I was like I actually want this sponsorship more better. I wanna finish my book this year. And then the helpman, they're giving me that and we have been working on my book right now. So I'm like you know what. It's okay to sometimes go with your instincts and saying no, however much you want that money, cause you never know what better deal, cause if I had taken that I wouldn't have got this and then I would have had to pay more money to get their help with writing my book. And now I'm getting it for free for them sponsoring my book. And so I'm like sometimes it's okay to say no, cause if you feel in your heart it's not your brand or something tells you, I always fall my instincts. I'm just like, yeah, something doesn't seem right here, it's okay, I'll pass on that.

Speaker 1 43:53

Yeah, yeah, we have to be okay with like, like feeling that and being like oh yeah, I'm not feeling it Like my gut, like having that gut feeling, like is everything Like, and it's okay to listen to that gut sometimes because it was right.

Speaker 2 44:09

So how did you get into tattooing?

Speaker 1 44:12

So I got into tattooing through here, being at Peter Street station. So I said this building is actually owned by Maya Bailey, who is also a entrepreneur, an artist, tattoo artist, and he's the co-founder of City of Inc, which is a couple blocks down. That is the flagship shop which has been around for about 13, 14 years, I wanna say, in Calcibury Hill. So, yeah, this is his space and that's why I started volunteering here under his space helping them build this space out. And, like I said, me being in this space, I was seeing him tattooing and kind of just seeing that whole process and then, like, for Maya, he has his own style of tattooing, so like people who actually get his actual artwork. So when I saw his how he paint, transfer it to his skin, I was like, oh, that's fire, that's dope, like I don't gotta actually like copy and just like put people's ideas, like I can actually have my own like actually creative way and take it from there. So they're like.

Speaker 1 45:11

When I learned that from him, I kind of like, hey, you think I can learn how to tattoo. He was like, of course, like would you teach me? He was like, of course I teach you. Like you know what I'm saying what. You know what I'm saying, like you're helping with this building and like that's the least I could do is you know what I'm saying, teach you, and you know what I'm saying, be my apprentice. He was like I was hoping you was gonna ask to be my apprentice. You know what I'm saying. But yeah, and that's just how that happened and I ended up just asking to be his apprentice and, yeah, I ended up being his apprentice around 2019. And I did my apprenticeship for two years.

Speaker 2 45:45

And you see the power of volunteering. Because you started volunteering your time there, it ended up giving you more. You learning more skills, which are also now your part of your financial stream. Like, look at that and cause you could have had to spend a lot more going to either tattoo school or paying somebody to teach you, but you go learning that from just volunteering your time and the power of asking.

Speaker 2 46:13

I feel like most people are so scared about asking because they fear of the word no. I tell people shoot your shirt. Even if you get a no, you're already on a no. Right, and we talked about this that day. Like if they say no, you're already on a no. So it's not like you're losing shit. But then otherwise it could be a yes and you get. Now you're at a two in a tattoo show. Or it could be like okay, you know I'm not the right person for you, but I know the right person who can be able to give you this kind of service, but nobody's going to feed you if you're not opening your mouth. To be fair, yeah, exactly.

Speaker 1 46:47

And then, just to speak on the whole apprenticeships like most apprenticeships they say, mine would say can range anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000.

Speaker 2 46:56

That's what people would like Look at that.

Speaker 1 46:57

Tattoo apprenticeships, yeah.

Speaker 2 46:59

Look at that.

Speaker 1 46:59

Look at that, look at that, look at that. There's a lot of tattoos where it's just hard to breathe.

Speaker 2 47:04

It's like All you have to do is volunteer your time and it saved you five to 10,000. Like, look at that. I told people like, change this mindset, I'm doing it for free. Or like I have my friend Malaysia Actually, when we came to that event it was her birthday.

Speaker 2 47:21

She does events and half of the time she will. She will include me when she's doing certain events. She'll be like hey, you want to host this event, you want to do this and the one she can pay me. She'll tell me upfront like hey, this one, I can get you this. And then another one. She'll be like this one, I can't get you any shit.

Speaker 2 47:37

I'm like that's fine, I'm sitting in the room, because either way I would have to pay a ticket to come in the room. But if I'm working and I like working these events like conferences or networking events, cause when you're working them you actually get to meet more people, especially when I'm checking you in or anything, you get the first event end with me. I talk to you and then later on people always end up coming to stand around there and I'm very charming. I always make people find me at the end of the day and come talk to me again. So I'm like I volunteer four hours. It's like I'm not getting paid. I would still if I said no, I would still have to buy a ticket and come. So if that's how my ticket, I will work.

Speaker 2 48:18

The event it's okay, like. But I'm in that room with people I don't know whether those connections will lead to, but even if they don't lead anywhere, I will learn something, cause it's a networking event, they have panels, they have something. How did they learn something? So it's okay to give up your time, few hours of your time, for free shit Cause you never know. You never know.

Speaker 1 48:42

Yeah, man, it's just cause, I mean, the power of knowledge is so much more valuable. Yeah.

Speaker 1 48:47

So, true, yeah, that's it. It's priceless, you know, like you know, and they have someone to actually that's been in that field and things like that, to really properly teach you. It's just like it's a way. Yeah, I could have been a self-taught tattoo artist, but then it would have took me a lot longer to be a better tattoo artist. Right, like you know what I'm saying, because most of a lot of self-taught tattoo artists their first couple of years they're fucking people up.

Speaker 2 49:10

You know what I'm saying? They so much YouTube can teach you. They so much YouTube can teach you.

Speaker 1 49:16

I know, but there's certain things that you you want to say that you actually got to have a profession, kind of show you way, you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 49:23

I always say tattooing is one of those things. Yeah, like you can learn a lot more skills afterwards, whatever, but I would say that initial skill, like you probably need somebody to kind of be watching over making sure you ain't going too deep into the skin and certain things like that. But once you got that then, yeah, you know what I'm saying. You can learn a lot more from YouTube, but I wouldn't recommend anyone. I was like, yeah, you just picked that up on YouTube. Like, nah, you should go get an apprenticeship under a professional tattoo artist, learn from them and then pick up some more shit from YouTube. You know what?

Speaker 2 49:52

I'm saying and that's the truth, and look at that. Once you asked, the guy himself was like I thought you'd never ask. Sometimes these people are waiting for you to ask because if I'm going to waste my time, I'm not going to come ask if you're interested. I need you to show initiative like you really want. I will give you my time.

Speaker 1 50:12

Exactly exactly.

Speaker 2 50:15

So where does your inspiration come from? Because we're not in creative. There's always this creative block right. So how do you deal with that? Where does your inspiration come from?

Speaker 1 50:25

Me personally, I don't really believe in a creative block. You know what I'm saying Personally me, I find that, long as you're actively working towards that graph every single day, there is some sort of creativity that will spark. So for me, I don't really need much inspiration other than me waking up in the morning. The fact is that I'm able to wake up and breathe. That's enough inspiration for me to actually go downstairs and create, because I have another day to just be able to do whatever it is I want to do. So the fact is that I can wake up every day and do. That is my inspiration.

Speaker 2 51:11

Have you ever thought of being a motivational speaker?

Speaker 1 51:17

No, no, no, no.

Speaker 2 51:23

I know I'm not the first one who has probably mentioned this to you. Yeah, yeah, yeah, we're going to suck on to that in the near future, because me and you are now besties for life.

Influences on Creativity and Work Ethic

Speaker 1 51:38

Yeah, man, I'm inspired by life. Just me being able to live and breathe For me I have to actively be working and doing my hands.

Speaker 1 51:48

Like I said, I was raised extremely hard working as a child. I've been working in the yards and stuff since I was eight, nine years old, so I've had this concept of just being able to. Just like I said, I don't like to sit down, so for me it's just like I have to actively be working. Me sitting idle for a long period of time it feels weird at a time If I'm not actually physically resting.

Speaker 2 52:21

I just can't just I was COVID for you.

Speaker 1 52:26

It was a struggle, you know, because I like to leave my house so I could leave my crib. It was just like well, fuck, where do I go? What do I do with myself now? Because, like I, don't like sitting around the house like just you know, saying I ain't got nothing to do so for me. I had to find a lot of things to just try to keep me active, you know.

Speaker 2 52:49

I feel you. I mean, I ended up with a podcast during COVID because I literally went from having two jobs and me and Malaysia were planning on this party because she was launching a company. We literally didn't cancel until last week because it was supposed to happen on 4.20. And we're like, oh my God. They say it's only two weeks lockdown, let's keep going. It's going to come and the day I was told don't go to work, we're locked down. I was like, oh my God, you know what. I needed this break. I'm going to do all this shit.

Speaker 2 53:19

I ended up doing everything on my list on that one afternoon and I was looking at myself as I. That was supposed to be shit to last me two weeks. Now, what do I do with myself? What do I do Literally? And if I end up drinking, I'm like, okay, I can't keep drinking, I need something. That's when I ended up having a podcast and I started getting excited and doing shit. But I hate being bored, I hate not doing something. Like I will even wake up and just be like fine, I need content, I need new pictures. I'll just go find a place with my trap set and dress up and start taking pictures and creating content on the street. I'm like you know what this is content for a whole week, so good. But I can't just sit around. It feels like I'm cheating on life.

Speaker 1 54:09

It does, it does. You know what I'm saying? Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to say that I don't sit around and binge.

Speaker 2 54:15

I do too. Trust me, I do yeah.

Speaker 1 54:18

And I definitely have my days, but for me, if I did it two days in a row, I'd be like bro, you got to get your life together. You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 2 54:27

You know, you only allow one of those days. That's what I do. If I end up on Saturday not doing shit, then Sunday I'll have to do shit. But if Saturday I was content, creating, I was doing what, and then Sunday I'd be like you know what? I'm allowed to be a little bit lazy the whole weekend. I work, but I try to balance it to what I'm saying. It's important to give yourself grace. But if I say this weekend I was lazy and then the next weekend again I'm lazy, like that shit will eat me up. I'll be like Paula, you already had the whole weekend last week. Get up, do something, figure it out, create something Something, go out, go swim. I'll leave Steven and just go meet people, go walk, go around. At least I need to do something. But I can't just be lazy. So now you already told us you come from a small town, a country boy. So would you say, coming to Atlanta and it being a big city and the culture in Atlanta that most fears it, influence your creative expression.

Speaker 1 55:30

Yeah, I would say, but I think the big cities has always influenced my creativity. For me, I've always wanted to live in bigger cities. I mean, I left home at 18 and I never went back.

Speaker 1 55:42

Just to remind you, I left at 18 and I never went back Not as I visit, but I've never lived that home since I've been 18. So when I left home at 18, I went to Newport News, Virginia, which was a bigger city near Virginia Beach, and I was out there for five years and even during those summer periods I didn't come home, I stayed out there. So five years I did there and then I went to DC after I graduated college and then I was up in DC for four and a half years before I came to Atlanta. So I was like I've always had the. For me it was just trying to find the right city that I can finally call home. And Atlanta has, I would say, has, given me that. It's the first city where it's like I don't feel like, yeah, that's the first city where I've said, oh, I'm going home.

Speaker 2 56:35

I feel like you would also kind of blend in very well in New Orleans.

Speaker 1 56:40

New Orleans. I've never been, I've never been. I still gotta go, that's one place I've been.

Speaker 2 56:45

There's no offense. I'm a big fan of your wife and I've been stalking her Instagram page and I know you guys love to eat and I've seen the way like you can.

Speaker 1 56:54

So I feel like, I'm like, I feel like New Orleans, her and her mom is actually going to New Orleans. In a couple of weeks she's taking her mom to New Orleans for the first time.

Speaker 2 57:04

And my wife's.

Speaker 1 57:05

Haitian. So it's like, oh yeah, tell your wife.

Speaker 2 57:08

tell your wife she has forever welcome on, talks she With you. I've become such a fan and I even follow both her pages. I'm like I hope she doesn't feel like I'm a creeper- but you know when you're in this journey, those are the people you follow. Because she's in content, creating space I know she has a podcast I'm like, yes, and I was like after I feel I was like let me first interview the boo, then one day I'll pull up on a DM and be like hey, girl, hey.

Speaker 1 57:40

She would definitely be down. She would definitely be down, man. Like I say, she does. Well, like I said, she has a podcast as well. I know that she hasn't recorded much this year because I know we've been moving and renovating and then, like I said, you got to. Sometimes it'd be like that yeah, running a business and then, like I say, people don't realize how much work goes into a podcast. When you got to actually record it, do all of your own thing If you're a one man team, like you know, sam.

Speaker 2 58:10

One time on Clubhouse I went off with this lady because she was telling people because I was talking about oh, my podcast goes on break, like I do 15 episodes a season. I take a one month break, then the next month I come I do record one month, then that's where the episodes come out in September. That way I'm just concentrating on promoting and editing and all that. And then this lady was telling people like no, you shouldn't take breaks, people will forget you, people will find something else. I'm like even shows on TV go on breaks and we still get excited on the season is coming back up and we still watch all shows, we binge on them while we wait. I'm like you are talking like that because you just go into the studio, you record and you have a whole team that does the marketing. If I had people who do that, trust me, I will go on year round. I have to do a city and just talk shit and everybody does everything.

Speaker 2 59:07

I would tell people don't get a break. But if I'm doing recording, editing, looking for guests, promoting, and I still have a full time job and I'm still showing up for people and everything, you're going to drain yourself and you're still not getting paid yet and you're going to lose interest because you're going to be so overwhelmed that it's okay to take breaks, because when you take a break you figure out okay, like right now, your wife's show is on a break, she's taking a break. It might give her ideas of when she comes back. She has rebranded, she has a different vision of how she wants to take it. It gives you a different perspective. It also makes you remember why your wife is, why you're doing it or maybe what you want to switch up.

Speaker 2 59:50

So it's okay to take a break If people don't lose interest on some shows. Don't come back for all year. I mean, look at movies. You would wait two years for a new movie to come out and you would still be excited. As long as you are engaging with your audience and keeping them up to date and staying, trust me, people will stay. But don't listen to these so-called gurus who all they have to do is 5% or 100%.

Speaker 1 1:00:21

Yeah, yeah, I would say it'd be nice to get to that point, but as of right now you got to take breaks.

Speaker 2 1:00:27

when you're on a break, yeah, and do what you want to do. As long as you're honest with your audience and your people trust me, they'll wait for you. And as long as your content is still what they require, people will find you. Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 1 1:00:43

And they would still say definitely, still check you out.

Speaker 2 1:00:46

Yeah, and when I go and break, some people are like oh my God, I'm so glad you went on break because it's giving me time to catch up, because not everybody is listening as soon as it comes out. Some people just like our shows, some Netflix shows. I wait for the entire season to be over so I can binge watch it on one show. Some people have it too for first podcast. Like, let me wait for until the season so I can binge watch it throughout. And people tell me oh my God, I'm so glad you went on break. It gives me time to catch up. By the time you're back with your next episode and I'm like oh, thank you for that feedback. That's very helpful because it makes me feel not guilty. And even though I'm on break, my social media is still active. I still share posts on my episodes and keep you updated. I'm still working on content creator. Come on, man, it's okay to take a break on your podcast or your art or your anything. Don't lose your mental health and that shit.

Speaker 1 1:01:43

And I trust me, I've learned tremendously a lot within these last five years on just all of that Shit. I used to stress a lot. I think I would say within this last year I've gotten better at not stressing.

Speaker 2 1:02:02

It takes time and work.

Speaker 1 1:02:06

It does, Because when you are self-employed, especially when you're in the art field, it can be some scarce months. Sometimes you can be like, damn, where is the next check coming from? Ain't nobody buying no art? Nobody's booking no tattoos, Nobody's buying no frames. Those are my three ways to make money and they ain't either one of them making me no money. It's like what the hell am I about to do? What the hell am I about to do? You know you start a quarrel and you make the right choice in life.

Speaker 2 1:02:42

It's been stressful times.

Speaker 1 1:02:46

But at the end of the day I can say, by the time I need that finance or whatever it is, it shows up. If it just be a day before or something like that, at the end of the day for me I can say that it has always shown up, and if it hasn't, I wouldn't be here today. I have not went back to anyone's job in five years, so it's working.

Speaker 2 1:03:22

And that's in believing yourself and also following your own roadmap. I think also most of us, when we get into this creative space, we want to copy somebody else's roadmap and compare, but that journey was different. That roadmap was suitable for you. You just concentrate on your journey, do you? Because once you start copying other people's journey, you lose your identity. And once you lose your identity, you can copy, as you can go and copy even Richard Branson's roadmap and he won't take you nowhere because you have lost your identity. So stick on your own roadmap. Just worry about you and your work. Stop comparing, get inspired, but don't compare, because everybody's roadmap is suitable for them. Their journey is suitable for them. You don't want to go like here. Look at a strong talking about he got alone from his father to do to get his business up there. Now how are you going to compare yourself to somebody who has given a check of whatever money to go start his business? And you are doing it by paycheck to paycheck. Make sense.

Speaker 2 1:04:29

You know you gotta shift your mindset and just concentrate on your journey and your identity.

Speaker 1 1:04:37

Indeed.

Speaker 2 1:04:38

Indeed. So art has a unique way of connecting people, right? Can you share a story of a memorable interaction or impact your art as I don't. Someone said I know I know the master of being somebody who came up to you and shared how your art is impacted them.

Speaker 1 1:04:59

Oh yeah, I mean. I've had a person come up to me crying before, and this is actually one of my older pieces from in the past.

Speaker 1 1:05:09

It was titled A Trap Reality and this is when I was going through a time when I was still working in corporate America and I was just like I was fully, fully feeling trapped, you know what I'm saying Like I didn't know how to get out of the situation and I painted this picture of a guy in a suit but yet when he saw himself in a mirror it was just a torn down suit, chained down.

Speaker 1 1:05:33

You know what I'm saying In reality, you know what I'm saying. But on the outside he looked like this clean, nice business man that had his life together, you know. And when I got saw that man, he just started crying, you know, and came and asked if he could hug me. He was saying an accent, like if I back and explain the situation, because he's like what I see in this photo is I feel like my life is going through that right now. And then when I kind of explain the situation, he said exactly what I'm going through and like you know what I'm saying, for me it was just like I was just like what the fuck? I was like I mean, that's what I'm going through too, man. That's why I'm here. I'm just the power of art.

Speaker 1 1:06:08

You know what I'm saying. So it's just like that was probably one of the most probably I would say probably the most powerful ones, that, just like I don't know, I haven't had, you know, since Mike come up and just cried in me. You know what I'm saying. This is a grown ass man crying to me too, so it's just like it threw me off. You know what I'm saying. Like he just brought tears to his eyes.

Speaker 2 1:06:27

I must have been. I really like fuck, I'm good at what I do, because to make somebody cry, it's like when I get a review on Apple about my podcast and I'm like, oh my God, a stranger just put something out of listening to my shit, and especially if it's a grown ass man, you're like damn, this piece that I created for emotions literally a grown ass man. Cry and resonate to it. That must be like refreshing, like that. I feel like whenever you want to give up and you think about that moment, you're like nah, man, I gotta keep going.

Speaker 1 1:07:05

that people will need this yeah yeah, and I would say I think most like a lot of the work, a lot of the abstract work that I'm creating nowadays. I always say I will have a lot of people that may have that like mind blown kind of like look to them a lot of times, you know, and that may be off of just the presentation of my work and also, like I make these irregular shaped frames now too as well. So when I just showed that a couple weeks ago, I mean, that was just one of those situations where people were just like how the hell did you do that? Like you know what I'm saying? It's just one of those, you know, just kind of just make you scratch your heads and I love those.

Speaker 2 1:07:49

Nice. Do you have a sample over there? I want to see these frames.

Speaker 1 1:07:55

I don't have the regular shape frame here. No, I don't actually, because I've only shown on you.

Speaker 2 1:07:59

I mean, you knew you were doing this shit today. You were supposed to have something, something to shine on.

Speaker 1 1:08:04

I have some artwork here. I have my artwork here, do you want?

Speaker 2 1:08:07

to show it.

Speaker 1 1:08:08

Yes, of course. So let me go grab something. Yeah, I've only made two irregular shaped frames, one of my soul and then the other one is a part of a show.

Speaker 2 1:08:19

Okay, doesn't this remind you of showing telling school? Yeah, it does.

Speaker 1 1:08:30

So this is a small paint in one that's made from a recycled material.

Speaker 2 1:08:37

Is there like a wood, and then like the abstract coming up.

Speaker 1 1:08:42

So you have a piece of cardboard this backing is a cardboard. This here is fabric from the white skirt and then another piece of cardboard yeah, I'm saying so, it's just this, all cardboard.

Speaker 2 1:08:55

And I love it.

Speaker 3 1:08:57

I love it.

Speaker 1 1:08:59

That's what that is, and then the same with this one as well.

Speaker 2 1:09:03

Nice, put them next to each other.

Speaker 1 1:09:08

So it's a part of a series.

Speaker 2 1:09:11

I can tell and I can also tell the difference. One like this, like I'm a call it a dirty road, like you know, the brown walking down, and then one like that thunder stroking down.

Speaker 1 1:09:24

That was actually the stairs to greatness.

Speaker 2 1:09:28

Oh yeah, like going up, I see the light, I'm coming.

Speaker 1 1:09:38

Yes, but these are some like older works from 2021. So this will be a part of my show that I have next week. I'm having a show.

Speaker 2 1:09:45

All right, tell me. I know this episode won't be out next week, but I will definitely clip this part out and put it out to support that next week. So what's the show you are going on next week? What event has going on next week?

Speaker 1 1:10:00

It's called the takeover at Gilly, at Gilly coffee shop in Stone Mountain. So I'm basically be showcasing my artwork from 2021 to 2023 so people can see my artistic journey, see how I've grown and see how my art has changed over the last two to three years, you know. So that's pretty much all I'll be doing with this right here. So I'm going to show around about 30 close to 40 pieces of my work and so, like I'm going to activate the entire space. So they have two floors, so I activate the top and bottom floor.

Speaker 2 1:10:34

Nice. This is next week one.

Speaker 1 1:10:36

So it'll be August 25th at 830.

Speaker 2 1:10:41

830 PM.

Speaker 1 1:10:42

Yep.

Speaker 2 1:10:44

How much is it?

Speaker 1 1:10:46

No, it's free of charge.

Speaker 2 1:10:48

All right.

Speaker 1 1:10:50

Yeah, I just invite people out to come buy art.

Speaker 2 1:10:53

I will post it over there to show support and I will try my best to make. Oh shit, on the 25th I'm actually going to Detroit on the 25th. Coming back on 26th, I was supposed to go to an award show. My podcast got nominated for my first award and I was going to go because of financial issues and my mom was like you know, it's your first award. If you do get it, you would want to be there because you've never been nominated. And something was telling me you know what, you never know the people in that room how we are going to connect and what's going to come out of it. Let me go, yeah, let me figure it out. Let me crunch up that number if I don't have to eat for one week and go. And then how about I get an email a day ago about the show has been pushed October 6th.

Speaker 3 1:11:42

I've already asked for a day off at work.

Speaker 2 1:11:44

I broke the flight and frontier and not good at returning money. But because there's this clubhouse I attend Monday to Friday, 8am to 7am about podcasting, and two of the people in there are in Detroit and they're going to be my date for this award, because I had two plus one. So I was like you know, maybe I'm meant to come meet you guys, I'm still going to come because the guys are lose my ticket. So fuck the words, I'm going to just to hang out with them and I'm like maybe this is the connection. I was meant to go and meet our friend, you know, and the guy's wife is excited about meeting us and everything. So we're going to have a blast. I'm going to be in Detroit and then come back. Make sure I send some people and post it for you and support in any way I can.

Speaker 1 1:12:27

Yeah, I appreciate it, appreciate it, appreciate it.

Speaker 2 1:12:31

So the creative journey is filled with highs and challenges, as we all know. How do you end of these challenges, how do you stay positive in a time when it is really hard to stay positive, and how do you keep your mental health sane? Because being an artist and especially one who are full time at it, and building your brand, doing all this shit, can really fuck up with your mental health. It's a struggle between you know. So how do you handle all that and stay sane?

The Creative Benefits of Smoking Cannabis

Speaker 1 1:13:06

I mean, I'm still trying to figure it out and how to handle it. You know, I would say my wife is a big help with all of that. She really kind of helps me keep me grounded. You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 2 1:13:19

In a sense.

Speaker 1 1:13:21

She sees me spiraling. You know what I'm saying. She's gotten there to reassure me that, hey, this is.

Speaker 2 1:13:28

We got this. You're not a lunatic.

Speaker 1 1:13:30

Yeah, you know what I'm saying. So I mean I always say my wife you know what I'm saying that's who truly keeps me grounded. I mean I'm saying that and then she's not around. You know, I mean hate to say it or whatever. What I typically do is just I smoke a blunt and just be able to let my. It allows me to just take it all in and take a second for myself and then just kind of like release and reflect. You know otherwise, like it's all this anger or this built up, and then you just kind of just start to, you know, just start to react off of that, you know. So, yeah, sometimes if I she's not around or something like that, I mean I just smoke a blunt and yeah, and that should have just like really just calmed me down, to really just help me just like slow my mind down and just kind of just Just paste me and help me be grounded again. You know what I'm saying. But yeah, those are my vices, my wife and my weed, and I believe that.

Speaker 2 1:14:29

Anytime I'm feeling creative blockage or anything, I smoke a blunt and next thing I'm like you know what I should do? This shit, this shoot. You know what I should make this content. You know what I should go live right now and talk some shit. You know what I should have this person of my life? You know, smoking a blunt really does calm and for me, it also gets me much more creative or gives me a little push on my creative, the strength that I needed, I feel like.

Speaker 2 1:14:59

So what I've been doing with my book, right, because I hate writing, so what I do, my editor wanted me to send out your and then she transcribes them. So I didn't want to do out here, so I did them in videos. That way when my book comes out, I can have content to promote it with. Okay, so, yeah. So I was like this is going to be content for the future, that I'm like I needed this shit. But, um, so anytime I wanted to start recording, I'd be like man, fuck, I don't want to record. But then I smoke a blunt and I'm like we understand, put me in front of the camera, let's talk to shit.

Speaker 2 1:15:38

And then you start talking, talking, talking, talking Like I literally ended up doing three in one evening because I smoked the blunt and she's like you must be on something. To them Like hell, fuck yeah.

Speaker 1 1:15:54

So you're a happy high person and that means, like you know, that you get extremely happy and joyful.

Speaker 2 1:16:02

And you know, that's the funny thing because I started smoking because I had sleeping issues. I used to not be able to sleep and then sleeping pills. I got addicted to them and they wouldn't help me anymore. So I would smoke and as soon as I smoked I would pass out like my friends would be like getting ready to go out, and I'd be like, cause I'm the guy who has no hair, doesn't do makeup, like and I take, like like I dress up, I show in like 20 minutes, I dress up in 10, like I'm ready in 30 minutes, so I'm ready to go I don't want to wait.

Speaker 2 1:16:40

So I would normally let my girls get ready, because they'll take an hour doing makeup, and so by the time they're done with their makeup, I'll be like, okay, I'm going to go shower. But so when they're doing that, I'll be like I'm going to take a nap and then wake me up. When it's my time to just start waking me up, I'm like yo go ahead, I'm not going. That's how much it used to put me to bed. And then now it got to an extent where I walk at customer service at home Because if I want to be very cheap, I need to smoke my brand.

Speaker 3 1:17:10

Before I got to work Like and then when I go to work, it's seven am and my manager is like what can I assist?

Speaker 2 1:17:17

you and my manager is like, well, I'd said I'm fucking, I am. But then once it starts my own I'm like, okay, thank God for those pens and the gummy bears. I was just a homeboy, you know. So we just really helped my creativity side, away from making me a sleepy chair to like like, if I have to go anywhere I don't like people, I have to show my parents I smoke up and I come there and I will you be like you sure you guys don't like each other, because at that point I'm like on cloud nine, like motherfucker, I love everybody. Today let's pray this love out here.

Speaker 3 1:18:15

I mean did you see me on the log, but just did you just?

Speaker 2 1:18:18

smoke in the car. We're like, okay, let's go get this fucking tattoo. So, speaking of tattoos, what would you say you're? Do you have a dream tattoo like God, I really want to draw this tattoo. Or I really want to tattoo this person? Do you have a dream tattoo?

Speaker 1 1:18:37

and nobody, none other than other than me, like I. Just I really would love my, my experience to take off.

Speaker 2 1:18:46

My tattoo experience. Yeah, I'm saying and what does that look for you? Your tattoo experience my tattoo experiences.

Speaker 1 1:18:54

My clients come in and they create the designs themselves. You know, I'm saying and however we create that, we create that paint, brushes, fabric, whatever. You know I'm saying, but it's the idea is like you sit there, are you able to create these things? And then, after you done, I then take what you have there, we pick your favorite things out of that and I design some around it. I've done it three times, three, four times. Those are like my favorite tattoo sessions because, like, at the end of the day, like you don't know what you're getting, I don't know what you're getting, and then even what you're getting isn't necessarily Something, but it's about the experience that you had at that moment. You know, I'm saying, it's something that you will forever Remember. I will forever remember and it's a story that you can forever tell.

Speaker 1 1:19:39

Yeah, I'm saying Okay, we're gonna have to do one of those now, yeah, you know I'm saying cuz like I've had it where, you know I've had a client come in. You know I'm saying Gabriel, sheets of paper Blocked it out and just like yo have fun Just making brushstrokes, just let loose, like release whatever tension you have, and just Just I just keep feeding you a paper. You did it for like 30 minutes. You know I'm saying is like, do you feel loose now? Like yeah, and then I was like I mean then just talking and just we're just Conversing, you know, and that's just like you know, just able to just kind of like get to know each other and stuff like that and that.

Tattoo Design and Meaning

Speaker 1 1:20:10

That you know I was like all right, I think you're coming up, we can just go and put that down and then from there I was like, you know, just pick out your favorite Lines of brushstrokes that you like from all of these pieces of paper. Yeah, I'm saying. Then they did that. And then I was like, okay, cool, take a picture of that. And then I designed a tattoo around all the those and it made something from it, you know, and it looks like a bird, but at the end of the day it's not. It's not a bird, is not, it's just. It was just four of her strokes that we positioned Into a design, the, I'm saying, and I tattooed it on a rib cage.

Speaker 2 1:20:45

And you know it's supposed to mean whatever they mean to you. So I feel like that experience, even if Whatever you end up getting doesn't actually make any sense. It's that experience like I created this. I had this experience. Like this, I'm drawing my. This is my experience.

Speaker 1 1:21:07

It's a mom blowing like concept to try to explain to somebody because so so many people are like. You know there's idea of like tattoos that they have to be this extremely deep, deep meaning. Right, and for me tattoos Don't have to be that deep. You know I'm saying you don't got to have this whole life story of why you put name. You know I just like tattoos. You know I'm saying I'm. You know I'm saying I think they're cool. I get tattoos of random shit. You know something that I just like. You know that's just who I am, I mean.

Speaker 2 1:21:33

I got a tattoo about ATL and I'd never been to ATL. I got it in Malaysia and everybody like so I'm like whoa, because you know, I like TI, I like K Houston and I'm a big fan of Lee Wayne. He doesn't live in, in, in in. He doesn't live in Atlanta, but his family, like Atlanta, is like home to him because his wife I met him on my there. So I figured, why not get ATL? He says see what's that? There's nothing deep to it. I just have my favorite actresses from there.

Speaker 1 1:22:05

And that's and that's just like. That's pretty much what's like this experience is. It's like it's nothing that's extremely deep or whatever. It's just about I wanted they. They wanted a tattoo, they wanted this experience and they liked me as an artist. You know I'm an abstract artist, so you have an abstract tattoo on you like. But it's like what's the dopest thing to go to someone and say, yeah, I was like. It's like I actually designed this tattoo, like legitimately, like those are my brushstrokes, like I made that. All he did was trace it over and piece it together and did it. But it's like that's literally my shit.

Speaker 2 1:22:40

I on, the shit I on the you know and then live.

Speaker 1 1:22:47

It's just like that. That is just. I don't know. It's just, it's just like those life memories, in a sense, like you know, that's just what that's true.

Speaker 2 1:22:55

Yes, that's true. You're creating, you're creating, you're creating moments and memories and living through them in your body.

Speaker 1 1:23:02

Yeah.

Speaker 2 1:23:09

So true, because you're thinking about that experience, that moment when you were doing that, you created that. It means way more cause you, you were part of that process. You literally created that process.

Speaker 1 1:23:22

Exactly exactly and also it was just like you know you had fun as well. Not even that, but you're going to actually remember who I am.

Speaker 2 1:23:32

Hell to the fuck, it was not. Tattoo artist is giving you that, that fucking experience.

Speaker 1 1:23:37

Yes, not even saying. There's a lot of people who get tattoos. They can't tell you that fucking tattoo artist name and that's just like. That's like the worst. You know I'm saying it's like damn, you are literally a walking advertisement, but it's like damn. You can't even pass off the advertisement for me because you don't even remember me.

Speaker 2 1:23:56

And saying that is so funny cause I don't remember my. I have had one, two, three, four all my photo tools were done with one guy in Malaysia and I don't remember his name. I remember his face and everything, but he did all my fall. Then only another person did this in Atlanta. I don't remember her name, I remember her face and where she is. Then I think you're the only person who I remember my name and Expense to remember.

Speaker 2 1:24:27

It could be us, because you're just recent, so we don't know that shit. I mean you just it was just June, a few weeks ago. No, I'm talking to you, I'm always remembering, cause we're actually.

Speaker 1 1:24:45

Now I get in my library for life and I'm stalking your wife.

Speaker 3 1:24:48

How can I?

Speaker 2 1:24:49

not remember you when I'm stalking your wife and shit you know. But Q let me ask you this right A lot of creatives, a lot of artists, have an issue with pricing. Like we know, that's number one thing once we get out there like, am I, is it too expensive? Is it too Because maybe people don't know me? Will people pay this for this? How do you get out of here that? What process do you use to price your tags and be like fuck it. This is what it's worth because of my words and the money to get fucked out.

Speaker 1 1:25:24

Yeah, I mean, I think we all artists go through that period, you know, and I think I did too when I first got out here, right. But then you kind of realize like who are you to kind of like kind of just be at that price point?

Speaker 1 1:25:35

You got to start, you got to like really like humble yourself. You know what I'm saying. At a certain point, you know you got to. That's where you got to really start. Comparing yourself to other artists in that sense is like hey, and like are they doing this same amount of numbers? If they're doing that same amount of numbers on a regular basis, then you're not doing it on a regular basis, but you're charging the exact same amount of them, as, just like you know what I'm saying, you might want to lower your number down a little bit so you can be doing it on a regular basis so you can get up there, you know.

Speaker 1 1:26:02

And that's what. That's how I see things. You know what I'm saying. So for me, it's not about putting a high price right. I'm trying to come in, if anything. People are telling me that I am too low and too cheap. You know what I'm saying right now. You know, and my response to them is like I'm not going to be here forever. You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 1:26:22

But I'm, I'm, I'm creating my I want people to be able to invest in me now, right, like I need these people to grow with me just as much as, like I plan on growing my prices, right. So it's like that's the reason why my pains are low. And even I had I just stopped doing the $75 special tattoos. I did that for an entire year. You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 2 1:26:42

Damn, why didn't I know you were here before? No Jack, no Jack, I love my tattoo.

Speaker 1 1:26:51

But you know, but you know, it's just like you know, you just have to, you have to like, say, build that clientele first. Like you know what I'm saying, you got to create it.

Speaker 2 1:27:00

You got to take the loss at some point to create the for the future. And that's. I remember when I started my merchandise and sheet. I started my merchandise on Shopify, right, and people asking me, how much are you making? And one time I actually calculated like okay, when people pay after the, the production cost is gone and whatever how much I make.

Speaker 2 1:27:21

And I was like you know, I'm not even making much, but it wasn't about what I was making was like oh my God, people are buying my merchandise, people are out there wearing my merchandise Because if somebody's wearing my t-shirts, somebody's going to ask them about what the fuck is stock share with me. That's like free advertisement. So to me it was like I don't care if I'm losing right now. I know eventually, once it gets there where my merchandise is actually where people end up going and shopping right now, it's where the support supports. But when it gets there, then the prices will also start growing. But for right now, even if I make $5 from one one t-shirt, I don't give a fuck. I'm not even making it, I'm wearing it, I don't even type. You know what I'm saying, like you know that's why I like that.

Speaker 1 1:28:07

Like, that's why I say it's, like it's an extreme huge reward, one being self-employed, because it's like making your own dollars, the most rewarding thing ever. You know what I'm saying. Like you know, you know, when I filed my tax at the end of the year and it's just like, yeah, like I, I brought this in for myself, like nobody kind of had me set up, nobody's out there giving me leads, like this is money I bring in on my own by just networking, talking, putting myself out there and just constantly doing it on a regular basis. You know what I'm saying. And with that I can see that I've increased financially every year. You know what I'm saying, what you should. That at least lets you know that you're on the right track and you've been making the right moves.

Speaker 2 1:28:51

You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 1:28:52

So that's just it. And it's just like for me, this has been my best year ever. You know what I'm saying. Like so far, and I wanted to continue to be my best year, right, like because now I started to get into those months of testing. How great is the year. You know what I'm saying. But I can say, like you know, usually in the artist, usually you have a couple of months of one or two months where you might not make any money. You might have a slow month or whatever. You know and like for me, like this is my first year in my five years where I've consistently made money every single month. You know what I'm saying. Like I haven't had a slow month, you know, and like that, right, there is like one of those shits like whoo, last year You're finally, you're finally doing something that's making sense.

Speaker 1 1:29:36

Like it was worth it, but you know, because like this is all that worth it and the text time.

Speaker 2 1:29:41

Yeah, look at that. You said five years. It takes time, Just like us in podcasts is like right now it's summer, so most of our numbers are down because people are outside, people are enjoying time with their kids, their families. People are not really, they can't even do it. Yeah, they're doing even summer.

Speaker 2 1:29:57

Most of our shows go on break and then they come back during fall where people are back to school and the errands are there and the school runs are there and it's called outside. So you know, you gotta also figure out okay, and I feel like it takes that time. You figure out like okay when you look back in the year, this year, this time I did this wrong, so let me switch it like this that's where you get to a year where you're like stable and shit. So now, even like podcasts. Is this why I also go on breaks during summer? I'm like what's the point of producing new shows during summer where there's nobody listening in the summer? So if you already know that people are not going to, the numbers always drop in summer, why are you setting yourself up to fail? You know what?

Speaker 1 1:30:45

I'm saying Find something else to do in that meantime to compensate for that.

Speaker 2 1:30:49

Take classes to create, do workshops, you know, or yourself, take a break and spend time with your family and friends where you will create content that when you come back, you have content to post and share. So there's always that you know. Switch it and let your mindset work with whatever is not working for you on that front. So, as we come to an end of this, we know that you have been renovating your new home and I've seen a table you have crafted.

Speaker 2 1:31:22

Oh my God, how many talents do you have. So do you ever think like you're going to take your wood crafting into like a business? Because I saw that table, y'all. I saw that table and I was like man, I fucking wanted this table.

Speaker 1 1:31:38

Yes, actually. So at my solo show next year I'll be debuting at least one or two pieces of furniture.

Speaker 2 1:31:48

All right, so there's a furniture in the store for the future, you know, cute, cute furniture, cute furniture.

Speaker 1 1:31:56

Yeah, I mean I would say, yeah, definitely in the near future I would love to have a furniture company, you know what I'm saying and make a furniture out of like a reclaimed wood, you know. So, yeah, I'm just like right now I'm just really in the midst of just kind of teaching myself the basics of furniture building and you know the proper ways of just like actually you know doing this stuff the real carpenter way, you know, and not the DIY way.

Speaker 2 1:32:23

So oh yeah and I've seen it because I've watched your videos you can tell when people are doing it DIY. And then the people were actually invested. Because DIY, you just take it as a project and when you invested, you're looking at it like you know what, when I'm done with it, I might keep it or I might sell it or I might give it out as a present or my you know. So there's that perfection that goes when it's a more than a DIY do it yourself. Because when it's a DIY, you're like you know it doesn't even need to be perfect, it just needs to be doable.

Speaker 1 1:32:59

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I love that.

Speaker 2 1:33:04

So always renovating your new place being. How is renovating your home been?

Speaker 1 1:33:12

You know it's been, it's been good it's been. You know I'm saying I've had my moments. It's been some stressful moments here and there, but all in all it's been extremely, extremely joyful and it's saving you money.

Speaker 2 1:33:26

doing all the shit by yourself, like most of the shit by yourself, yeah, I mean I'm saving.

Speaker 1 1:33:31

I'm saving a ton of money. You know what I'm saying. But I'm also spending a lot too. But, like I said, I could only imagine what I was spending if I wasn't doing the fucking work.

Speaker 2 1:33:43

Look at it this way Once it's yeah, once it's done Q, I feel like me and you already found me right now, so I might need I have to be on the invite list for the house warming. So imagine the house warming right when it's done and you're walking and showing like you fucking need most of that shit, like I did that I did right. Like this is that feeling of you. Know, this is actually my heart, only that I Fucking did this. Like my hands did this, like my brain did this, my mind. This is that fulfillment when you do shit by yourself, like with yourself, not with okay, that sounded wrong. Now with yourself.

Speaker 1 1:34:30

But I do like I mean I get to really enjoy my home. Yet you know what I'm saying because I'm just actively working on it, right? Yeah, so I was like I would say, hopefully by the end of the year I should be able to really Be done with renovation and projects and I could then just kind of be back on my regular work schedule and actually enjoy my house. But I'm still like amazed by some of the things I have done where I do, sometimes walking to the kitchen and be like, damn, I did make those flow shells and I did make that range hood. Like you know, I'm saying, be like, yeah, I've made all that shit custom.

Speaker 2 1:35:08

Just Seeing. We see it like you, you, you. If you ever doubt yourself or if you ever feel, of all, I'm just no fuck. We are out here being like yo man, I'm gonna need to hire Q and I get my, my, my place.

Speaker 1 1:35:28

Well, my wife's my one of my wife's best friends already said hey, I'm still your husband. For six weeks I got some shit I need done in my house.

Speaker 2 1:35:43

Oh, you see, you see. So I feel like that's like oh my god, you are really amazing at that shit, and I know why you are doing it. Sometimes it's hard to see the progress. It's hard to see the accomplishment itself too. So we are here to tell you you are fucking doing it. And this is also this. This is also my way of making sure I get a invite to that housewarming party, so I'm just throwing it over there. So thank you so much for hanging out with me. And Before we leave, what do you envision the future of your, your, your?

Speaker 1 1:36:31

Yes, I mean that's that's a great question. So I want look to have my own building and space here in the next two years, you know, and out of that space, I would like to actually be able to do all of my things under one roof. You know I'm saying so. I would like to build custom frames, do private tattoos and also work out of my studio and do paint. You know, before I was my painting career, but that is my bread and butter, that I want to be my bread and butter. You know I'm saying that is why I got into being a full-time artist. It's been a painter. So I see my future being solely dedicated to that, and all of these other things are just like, necessarily, I just do in my spare time. Yeah, I'm saying, and I would love to be, you know, globally recognized. You know I'm saying doing international shows, you know, and having international collectors. So that's where I see my future and that's where I'm trying to progress my future as an artist.

Speaker 2 1:37:33

And it's gonna happen. Hell to the fucking yes.

Speaker 2 1:37:37

Because you're fucking talented, you are an amazing human being and I See your future being so fucking bright. It's gonna happen. You, you know, you put your mind to it and you do shit. I mean, look at in five years what so far you've already accomplished, like fuck, and For a person who you know, you bet your own yourself and your mindset is there. So I have no worries at all. I have no worries at all. I'm maybe gonna be shocked when it starts happening next year. Talk about two, you think three years. You'll be amazed by next year. You're already like, and I'm like damn, I called it. I called it, yes, so I'm. Let the people know where they can find you, what they can expect from you, what to look out for. And Please, give an advice to a younger self. It's going up position where you are Not sure if you should bet on yourself. What would you tell yourself then?

Speaker 1 1:38:45

Okay, well, yes, first of all, y'all can find me at Arts by Kwame on Instagram. My website is arts by Kwamecom. If you would like to follow any of my painting and the behind the scenes for that, now you can follow me at Kwame Jiles. Like I said, I'll be having my very first gallery solo show next year the second week of May. I don't have an official date yet, but it will be in May of 2024. I'm also having a gilly takeover here on next week, august 25th, at 8 30, where I'll be showcasing them. I'll work from 2021 to 2023 and, yeah, that's pretty much what all I have going on as of right now and where you guys can find me Far as my advice.

Speaker 1 1:39:32

When I give to me, I'm saying my younger self. I would say like a Don't be afraid to actually follow your heart, like, embrace that and and Be okay with making mistakes. Like you know, I'm saying like one of the one of the key things that I always say, that Shit Blanked on it sometimes. The failure is the key to success. Yeah, I'm saying Is you know, saying as much as you fail, fail, you're able to learn and able to redo and retry so you can do it again. You know I'm saying, so be okay feeling. You know I'm saying because when you fail you're able to gain so much more knowledge that you can apply to you know sense when you got to do it again.

Speaker 2 1:40:44

And that's a turn to top. On that, I feel like sometimes people are so scared about that what if I fail? But if you stop looking at it as, because you just hang, it is already winning, and Failing means you, you learn something. And either it's gonna be like okay, maybe this time try it this way, or maybe this time go on it this way. So if you're learning something and you're learning away, or even you realize that, oh fuck, I actually don't like doing that, that is you saving yourself. So it's always learning something. It's never really failing. So Right, yeah, you're already failing by not trying anyway.

Speaker 1 1:41:22

That's the real way of failing, of having no results. You know, by not doing so. Just, just, just be okay, just actively doing things.

Speaker 2 1:41:33

Yes, so Q, I finally figured out that that's what I want to do on this side, so I'm gonna come to September. I found the right words and I was watching a movie and it said something and again, it's not gonna be in English, my usual, I feel like both sides are gonna have was from different, but I just have to figure out what I want in the beginning and at the end, in before the words. But next month we are gonna do this side Okay.

Speaker 1 1:41:59

Okay, I'm down for it. Just hit me up, all right.

Speaker 2 1:42:02

All right, thank you so much. Thank you, shit talkers, for tuning in and spending your valuable time with us. We appreciate you. To connect with us more, make sure you subscribe to our newsletter and catch all the shit talking vibes before anybody else.

Speaker 2 1:42:20

You can subscribe to our newsletter through our website wwwtalkshitrepeacom and all our merchandise website wwwtalkshitrepeashop. And while you're there, feel free to shop away Toxic reviews available on all social media platforms with a hand out. Talk shit with P, follow us and engage with us better. Yet, if you're feeling generous, give us a review on our podcast and all rate us on Spotify. You can also share a beer with me. We're my beer lovers, that I mean. What better way to support the movement than sharing a?

Speaker 3 1:42:59

beer with me. By buying me a beer, I'd buy me coffeecom.

Speaker 2 1:43:04

Thank you for listening sharing engaging and support in any way that you do. Remember, new episodes are out every Wednesday and for part two is ending on Fridays. Let's talk and all listen to some shit.

Speaker 3 1:43:20

Happy shit talking.