How did you get to where you are today?

Like any good story, it all started with a dream. One that’s been around since I was a little boy making silly drawings in my room.

It was August 2007 and I had moved back home to Texas from Japan in the Air Force, adjusting to normal life again. Moving back from Japan was a breath of fresh air. A rare chance to begin again. My wife and I moved to Dallas with a little money in the bank and a lot of hope in our hearts. We got a small apartment and I took a couple small jobs before I had the major epiphany that I did not leave one way of life just to go back and work another way of life that wasn’t true to me. So with the help of a good friend we put together a little resume and BOOM! I landed my first job doing web design.

I spent 5 years deep diving in the web community. I was hungry to learn and grow. But in the midst of all the wonderful things I was learning about design and coding I felt disconnected. The web was so shiny and new, and when I sat down to draw it was anything but that. I’ve always enjoyed starting with a mess and ending with a masterpiece. So I started drawing more. Keeping a sketchbook on me at all times. Seeing what I could come up with on my own to help translate more of who I was on paper. I felt like I was finding my voice.

January 2012 is when I turned a new page. My venture out among the great unknown of self-employment. I didn’t start with a business plan and successful ways to gain more clients. I had the raw grit and determination to cold call/email clients as well as the wonderful design community that supported me in those early days. There is something to be said for dumb luck mixed with an unyielding appetite to make my dream a reality. I have never given up. Even in the ebbs, and trust me it definitely ebbs, I can trust the flow. The flow state. The flow of the divine. I am always learning to hold both spaces within me. And all of this is a gift.

You were in the military?

Yes. Some people have their college years and I have my military years. I realize it’s not as common as college is, but it’s the path I choose and ultimately the one God would use for good. Things you never thought possible soon become the possible. If I learned one thing from my time in the military it would be this: Anything worth having is achievable with enough practice and patience.

What exactly would you say you do?

Probably one of the hardest things a creative person can do is describe what they do. I can tell you that design solves problems, photography tells stories and art ask questions, but that still doesn’t give you any greater insight into my day-to-day world.

I spend my days somewhere between sending emails and the piles of sketches on my desk.

Drawing is my first love. The possibilities are endless when you start to move your pencil on the paper. To me, it makes more sense to sketch my ideas on paper first, then start pushing pixels. It’s so exciting to just start doodling and not have an end goal in mind. I think it’s great to make it up as you go along. There are no rules to being creative. There isn’t any magic formula that will help you get better. The secret to getting better is sitting down and doing the work, day in and day out

What advice would you give to someone just starting out?

Get out there and meet people. There is nothing more important than meeting people and building relationships.

Work hard to refine your craft and keep track of your journey. You don’t have to be a good writer or anything, but I’ve found that keeping a journal is a great way to go back and reflect on where you started. Also, don't worry about having the "right" tools, just use what’s available.

Don’t listen to the voice inside you that whispers it can’t be done. Remember that there will always be those ahead of you and those behind you.

Don’t be too hard on yourself.

Be humble with whatever amount of success you receive. Your talent is a gift.

And when you start to feel like you’ve learned a thing or two please share your knowledge with others. Chances are there’s someone else out there who needs to hear what you’ve learned.

Where do you find your inspiration?

This is “the” question I feel that everyone always wants to know the secret behind what makes somebody else so great. I don’t mind sharing who or what inspires me, just so long as you know there is no such thing as a “secret ingredient” to success. It is simply sitting down and doing the work day in and day out.

With that said I find my inspiration probably just like anyone else, in a lot of different places. From the work of my contemporaries to much more established artists, architecture and interior design, the mountains, the open road, and even when I am at rest. Intentionally quieting my mind to take time away from all other distractions is often the best way I like to be inspired.

Artists:

Frida Kahlo, Philip Guston, Agnes Martin, Margaret Kilgallen

Authors:

Rumi, W.S. Merwin, Alan Watts, Anne Lamott, Ram Dass, Maria Rilke, Paulo Coelho

What tools do you use to help you create?

Along the way I've learned the tools we use do not control the work we do, rather our work determines what tools we use.

SKETCHBOOKS: I’ve used everything from expensive moleskins to plain printer paper. But I think it’s more important to just use what works best for you. I actually prefer the cheap printer paper when I’m doing a lot of work with pen. The paper seems to absorb the ink quicker, whereas the moleskin paper seems much thinner and needs extra time for the ink to dry or it will smudge.

PENS/PENCILS: My preferred pen of choice is the Micron .08 but I can be just as happy with a ballpoint if that’s what I have in my hand. It also depends on what I’m drawing. Sometimes I require a really fine point, something like .001, for all the tiny details, and then other times I just need a fat chisel tip to get the job done. As for pencils, whatever has lead in it usually works just fine.

OTHER: The sharpie paint markers are a great multi-purpose tool. Every mural I’ve done has been with those ink markers. They are available in both oil-based and water-based inks. One of my other favorite mediums to work in is india ink and a brush.

DIGITAL: My current setup is my iPad Pro and my iMac. I use Dropbox to scan all my drawings and share files with clients.