Welcome back to The Abundant Artist, the show that dispels the myth of “the starving artist” and shares how you can live an abundant life as an artist and make a living from your talent one interview at a time.

 

Joining the podcast today to share about his artistic journey is Will Eskridge, a self-proclaimed weirdo that celebrates the ugly, the forgotten, and the voiceless through his art.

 

Growing up with a veterinarian as a father and an artist as a mother carved Will’s path of keeping the love of animals alive through his art. Many of his art pieces feature the less-appreciated animals of the world paired alongside a human vice. He also occasionally explores other realms of art such as abstraction and landscapes. His art can be found on murals throughout the city of Athens, Georgia; social media; the occasional exhibit; and his website.

 

In this episode, Will shares his journey to becoming a fully-fledged artist, how he discovered what he loves to create, and how he navigates the business side of his art career.

 

Key Takeaways:

[:30] Cory welcomes Will Eskridge to the podcast and they recount how they originally met.

[1:49] Where ‘home’ is for Will.

[2:30] Will describes his art and shares his journey to becoming a fully-fledged artist.

[6:15] Will’s art journey post-art school.

[12:44] In 2014, Will quit his job and began pursuing art full-time. How has his artistic style developed since then?

[22:38] Will elaborates on the variety of animal subjects he paints and where his ideas for his paintings generally come from.

[29:13] How Will became known for his collection of art that he dubs, ‘Weird animals with low-grade sins.’

[32:02] The importance of creating art you want to create rather than creating to sell.

[32:45] How/where Will sells his art.

[36:00] Will highlights what he does, in particular, that helps market his artwork.

[40:22] Why having more social media followers doesn’t always mean more sales.

[43:47] Will discusses his mental diagnoses and how they impact his life and art.

[47:11] Will shares how his mental diagnosis impacts his life, art, and business.

[50:12] About Will’s pets!

[52:05] What’s next for Will?

[53:44] Cory thanks Will for joining the podcast!

 

Mentioned in This Episode:
Will Eskridges Art Website

1,000 True Fans Essay

 

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