I'm not very good at writing these kinds of biographies, so I figured I'd answer a few common questions I get asked. If you have a question for me, do not hesitate to contact me.
Did you go to art school?
For me, it's a bit of a question of yes and no. I got a scholarship to the Corcoran School of Art, but unfortunately I couldn't afford it even with that scholarship. Instead, I attended a community college for a while and also attended the Maryland College of Art and Design. Although I didn't graduate, I had some amazing professional artists in my family growing up. My great-great-grandfather, George Bockius, had a considerable influence on my artistic development. My parents were also supportive, and I was able to take private art lessons growing up, where I learned all about watercolors, oils, acrylics, and more. Unfortunately, after years of traditional painting, I developed some nasty sensitivities to chemicals, and so had to transition to digital art for the sake of my health. Learning digital art was done by taking online courses, reading books, and practicing tons of stuff. In 2016, I became a Corel Painter Master*, which was pretty cool.
How did you start?
I started my career as a graphic designer using Corel Draw and Adobe Photoshop. I designed documents for websites and print media, while continuing my art studies at the same time. I eventually discovered the world of artwork licensing and realized that I could use my graphic design skills to create artwork that would appeal to a broader market. I try to create diverse art collections that cover different styles and subjects while following trends and maintaining a consistent appeal. And you know what ? Here I am, twenty years later, with a successful career in art licensing.
You're probably wondering how I make money, right?
Well, I make my living as an artist by diversifying the styles and themes of my works and selling them in different ways.
First, I sell my licensed works to manufacturers. In fact, companies that make things like puzzles, diamond stitch kits, calendars, cross stitch patterns, jewelry, clothing, home decor and more , pay me to use my designs on their products. This is where most of my turnover comes from.
But that's not all ! I also sell my creations on my Etsy store. I partnered with a professional printer to create awesome products like t-shirts, zipper pouches (perfect for tarot bags), coffee mugs, wall art, shirts, kitchen and tote bags. When you purchase from my Etsy store, these items are delivered right to your door.
*Corel Painter is a digital painting program for PC and Mac. This was the first digital painting program I fell in love with. I now paint exclusively with Procreate on iPad.
