Artist Steve Vasey shares his artistic wisdom.
Each Wednesday I ask a different artist the same three questions.
This week’s artist is a fellow Steve, the talented , check out his arty wisdom below.
1. What first sparked your interest in creating art?
The moment that I knew I wanted to be an artist was when I watched Beauty and the Beast (on VHS) when I was 5 years old: before the film, there was a behind-the-scenes look at animators in the studio working on character development. I was in awe and realized that I wanted to be that guy who illustrated the characters and brought them to life.
2. What are your regrets?
My biggest regret was waiting so long to commit myself to pursuing my passion. Prior to heading to an art institute after high school, I had many people speak negatively into my life about this decision and it steered me away from attending. The experience shook me so hard that I actually abandoned drawing altogether for the majority of my adulthood. It took 17 years for me to finally shake off that negativity and embrace the thing that I love to do the most: create! I regret not doing it sooner, but I think that the negative experiences leading up to it have fostered a deeper appreciation for what I do now as an artist.
3. What wisdom would you offer someone beginning their art career, or exploring art for the first time at any stage in life?
Comparison is and will always be your greatest enemy. It’s the nemesis that will rear its ugly head when you least expect it. A good reminder is that you are here to do things that no one has ever done before. No one will ever hold a paintbrush at the same angle that you do or even photograph the same scene with identical results. Always remember that everything you create is unique because no one else has your lived experiences and point of view. And we need your art- you never know who it will connect with and the impact that it might have on someone else, or even yourself.
