I wouldn't get caught up in the social media game.I would just study with great artists and try to get as great as you can.Try to find that one or two artists that are gonna really help you grow as a draftsman and as a painter.
These guys are not succeeding accidentally.You need to get around great artists and tick their brains and watch them.
You're tuned in to the Creative Endeavor podcast, where we dive deep into the art of perseverance and passion.Uncover the victories, setbacks, and lessons of artists who shape their dreams into success.
If you're striving to push your boundaries, this podcast offers the tools to stay inspired and connected.It's Real Conversations with Real Artists.My name's Andrew Tischler.What a pleasure to have your company in the studio once again.
Now in this episode, I'm welcoming back a Creative Endeavor favorite.I'm talking to the one and only Thomas Fluharty, who's gotta be one of my favorite artists working today. Thomas is dialed in.
He's so connected and so passionate about what he does and his energy and enthusiasm for art and drawing is totally infectious.Now Thomas has had such an impact on my life personally. He has inspired things like The Sketch Endeavor.
Now, he didn't say, hey, dude, you got to go and start this YouTube series called The Sketch Endeavor, The Daily Habit of Drawing.But it was just hearing him talk about his approach to drawing and how passionate he is about what he does.
I'm like, you know what?I got to do something here.And hence, it gave rise to this little idea.He planted the seed and just took it away and ran with it, I guess. It's not only that, but it's how he approaches life as well.
And he's a great example of an artist who is just totally authentic.There will only ever be one Thomas Fluharty.And it's such a joy to have these opportunities to connect with him and talk with him.
Now, in this conversation, there was also an interesting opportunity for us to reflect on faith and art and that intersection between the two.Now, maybe you're there on that train, maybe not.
But still, I think it was an interesting part of this conversation, so I kept it in here.But Thomas, being a man of faith, has some really interesting insights when it comes to using the gift that he's been given and really maximizing on that.
and it's led to some interesting opportunities which have come up recently for him.Now right now, if you're not already doing so, make sure you're following Thomas on his Instagram.
He can be found at Thomas Fluharty, that last name is spelt F-L-U-H-A-R-T-Y, and on his website at www.thomasfluharty.com. Make sure you're following his phenomenal work there.
Now, his work can be characterized as just some of the coolest drawing you're gonna see.
He does a lot of caricatures, he does a lot of political cartoons, he's been an illustrator for decades, he's been on the cover of magazines like Der Spiegel and Mad Magazine, and now he's producing his own books, his own lines of different products, but also just some insanely brilliant artwork as well.
And that's been so inspiring to watch and follow his creative journey over on his Instagram page.So make sure you're following him on Instagram.
Before we get stuck into this conversation, though, I just want to take a quick minute and tell you about the sponsor of the Creative Endeavor podcast, Rosemary & Co.Brushes. Let me ask you something.
Have you ever felt like your brushes were holding you back?Look, I know I did, until I switched to Rosemary & Co.brushes.Now, these brushes are seriously a game changer.
They've been making brushes for over 40 years, specializing in oils, acrylics, and watercolor.And let me tell you, they are simply the best brushes out there.
Personally, I noticed a huge difference in my work when I started using them and the quality is unmatched.It's second to none.And my technique has improved because these brushes give me the control and the precision that I need.
And I honestly now will not use anything else.So if you're ready to step up your game, I would highly suggest visiting rosemaryandco.com. They've got everything you need to take your art to the next level, when it comes to brushes, that is.
So visit rosemaryandco.com.Trust me, you won't regret it, and your art will thank you.And a huge shout out and thank you to Rosemary & Co.for sponsoring this episode of The Creative Endeavor. And just one more thing before we get into the podcast.
There is an exclusive video version of this podcast.If you want to see myself, Thomas in our studios, I'll be cutting in images of our artwork.Well, his artwork.Anyway, you've probably already seen mine.You've had enough of that stuff.
But you could see some of his stuff that he's been working on.Then make sure you tune into the official video version and you can find that exclusively on Tisch Academy.That's Tisch dot Academy.
That link is in the description that accompanies this podcast.Now, without further ado, let's get straight into it.Here he is.This is Thomas Flewharty and The Creative Endeavor. You've been here before.You know what the deal is.Welcome.
I'm a fan boy.Yeah.Hey, man, it's great to be back, dude.I mean, this has been like I said it on my calendar and I was like, yeah, I remember Andrew.I remember Andrew.So thank you.It's a joy to chat with you, man.
I love I love you and I love what you're doing.You're always inspiring people.You're always going a million miles a minute. And dude, you're like Mr. Entrepreneur, so I study you, man.
Oh, it's the truth.Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow.Okay.Dude, you're going to make me blush.I'm glad I've got a blue light on me here.So thank you, brother.I appreciate it.That's very kind of you.
Hey, man, look, I've got so many things that I want to touch base on here in this podcast.We always have so much to talk about.But there's a lot of different directions I want to want to go in.
But I gotta I gotta just shout you out real quick here, Thomas, because You know, and people remember this from the first couple of episodes that we did together.But you were instrumental, bro, like absolutely instrumental in me starting this.
The first it was a sketch endeavor series.So I you just had this way, this passion for drawing and you're like, man, I just got to draw every day draw every day that got just stuck in my head.
It's like, yeah, I gotta I gotta draw every day that that's right.I gotta do what Thomas Flew Hardy's doing here.So I really got to give you credit.You gave me that idea.You started that thing.
And then I was just I was off now it hasn't quite turned into every day. But it's, it's been a really, really good journey, man.So far.Yeah, I know.I know.But look, lots of stuff I want to talk to you about.
But where where do we find Thomas Fluharty now?What's new in your world?What's been happening?
Oh, well, boy, this last weekend was absolutely insane.So it's been it's been It's been crazy.So eight months ago, let me see, maybe it was almost a year ago in October, I had this guy reach out to me.Well, I just want to say this.
So this is interesting because it fits into how we handle ourselves as artists, right?So this guy reached out to me and he wrote me this nice email and he said,
I love what you're doing.And he just fired off all these wonderful, very nice, encouraging, uplifting comments.And he said, I work at Disney.I've worked at DreamWorks for 13, 15 years or whatever.And I worked at Disney.And here's my work.
And I'd love to chat with you if you ever get a chance.And I looked at his work.And I was like, ah, dude, he's freaking awesome.And his name is Sam Mishlap, Samuel Mishlap.
And so he worked on Shark Tank, I mean Shark Tale, he worked on Prince of Egypt, he's a real deal. he and I just started chatting and I would make time for him and he would make time for me.
But when I said I would make time for him, I didn't mean that in a superior way.What I meant was he would call out of the blue and he would just be like, oh my gosh, Sam's calling me like that doesn't happen.
People just don't call people like you set up a time.Sam would call and be like, Oh, man, I'm going to get in an hour long conversation with Sammy right now.And I'd be like, hello, what's up, Sammy?And we would just chat.Right.But I was so busy.
But I just I just took time because I just love the guy.And I just wanted to talk to him.But he was so he was in such a transitional place in his career.And he was picking my brain about Instagram and all this stuff.But we just became friends.
And I took time anytime he called just to chat.And so It was like just trying to help him, right?Just trying to help him think and help him help him navigate.And he was just he was he was the real deal, though.I mean, the dude is awesome.
And so anyways, he called me and we've been chatting on and off.And then he called me like in October last year, just before Lightbox.And he said, dude, I got something for you tomorrow. 200 million people watch this show.
I was like, 200 million people?He's like, he's like, actually, it's 600 million.It's the largest crowd.It's the it's the most successful crowdfunded show ever in the history of crowdfunding.I was like,
And so he called me, he zoomed me the next day and he walked me through this, this, this possible job.And it was, uh, he wanted me to, to draw Jesus for the chosen, the chosen.I don't know if you know the chosen.
It's a, it's a, it's a, it's an anime.It's a, it's a live action, but they were doing an animated series. And they asked me if I wanted to do the character designs for all of it.
And at first I was hesitant because I think Christian artists can be super cheesy.And there's so much cheese around stuff that is Christian that I was like, I don't know.
But anyways, as I listened and listened to his vision, he's a production designer.And there was another amazing artist that had done all these other sculpts that I absolutely love.I love this artist.
I just drew Jesus for a couple of days and drew sheep and a pigeon.And it went into these meetings and side by side, and then they chose mine over the other guys.There was going to be two two other guys.
And I got that gig and they just it was just an incredible opportunity of the last eight months designing these characters.And now they just yeah.So and the dude. That did cloudy with a chance to meatballs was in the, you know, part of it.
He's the producer at the studio called out of order studios.There's another dude that created Jimmy neutron.I don't know if, you know, Jimmy new job, but his name's Keith.So Keith is is in as in and we all.
And then Ryan Swanson, who's the show runner, great writer, but it was just this incredible team experience of building something unbelievable.
And so now it's, it's, it, they just dropped it and announced it on Saturday, uh, Dallas Jenkins, who Jenkins, who, uh, sort of started the series, the show.And it's just this incredibly cool animation.Uh, it's a comedy adventure is what it is, but.
It's been an unbelievable thing.So that was a full time job of 40 hours a week for eight straight months.And it was incredible.
And so then this last weekend, just just yesterday and this whole weekend, I was in a show called the American Narrative Show in Dallas with Glenn Beck.He's a radio media personality.
And he invited all these artists in the show to accompany his artifacts. So he's got like an artifacts of Lucille Ball.He's got Archie Bunker's chair from All in the Family.He's got a letter from the Hindenburg that survived.
He's got stuff from the Titanic.So he invited like 30 artists to come in. to accompany and create imagery for this show.And I did Star Wars, Schindler's List, and I did Wizard of Oz art, and Buffalo Bill and another Indian thing.
Anyways, all this to say, you asked me, so I'm telling you.That's cool, man.
Yeah.So anyways, I went to this show, and I created all these pieces over the last few years.And That's a whole nother story of that.But all these people showed up.And so like Thomas Blackshear is an amazing artist.He was in the show.
Another guy, a friend of mine, Frank Ordaz, was in the show.And these dudes are pricing their work like... you know, 50,000, you know, they freaking sold out.So some of these dudes walked away with a ton of money.
I mean, I sold all four, all five of my pieces at the end of the show.One of them didn't sell at that moment.And Glenn Beck, who did the show, came up to me and he said, hey, Thomas, would you sell me your Yoda for Star Wars?I was like,
yeah he's like what you don't want to sell i was like no dude i'll sell it but there was a way the auction was going off anyways he he bought this uh painting for his son and i sold everything so i was like oh my gosh this was crazy so i just came through this whole thing of of of being encouraged basically because i've been in a few shows this year and i i didn't sell any of my any of my drawing i was in a hellboy show i didn't sell that drawing
I was in another show in December, I sold one.And then I was in another cowboy show and I didn't sell anything.So we start doubting ourselves.We start going, man, that wasn't cool.What am I thinking?
And then I'm like, I'm not getting any more shows anymore, blah, blah, blah. But now I'm on this high of a complete shift of turn of events.And it's a bizarre road that we walk as artists.
If somebody likes our stuff or sends us a nice thing, we feel awesome.If nobody responds, we feel like we suck.So it's this Jekyll and Hyde, the Jekyll and Hyde of being an artist.
And it's just it's like I want my worth not to be based off of somebody winking at me from across the room, you know, like, hey, I don't need you to acknowledge me.I believe in what I'm doing.It's so cool when you're acknowledged.Don't get me wrong.
And we need that.But we also have to trust in what we're doing and believe and actually have a very small circle around us to basically talk us off the ledge every day or every month. So yeah, it's been super cool.
So right now, there's a lot of cool things going on, and I'm just in a really cool place, actually, today.So yeah, sorry, that was a long-winded answer.
That's awesome, man.That's awesome.I love that.I'm reminded, so many things there to unpack, Thomas, so many.I'm reminded of that conversation that I had with Joe Paquette a few months ago, where he was talking about authenticity.
And I know you're a pocket fan like myself.And when he's talking about balancing out that internal with the external, I mean, so many of us are looking for that validation from the outside.
How do you maintain that you're doing things for the right reason, that inspiration, that internal drive, and not waiting for something from outside? to say, hey, good job, kid, keep going.It's like, no, no, I don't got to have that.I'm just going.
So are there some things that you do, you think about?Is there a way that you have to reset so you make sure that your mindset is on point so you can keep going?
Because if you didn't have the validation, and I do want to circle back to some of the things, really cool stuff that you were just talking about, but if you didn't have that external validation, you think you could keep going?
External validation just from others you're talking about?From others, but it could also be the sale, right?Because the sale is very validating too.
And so what do artists do when they're not maybe making it as such, but at the same time there's a voice inside that says, no, you're on the right path, keep going.
That's bizarre.I think that's why you need a few trusted friends around you.You need like maybe three people that can talk you off of the ledge and talk you out of a rainstorm that comes over your life for a month or so.
It might rain for a month and it might be gray and you can't really see the sun.That's why you need a few people to help you. But a sale is a validation.And a shut door is disillusioning.
But it also helps you to get extreme, me, to get extremely focused.What do I love?And what am I going after?And what do I want to do?And so those are the things that keep me focused.
So I'm not just drawing, like waking up and going, what am I going to draw today? What I'm going to draw and what I'm going to make today is based off of where I want to go.
And some of the dictates or some of the things I'm going after, that fulfills my moments of creating.That helps me stay focused.So I know where I'm going.I've got this book coming out.I did a Mad Mad World of Music.It's already dropping.
I don't know where the book is.Oh, it's right here.Hold on one sec.I'll show you.Awesome. I'm not just doing a shameless plug here.
I am definitely doing a plug, but I want to show you this.Okay, man, this is cool.So, so this is my advanced copy of the mad, mad world of music, right?
Oh, so cool.I love that drawing, dude.
I've seen you post that one.Thanks so much.So the reason why I made this was because I'm going to Lightbox Expo in October 25th. And I wanted a book to sell.I have other books back there that I sell as well.But this is my brand new book.
And it's all about music.And so it's got the Muppets in there.And it's got, who are these guys again?I can't remember these dudes.Oh, man.Alt-J.It's Alt-J.But anyways, the whole book is based off of music. And it's connected into what we love.
We all love music.This is like the soundtrack of our lives.So it's this whole array of just the world of music.And it's just this cool thing that I made that I'm definitely going to sell, but I'm also going to drop it open to the public soon.
But I have it for Lightbox, so this is coming in.So my thinking in terms of staying focused and not getting distracted and getting discouraged is, where am I going?What am I doing?
Well, I know that I'm going to talk about this book, and I'm going to sell it, and I'm going to open it up to my followers or people that are interested in what I'm doing on social media.So I'm going to draw a lot of different drawings
Here's a drawing that I'm gonna have inside the book of just a fat rocker playing a guitar.And I'm gonna put this in the book.I'm gonna have like 10 of these inside the book drawings that will allow me to sell this for a little bit more.
But anyways, all that to say is my warmups in the morning are all based around drawing.I'm drawing John Lennon and Yoko right now.I'm doing a lot of ink studies. because I've been studying Zorn in the last couple of years.
So I'm just having fun and using my time extremely wise.So I know I'm going to do some reels on Instagram.And so I've already dropped a few, but yeah, let me just show you this real quick, hold on.
This is awesome.We're getting to look at all of the, getting a look at some of Thomas's beautiful drawings here.
And I, and again, if you're not watching the video version of the podcast, remember you can find the exclusive video version on Tisch Academy.Yeah, away you go, Thomas.
So anyways, these are how I spend my morning.I wake up early before I have to start my real job of drawing and making imagery.And I have a quiet time, drink a cup of coffee, Get focused on what the reality of who God is in my life, in the world.
I just say, thank you, Lord, for my life.And then I start drawing.Anyway, so I know I'm going to do this book. And so these are some ink drawings I'm doing of Yoko and John, just because I really love this image.But these are just studies.
I don't care.I'm not trying to impress anybody.I'm just having a blast drawing.You can see other little studies that I did of the debate that went down, but I don't care, right?But these are cool little things, and I'm also going to sell them.
It's not money, primarily, motivated, but it's workout.I'm shooting free throws.I'm exploring.It's self-generated.I'm not connecting this into anything.
no motive but just to freaking grow up and to understand how to draw and make stuff and how to create.And so then this is another drawing that I did of the same thing.And I have these really cool images of when they did a bed in.
Yeah, I remember that.Yeah.
So yeah, it was just it was just cool.And I have a few others.I can't find them.But all that to say is, how do I stay disillusioned is I just try to remember where I'm going.You know what I mean?Like where what do I need to do?
And then I connect these warm up into these studies into a direction that I can use it then later.Does that make sense?
Absolutely.You said something there that I just want to go back to, which I find fascinating.On one hand, you're asking yourself, what do I love, which is really important. But in another way, you know, when you say, Hey, look, I don't care.
It's like, you're emotionally unattached from the outcome.You seem to be the process guy, like the, the, the act of doing it for the love of doing it guy.This authenticity that's within you just really comes through and it's so infectious, man.
It is so cool.So, so. Is that it?Is that, am I framing it in the right way here?Is it just, hey look, we're not focused on outcome at all here, we're not focused on anything else but just the love of this subject.Y'know, am I hearing you right?
Um, it's the love of drawing, not so much a subject, because I could fall in love with drawing bugs. Um, but bugs aren't going to serve me, uh, unless I just want to frigging draw a bug.
I will, but it's more connected into the love of drawing and the love of getting better and growing and discovering and learning how to draw.Like you don't arrive.I mean, look, I know how to draw, right?
Like, you know, how to draw, you know, how to paint.We know how to, I know how to paint.I've been trained, blah, blah, blah.Right.But what I'm trying to do is draw in a way that I haven't drawn. before.And that's what I'm interested in.
I'm not interested in representational science.Like Joe said, you know, when are you going to add the poetry?When are you going to add art?I mean, when are you going to add beauty as opposed to science?And science is all safe.
Like, if you do this, you will have a perfect painting.And I look at the painting and go, I hate it.It sucks.I don't care. But when I see something like just suggestive and poetic and intuitive, and it's like, wow, it's alive.
It's like I want to draw in a way I've never seen before.I want to draw in a way I've never drawn before, and I don't want to draw safe. Like, I found myself this morning, I was drawing, I was like, and this voice said, what are you doing?
You're trying to preserve this drawing.Why are you drawing to make a drawing?Like, why are you drawing to make something that feels like acceptable?Like, I want to draw.
to just freaking get to another level or understand something or draw in a way I haven't seen yet, draw in a way I'm not drawing.
So that's what interests me a lot.
And so I'm experimenting with things, you know?So I don't know if that answers the question.I can't even remember what the question was.Sorry.
No, that answers it perfectly.So just talking about that, I guess, that initial inspiration behind why do you do what you do?What is motivating that thing?
Putting the outer external to one side and just ensuring that you're doing this for the love of it.Again, I can hear so much of that coming through, that it's this greater quest that you're on.
I find that fascinating that you feel like you haven't arrived.You just said you never arrive.This was something I was obsessed with early, early on.It's just I want to master this thing.And I realized that is actually impossible.
If you're doing it right, there's always another rung on that ladder.
Yeah, I would say. I don't really believe in the word master so much.If somebody says he's a master or she's a master, that's a word I don't buy into it.Especially if somebody says, man, you're a master.
I mean, it's a very nice thing to say, but I don't buy it.I don't buy into it at all.And I think it's safe to just say, I'm not being arrogant by deflecting any comments.What I'm trying to get at is, what does that mean?What does it really mean?
For me, I don't want to care. And I don't want to believe it.
And I don't want to buy into it, because really what I want to do is just freaking draw and grow and develop and and look to the next maybe 20 years and I'll be 81, you know, and like, man, I make some really cool stuff in the next number of years if I just study with great people, learn, be teachable, be humble and just just try to develop and grow, you know.
So that's what I say.You never really arrive.But I really am digging what I'm doing right now.And it's OK to dig what you do.
Right.So it's like I guess it'd be my shirt.Dig what you do.
But I love that.That's got to be a shirt, dude.That's got to be a shirt.
But it's like it's OK to love what you do to like it.But I didn't like my stuff when I when I go down in my basement.I walk out of there depressed because I have all these paintings and drawings that suck. and I was 30 years old, right?
And I'm like, God, I was trying so hard, trying so hard to get noticed.And so, it's like now I'm just in a different place, but I know I'm drawing in a very specific way. but I need to know more.I just need to grow.You know what I mean?
So that's why I'm aggressive with what I do, you know?And I know you're the same way.I mean, your work, you keep getting better and better.
Every time I see your work, you're constantly moving, you're constantly pressing in and you're like, you're a major inspiration to thousands of people. And, um, I just love talking with you.I want to meet you someday that we just sit down.
I feel like, like we're, we're brothers.We're twin brothers born 40 years apart or something, you know, like 20 years old.
Yeah.Right.Yeah.That that's hilarious.I'm not, I'm not quite.Uh, yeah, I, I think, I think you got me only by about 20 years, bro.Not 40. but I appreciate that.
Gosh, these guys are awesome at 40 and same with you, man.
I think Josh Claire has got the coolest easel I have ever seen.Like, have you seen that that easel that it disappears under his floor?It's almost like a Chuck.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, it's insane.I've seen it.Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.But yeah, so.
Well, we were talking about a few things there, but I. Yeah. You know, you paid me a very nice compliment there, but I've got to say, and again, not being fake humble here, but, you know,
I find this is a, this is something that you, you come to occasionally with a painting, occasionally with a work, it, you hit it, you hit it just right.And then other times you look at it, you're like, ah, didn't quite get there.
And I never know which way it's going to go.And I'm so divided across so many tasks, man.Like there's so much going on.There's so many moving parts of my life that I constantly have.
You know, these ideas, you know, rattling around in my brain, just going, yeah, when are you going to check back in, in this way?When are you going to really. put your finger back on it and really hit this where it needs to be hit.
Because I just feel sometimes it's, it's, I'm off, you know, but I, you know, I only know when I hit it right, right after I've, I've done it.And it's like, ah, there it is.There's the painting.Other times it, it, it does.
I'll admit it is, it is too much science.Cause I'm thinking about lessons.I've got the video cameras going, I'm being watched all the time. You know, I think that, you know, the teaching side of things, it's been such a blessing.
But in other ways, I'm still finding that balance within myself of that external versus internal.Yeah.Yeah.There was something that you mentioned before.I want to go back to this, because you're a man of faith, like myself.
And I was wondering about this. Where does faith and your art, what is that nexus point?Where do they intersect and what does that look like?
Well, it's like, are they two different things?
No, they're one and the same. My life is because, you know, the Lord intervened in my life.I was, you know, just a stonehead stoner.
I was so done, and so broken, and I cried out, Jesus, if you're there, change my life, don't make me religious, and bam, I had a conversion, like he showed up on a street corner in New York City.
So at that point, my life became, I became alive to who God is.And it, and my prayer was, don't make me religious, changed my life.And that's what happened.I never became religious.I became alive to him.
And so then it was, and I became alive to others.And the other thing that's really profound, and I say this a lot, there are, The desire for humility was not something that was of me.That was absent from me.
As a matter of fact, if I never became a believer, you wouldn't even be talking to me because you wouldn't even like me.I was so arrogant. I was so full of myself and it was very, very obvious.
But when I became a believer, I became very interested in pursuing humility and being humble and learning about it and studying about it.
So the presence of humility, or I'm not saying I am humble, what I'm getting at is the desire for humility is proof that God has shown up in my life.And so now as I pursue art, It's, I'm enjoying God in my art.They're not two separate things.
It's like Eric Little said, and he was in Chariots of Fire, and when he ran, he said, I feel God's pleasure when I run.He said, when I run, I feel your pleasure.And when I draw, I feel your pleasure.And he said, he has made me fast.
And I say, he has made me with the ability to understand how to draw and create. So he's made me fast.He's wired me this way.
And I think anybody can learn art, but I don't think anybody I don't think it's it's just like everybody could get to a certain high level.I think you're wired that way.
Like I could study math all the time, but I am not going to be a mathematician because I friggin hate it.But I'm doing what I love.So so this whole idea of faith and work, it's for me, it's all a matter of God.I'm going to
enjoy you in this day as I do this.So it's almost like this.I have a bowl of Wheaties in front of me.
Lord, I'm going to enjoy you as I eat these Wheaties because you made me to enjoy and taste and have these taste buds that are present just explode and go, wow, that's cool.
So the same coolness that I'm excited and enjoying a bowl of Wheaties, I'm thanking God as I'm doing it.It's not super spiritual.It's just the way it is.
So if I enjoy a sunset, I see it set and I'm going everyone is going, wow, I just know the God behind it because he's revealed himself to me in such a way that it's it's it's just like I'm alive to him.So I'm enjoying God in everything I do.
So the long winded answer is how does art fit into that? They're both the same pursuit.I'm pursuing God, I'm pursuing art, and they're both intertwined.There's no distinction.Does that make sense?It's just an enjoyment.
It's an enjoyment and an acknowledgement that I was washed up until you showed up in my life. And I would be such a doofus if you didn't keep me from being an arrogant fool.And as a matter of fact, this is an interesting story.This is so true.
So I became a believer in 84.And like fucking months later, my pastor came over to my house at my apartment in New York City.And he goes, can I see your work?
So I'm like a few months in being a believer. And I sit down on the bed, and there's a little futon, and I show him my work.I'm flipping through my portfolio, because this was back in the day when there's no digital, 1984.
And I'm flipping through, and I'm saying, yeah, you see that drawing?
I did that on newsprint, and I controlled all that marker, and blah, blah, blah.
And I'm just showing him all my work.And when I was done, I put my portfolio up.And he's looking at me, and he goes like this.And he just put his arm around me.
And he goes, God, I just pray for this proud man Pray you would give him humility in his life.And I pray you would just humble him that he wouldn't be arrogant.And I was like, wow, that was like the coolest thing that ever happened to me.
He prayed for me to be humble because I was bragging that I controlled this newsprint and I did this and that.
And so I understand the human nature and I'll call it the fallenness of who we are as human beings that we want to project.We want to Pride is competitive.We want to tell people how great we are.
And it's not wrong to advertise and do things, but when you exert yourself in a conversation and you say your accomplishments, and you want everybody to know, for me, that's pride, that's ego.
But the people that I love, the artists I love, I don't really know many egotistical artists, because most people don't like them.You talk to Joe Paquette, he's a humble man.
All the artists I talked to this weekend, Thomas Blackshear, Frank Ordaz, Josh Eclair, Albin Velasquez, however you say his name, these are humble men, right?And so, and even Glenn Beck is a humble man when he spoke.So that's a long-winded answer.
I'm sorry for going off, but it's necessary that I just, I don't see, they're not separate pursuits.They're not separate realities.It's, I enjoy my life as a gift and I'm stunned that I get to do it with the care of God walking with me.
I love what you said there.I'm still really working this out for myself, but I feel like I'm on a similar trajectory to that, because so much a part of this is the act of appreciating.You're grateful for the opportunity to just be able to do this.
And no, I love that.I find that whenever I'm in a headspace where there's a deadline or I'm in this feeling like I've got to, got to do it, got to do it, got to do it, and flipping the script a little bit and saying, no, no, I get to.
And now suddenly it turns me into somebody that's motivated from outside to being appreciative from within.
And now I'm on a different path and occasionally I'll have something that just flips that switch for me externally that's able to push me in the right way.
Normally it's a kind word from my wife, who's the stabilizing feature in my life, who's like, hey, make sure you're doing this for the right reasons, right?I'm like, oh, yeah.
Awesome.Wow.I love that.How we need our wives, right?
We need them.Absolutely.We do.We do.So I'd love to hear more about this project of The Chosen.So I'm familiar with the show.I watched the first season. I didn't watch the second season.I mean, I got some views on it spiritually.
We don't necessarily have to go there, but I was just looking at it going, okay, this is really interesting.I am glad that Jesus is making a comeback in terms of culture, that he's getting out there in that way.
I think that could be a really good thing. But amazing opportunity that it's being turned into an animated series.I had no idea.So, when is the release if it hasn't been released already?Is this out there for people to watch now?
Can they see some of your work?Tell us a little bit more about your role for the project as well.
Yeah, so it's called The Chosen Adventure.And really what it is, it's not going to show Jesus getting beat up and get his beard pulled out as he goes to the cross.That's not at all what it is.It's life in Jerusalem. with Rome as a tyrant.
And it's for kids to learn life and to understand biblical perspective of how to treat people and how to be and how to live.And it's really brilliantly written.And so it's dropping in 2025, early 2025.
what i did was i designed every living thing in in the series so i designed all the people and i designed every animal uh and every bug there's a wasp that i drew and um yeah so it's it's really they let me be me was really incredible because
Like one guy that works at Real Effect, it's an animation house.He kind of just explained it to somebody.And they call me Tommy.They call me Tommy on the show or whatever.And he said, Tommy approaches it from a very unconventional approach.
And I thought that was really good because I'm not interested in copying what's been done. like a sheep that everybody has seen.I need to approach this as a caricaturist, from a caricature mindset with different proportions.And
That's what ruled everything.But also Sam Mishlap, who was a production designer, he had a whole worldview that was constructed in an hour-long talk of Rome is all square, 90 degrees, bottom heavy, top.
Everything is squared off in precision and precise. The Jewish world is broken, and it's tattered, and it's tipped, and it's crooked, and it's fractured, and it's just like sin, or brokenness of life, or dependent on God.
Like I designed Pidge, the pigeon, with one leg, and somebody said, oh no, he's missing a leg, and I said, exactly.I want him to have one leg because we all are missing, we don't have a leg to stand on,
When we start thinking about God standing in our own righteousness or in our own way, I'm going to stand before God and I'm going to be there for me.But we need a savior.We need somebody to stand and fill in that gap.
We don't have a leg to stand on, basically.So let me design this pigeon with one leg. And it was so cool, so they wrote it into the story.So there's this whole broken, fractured world of the Jews, right?They're under oppression from Egypt.
Rome comes in and starts ruling over them and grabbing taxes and demanding taxes, and everything is completely broken down and oppressed.So Rome is strong.So anyways, all these designs fit into this world. And it's so crazy.
So some of the actors are coming in to do voiceovers and work in the animated series.So I had to match, I had to draw the actual actor and turn them into an animated character.It was, it was unbelievable.So it's out right now.
They just dropped it on Facebook.I shared a few things because they, these fans of the chosen just started assembling these pages of the show now.So, It's really insane.But I love these designs and I love these characters and I'm really
I'm getting ready to kind of announce myself to the animated world.Because I did another series as well that's coming out.And I designed all the characters for this other show.But nobody knows I do this.They just, oh, you do blue line?
Man, I love your blue line, blah, blah, blah.But I have been designing characters for a long time.And I am getting ready to sort of drop that.I'm going to actually do it at Lightbox, have a nice big banner behind me.
Thomas Lou Hardy character design.It's going to be cool.I say this, I'm slowly becoming a believer in the chosen.
because I was like, I'm not interested in a lot of the Christian cheese that goes on, but when I started seeing this show and hearing the writer and hearing the founder and hearing people, hearing them talk through the difficulty, and then also meeting the team, I was like, they're not interested in making a Jesus show.
What they want to make is something that's really profound and different, but beautiful, but it gives God glory.So it's awesome.So anyways.
That's cool.That's cool.I've just pulled up a little snippet here on your Facebook page.And again, just want to encourage people to check out the video version of this.
Uh, and also we will be putting out a shorter YouTube version here at some point of the podcast, but just incredible work, incredible work, man.
Um, I would love to, um, and you know, just, just before we tie that one off, I, I, I, I do really enjoy it when, when, um, we get a chance to talk about faith on the podcast.People will no doubt know by now that I too am a man of faith.
We don't often go there in the podcast because a lot of the guests just aren't there, and that's okay.And a lot of the people listening as well, absolutely.But it's just, I think, that it's just such a cool thing, man.
So I appreciate this opportunity to be able to reflect on some of these things.And I love this opportunity that you've been given here.Just one thing on this, though. I think a lot about this, and I'd love to get your take on this.
I think a lot about this in terms of just these chance happenings.You look back on it, you think, was that a chance?Was that an accident that this happened?Or was it for his plans and purposes?
And so you were talking about your association with Sammy and almost...
Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but the way that you were wording that in the beginning there was, you know, he would call, you knew it was going to take a bunch of your time, you were almost a little reluctant in that regard, but it's like, no, better take the call.
Was there something, was there some feeling that you got?It's like, no, hang on a second.This is, this is important.You got to do this because I'll just say like, I get that quite often.
And there's this voice in my head that says, no, pick up the phone.Ah, no, no.Open that door and go and answer the door.I know you're busy right now.Go and answer the door.Don't say, don't, don't say no to these folks.I know you're busy.
Cause part of me just wants to go.Not right now.I can't not right now.I'm not, I'm sorry.I'm not, I'm not interested.You know?Yeah.Yeah. If you had done that, think about this door that wouldn't have opened for you.
I want to address something you said.For me, it wasn't a reluctance to talk to Sam Mishlap.I call him Sammy boy.Sammy as a friend.We spoke the same language because he gets it.
When you look at his work, he's an amazing artist, but he's really an unbelievable production designer. He's in these zoom meetings.I don't even friggin understand what he's saying.He knows this, right?
So my reluctancy was like you said, I'm too busy.Because I go, Oh, man, and, uh, okay, I'm gonna, I'm gonna talk to him.Hey, Sammy, what's up?And I'm really helping him at the moment where he was, right?
He was he was coming out of leaving in the studio and He just he just was kind of unsure, you know, like he thought he was going to go on to Instagram and blow up his Instagram.So there was a lot of advice there.So my point was this.
I didn't have any ulterior motives like, oh, well, he might get me some work in the future.That never came into my mind.For sure.What I try to do is this.I never forget the fact that people are needy like I'm needy.
And what I mean by that is this, sometimes people just need you to like their drawing.You don't know what that does, right?It would be, oh my gosh, Andrew Tischler liked my drawing.
Or they say, they leave a comment to you, and you go look at his work or her work, and you go to their page.Or here's what I do, and I'm not trying to I don't mean this in any way, I'm making a bigger point.If somebody says, man, I really love that.
I love the way you did blah, blah, blah, right?I know that they spent a little more time with a compliment.I go to their page, I find out what their name is.
And if it's Joey, I come, hey, Joey said this, and I go back and I say, hey, Joey, thank you so much.When they see, hey, Joey, thank you, and their name didn't say Joey, it just said Jay Smith.
But because I took a moment to look at this human being, that person can feel like a million bucks, has nothing to do with me.
But I don't know how much they love my work.It might be because of me, but I'm not saying this to elevate anything about me.I'm trying to say we all can do this, right?And it's kind of connected into what happened when I was like 16.
I was a burnout on drugs and everybody looked at me and said, you're weird, you're weird, you're weird.And this word weird destroyed me.And it just kept coming up over and over and over again.But there's this one kid, Joel Kraft,
And Joel Kraft, his father owned these stores in Dayton, Ohio, these wood stores, these carpenter stores.And Joel Kraft was a cool kid.And he acknowledged me.He just said something to me.And I was like, wow, Joel Kraft acknowledged me.
And I was completely drugged out, burnt out.But to this day, I'm still having this conversation because Joel Kraft acknowledged me and it changed my day, it changed my moment, it changed my life in the sense that there was somebody paying attention.
Please excuse this brief interruption.I just want to take a quick minute and tell you about this podcast sponsor, Rosemary & Co.Brushes.And just a note about sponsorship as well.I want to tell you something about me personally.
I'm not going to recommend something to you that I'm not using.I'm a fan of Rosemary & Co.I've used their brushes for many, many years.And whenever I bring you a sponsorship or if I'm going to be associating myself with some brand,
It's going to be because I personally use it.I'm a fan.I think it's good.Otherwise, I would not recommend it to you.So let's just get that out the way.And I appreciate you allowing this brief interruption.
But let me tell you, if you've been looking for the perfect brush to help bring your work to life, well, brushes really do help.
Maybe it's going to take some skill and some talent and you've done your homework and maybe you've taken some of the demos over on Tisch Academy, but the brushes really do help.Let me tell you.
If you're looking for a great quality brush, look no further than Rosemary & Co.Brushes.These guys have been in the business of making the best quality artist brushes for well over 40 years.
And in my opinion, they're just outstanding, second to none.Now, I've been using their brushes for many years, and they've totally transformed the way I paint. The control and the detail I can achieve is amazing.
Whenever I pull out an ivory dagger and I'm making those details on the snow-capped mountains, these tiny little filaments of snow and this precision that I need, I need to know that one ivory dagger is going to be exactly the same as the other and it's going to be just as good.
It's the consistent quality that I'm looking for. And it's not only that, it's the range that they have.
They not only do oil painting brushes, acrylic brushes, they also do watercolor brushes, and heck, I've even heard of makeup artists using their brushes.So why would you settle for anything less? Your art deserves the best brushes, don't they?
I mean, you've spent all of these hours working on these paintings.Surely you should be using the best tools that you can get your hands on.And look, I'm telling you right now, you'll be amazed at the value for money.
They're not as expensive as you might think.So go ahead and head over to rosemaryandco.com and see for yourself why Rosemary and Co are the gold standard for artist brushes.That's rosemaryandco.com.Get the tools that your art really deserves.
I thank you for allowing this brief interruption.Shout out to Rosemary & Co.and thank you for sponsoring this episode of The Creative Endeavor.Let's get straight back into it with Thomas Fluharty.
There's a significance to how I do my life and it's connected into other things, but I just want to help is many people that reach out, right?
I want to be a human being and understand that somebody might be on a ledge, let's say, a ledge of like artistically down or whatever it is, right?Like we're Jekyll and Hyde in any given day.
You know, we're I'm not making light of bipolar, but we we are back and forth and, you know, you're drawing and you're confident.It's amazing.And then you go eat lunch, come back.What was I thinking?
Oh, dude, I can relate to that so much.It's interesting.Yeah, putting it like the Jekyll and Hyde.Absolutely.Absolutely.I get that 100%. How do you keep it together though?Who's the bad guy in that?
It's been a while since I've heard the story of Jekyll and Hyde.Who's the bad guy?The one that shows up?I don't know.I can't remember.People are screaming right now at the podcast going, it's this one.
But how do you balance it out when that internal critic shows up?That's the thing.That's something I still struggle with.It's like, it sucks.Okay, but it's alright.I'm still on the path.
I feel that so many of us creatives have the tendency to be on that ledge and stay there.Right?
Yeah.It can happen. How do you get off the ledge?
Go for a walk.Go spend time with family.Go to a birthday party.Go to a soccer game.There's life going on outside of it.And at the end of the day, that doesn't define me.Art does not define me.I am an artist.I'm an artist through and through.
I'm nothing else.I'm not a home repair guy.I don't do any of that. You have to, you can't let that rule your life because I'm not serving art.I'm not like, I'm not living or dying on art.It's just that one thing I get to do.
And if it doesn't go well, or I get rejection, I might live with some discouragement for a moment or for a while.And to get out of that hole, all of a sudden I get a phone call or an email or something encouraging me.So anyways, I mean,
I just, I come back the next day and I look back and I go, wow, it wasn't, wasn't what I thought it was.It actually worked.And then I just keep moving forward.If it doesn't work, I just started again.I'll try, I'll try it again, you know?
But yeah, I mean, that, that's how I, that's, that's how I move beyond that, that dark moment of maybe I suck or whatever, but I also have 40 years underneath me that I know that that serves me well because it might not be far off.
It's just far enough off that I know that and deep down inside, you know, because your taste starts becoming heightened.
It starts becoming like It's like this ability to know, oh, that's off.
But other people would say, no, dude, that's awesome.But I'm like, no, that's not quite right.And if I have to finish the job and hand it in or give it off, and it's almost there, then that might have to be.
But I try to, I can either redo it if it's doable, unless I'm too far in. You know, like, like, real quick, I did this for this show, I did this, this Glenn Beck show, I did this, this Buffalo Bill circus poster on Buffalo Bill.
And it was really cool.It was like, this big, right?The whole thing.I don't even know where it is.The whole thing was crazy.And I did the whole thing.Anyways, I did the whole thing, right?And
Every time I would do something, it would just not be right.And it moved on to the other thing.And it was like, ah, that sucked.And it did something else.Ah, that sucked.
And when I got almost done with the whole thing, and the show was looming, the deadline, I was like, I can't hand this in. these great artists are gonna look at this and say, wow, he missed here, he missed there, he missed there, and he missed there.
And I just said, I'm gonna have another approach.So I had a whole nother approach that I spent time making something that I felt was really, really close to being as perfect as I could make it and as beautiful that I could sign off on.
And the failed drawing is over here somewhere.I don't even know where, but I didn't submit that. But I still know it's a cool idea and some things are cool, but it just didn't measure up at the end of the day.
So I just started and did a different approach.
Let's change gears a little bit here.A huge focus of this podcast is all about art business.And this is something I love to riff on with my guests that come on the show.
Because there's people that are listening that are just trying to figure out a way to monetize this.
They're just trying to get a little bit of an edge here, learn a new strategy, maybe find a bit of that mindset, that motivation, have a new approach, get a fresh take on things.
Now, you have been so inspiring for me with the different things that you're doing, particularly with these book launches, but you also are the one that put me onto Eric Cusky's amazing book, The Billion Dollar Painter, which was just awesome.
I've now listened to it several times.It's one of my favorites.You know, a tragic story of Thomas Kinkade. a fascinating listen.I listened to the audio version.
But I'm reminded of these conversations that we had earlier on about, you know, even licensing your art and putting your stuff on stuff.Okay, so it's 2024 when we're recording this conversation right now.
What are some of the things that you would be doing if you're an artist and you're just starting right out of the gate?
So let's say you're retired and now you're changing gears in your life and you want to be an artist or you're young, you're coming out of college or you've skipped that step and you just want to go straight into art.
What are some of the things that you would do if you had to approach this fresh at 2024?
Well, that's a complicated question.It's a great question.The number one thing I would do is I would study with someone.That's the number one thing.This isn't about social media.
It's about getting great.Bottom line.And I scratch my head that Kuang Ho has 40,000 followers.No, I mean, we're talking universes apart with ability.
Wong is one of the best, greatest artists I think alive today.
Guy is friggin brilliant.It's a complete injustice, right?
Someone that just playing a game. It's like, how can this be right?So I wouldn't get caught up in the social media game.I would pay attention to it.I would just study with great artists, try to get as great as you can.
And that requires studying with people, great artists, getting critiqued, being humped, getting critiqued. You know, try to find that 1 or 2 artists that are going to really help you grow as a draftsman and as a painter.
And then it's like, follow some of these artists that are already on social media.Plug in the social media side.See who's succeeding because success leaves clues, they say, right? And I'm copying Steven Silver.He's a really dear friend of mine.
I'm paying attention to what he does, and he and I become pals, and I love Steven.And Bobby Chu is another one.These guys are not succeeding accidentally.So I'm studying these guys.So what I'm saying is, if I was 21, I would also reach out to them.
I would try to befriend them. And the way you befriend someone is like this buddy of mine, Max Weitzer, who's a great young man, great young artist.He won entrepreneur of the year at.
I can't I can't remember what college it was, but he reached out to me and just like was. He was just like, he wrote me this great note and said, here's what I'm doing.
I love your work and he's complimenting me and he's telling me what he loves about my work.But he's also, he's also humble and he's teachable and he's just says, you know, like, he can help me in any way that he can.
And I look at his work and we became friends and he came to Lightbox and just one thing leads to another.But like, it's almost like if the studio was right over there and I was a young kid, I would go to that artist's house and that studio.
I would go there as much as possible and work and take his classes and take the trash out.I would wash his car. You need to get around great artists and pick their brains and watch them.
So it's this duality of growing and developing and spending time as much as possible, growing and doing it, making art, and then also networking and trying to build friendship.
Because I build a lot of friendship just by reaching out to some people and say, man, your work is so amazing.And if it goes somewhere and the friendship becomes natural and ignites, so be it.That's great.
But if it doesn't, I'm still going to tell them how awesome they are. Right.I'm going to just say, man, your work is so great.And then I'll see him in a show and we become friends and you never know what could happen.But that's not my primary motive.
So all that to say is, if I was starting out now, I would definitely try to get as much chop by just doing it, doing, drawing, creating. around great artists with critique and then also studying the social media side of it and success leads clues.
Find out who's doing what you're doing, the way you wanna do and follow them and see what they're doing and go at it that way.That's exactly what I would do.
Maybe there's other good things to do, but I already have friends that are hugely successful and I study them.
I love that.I love that.How do you know when you're ready to either make an approach, make a pitch, go for a project or a gallery or whatever?How do you know when your work's up to a standard that you're ready to dive in?
Well, that's a good question as well.That's a really good question.How do you know you're ready?
I would say the mindset has to be that this is a marathon and not a sprint.
It's a crockpot, not a microwave.There's no quick, right?There's no shortcut with what we're doing.I'm 40 years in.
When the internet happened, especially Instagram, Facebook 2004, I already had 30 years under my belt at that point, 30 years.
So everybody right now is just playing, not everybody, a lot of people are playing a game and they're building huge followings, but they're not even that good. You see what I mean?So it's like, how do you know when you're good enough?I don't know.
I would encourage you to get an Instagram account.I would encourage you to try to grow your numbers.If you get a million followers and you're not that good, then that's great marketing.Thomas Kinkade would be a perfect example.
He blew up without the Internet, and he was better before he became Thomas Kinkade as a landscape plein air painter with James Gurney.He and James were best friends, and they would go out and paint like crazy. And I love, loves the strong word.
I like Thomas's work then, but he blew up and became a multi, you know, billionaire, and then just had to serve a beast of a company. And he just got lost in it all.Anyways, all that to say is, how do you know when you're ready?I don't know.
I know when I think I might be ready, but I've done a lot of different work over the last few years and talked to some galleries and frigging ignored, completely ignored.And so I welcome shut doors.I'm not saying that to sound cool.
Shut doors for me are a good thing. And they cause me, because I look at what comes out of a shut door and then that direction or that adjustment after that shut door.And it's not just one shut door I pay attention to, it's multiple shut doors.
So when multiple shut doors happen, I'm like, okay, God, you're not opening that door, fine.I'm gonna keep going in this one direction.And I'm always trying to find out what's gonna monetize itself.Like I'm paying attention to that.
You know what I'm saying?Like, I already know some things that are hot with connecting into a love.You know, the blue line, the 901 indigo blue, there's a love for that.
And there's a look of the 901, but there's also what I'm connecting into is this idea.We all love drawing, all of us. We all want to be great at it, and we love those who are great at it, and we're inspired by it.
So those are four, three things that I know that are in my favor in this monetize, I can monetize, so I pay attention to that, but also want to maybe do some cowboy. And there's a big painting up here that I started a saloon fight.
That I just set aside because I've been ignored in the cowboy world.So I'm going to come back to that, but I haven't forgot it.
And then after being at this show with a lot of cowboy artists, I came back and looked at this today and said, I need to finish.This is, this is not far off.I just, I need to keep going.So rejection is great.
When are you ready?Talk to people. talk to a few, keep going, whatever you're doing.
And even if you're young, don't give up.You don't have to wait till you're 40 to succeed.You can make a great following and be 25 and make a ton of money. My point is, get great, though.Try to keep getting great.
I wish people could really hear that, though, to understand how many doors have been slammed in your face.I mean, here you are, Thomas Fluharty.Dude, I love your work.I love you, man.It's just so inspiring. And, you know, me too.
I mean, I've had those doors slammed in my face.And at the time, it's like, yeah, this sucks.But looking back now, I'm like, thank you for that.You know, it's either I dodged a bullet there or whatever.I'll give you one.I'll give you one.
This one's a little bit off the wall, but I'll give you one.
So, there was a gallery in Perth, in Western Australia, that I was in meetings with, and there was a chap, he was running this really nice, fine art gallery in a little seaside town called Fremantle.
And years and years later, I just moved to New Zealand, and there was an exhibition that was in Wellington, and it was all about the occult. And I walked in and I saw, I was like, I gotta go in and see, is this what I think it is?
And I saw Alistair Crowley originals, and if people listening know who Alistair Crowley is, he's sometimes been described as the most evil man ever to ever have lived.
This is a dark individual playing with spiritual things that he shouldn't have been.But I looked at this show and I was like, oh my goodness, and then I saw who put it on.It was the same guy.
the same guy was, and I was like, whoa, I was like, thank you, dodged a bullet here and on my way out, I said, I said, is this guy, is this, this is a curator?And taxpayer dollars went towards funding this?
I was like, okay, that's all I need to know.I was like, dude, man.And so, you know, sometimes a shut door sometimes something that doesn't pan out, doesn't go your way, you know, sometimes it's a, it's a really, it's a good thing.
But other times, you know, whenever I've, I've gotten rejection, I just, I felt like this, this is feedback.You know, I approached a gallery earlier on, I got, I got the door slammed in my face and the comment was, you're not good enough.
And so I just was like, well, I'll show you.So what did I do?I went and got good.I, as good as I could, you know, but,
I don't know, man, like there's a lot of people out there that are hurting, that are feeling like this is just, it's just not working.It's like, well, okay, well maybe it's just not meant to right now.What are you going to do about this?
What are you going to do with this feedback that you're getting right now?And also, maybe this rejection isn't a bad thing.Just reframe this.
Yeah, yeah.I mean, you know, we all have had rejection. Spielberg, you know, sorry, Steven Spielberg rejected.Right.He was rejected.I mean, everybody, everybody is rejected.And it's just that thing that.
That it's just it's par for the course, but you just you just you really have to ask yourself, you know, what am I going after?
What do I want?What do I love?And. I mean, there's no real smooth answer for it, but we all have had it.But again, it makes me want to be better.You know what I mean?And sometimes rejection is no, not now.Oh, I know what I was going to say.
I have this thing.I've seen it on Instagram.They give these little things.And it'll say, don't chase people. And that has been so helpful for me.
Don't chase people.If they don't wanna work with you, don't chase them.
There are people that are gonna wanna work with you.That's gonna happen at some point, but don't chase them.
Don't be like, oh man, there they are.Hey, remember me?Can I stop by your gallery?Oh, I'm gonna be in Paris.
Oh, and then they just keep ignoring me, keep ignoring me.
And I'm like, man, I can't get in there.
Like, dude, what?I don't care at this point.Like, I don't need that.Because I know there are going to be people that are interested, genuinely interested and love me for what I'm doing.Right.Right.
And so it's like, I don't I don't chase anybody anymore.And I think that's extremely helpful information.Don't chase somebody who who doesn't is not interested.
Right on, man.Yeah, absolutely.Oh, gosh, I've done a lot of that.I look back and I just cringe.What were you thinking? Yeah, yeah.I've so enjoyed this so far.This has been an awesome conversation.
Is there anything else that you want to throw in the mix here and talk about?Anything that you think would be a good area to go?I could set it up, ask you a question here, but I just love riffing with you.
Yeah, yeah.A cool thing that's happening is I'm starting a podcast with two other really good buddies Oh, yeah.So I say that I say that carefully because everybody starts a podcast, right?Everybody's going to do this that I don't have any.
I have no intentions of blowing up or anything like that.This isn't.So this is another thing.I believe in natural.I believe in organic.Organic growth, organic movement.Yeah.So if I'm going to do a podcast,
I'm not doing it for a motive of being famous or getting known or building a following and having it be my YouTube thing and it blows up because I'm not interested, right?
But if I can do this podcast that already is awesome based off of my friendship with Wouter Tulp and Jonathan Hardest. We sat down at Lightbox for the last few years and we just have a blast talking and laughing.
And I'm already great friends with Wouter.I don't know if you know Wouter Kulp.It's W-O-U-T-E-R, so Wouter. Pulp, P-U-L-P.Amazing artist, amazing draftsman, dear friend, super humble, incredible artist.
He works, he teaches at Schoolism, he's done all kinds of character design for, he just did Leo with his animated feature with a lizard, and Wouter is a friggin' brilliant artist. Can't rave enough about him.
He does everything well, and one of the few that does everything well.And he and I are pals.We have a booth at Lightbox coming up.By the way, I can keep rambling.You just gotta tell me when you're done.
No, no, you're good, you're good.
I just pulled him up, by the way.
I just pulled him up here, and I love his stuff already.
Valder is amazing.We've known each other for more than 10 years or so.Awesome. And we traveled together.We were in Vienna together and I love Wouter.He's a dear friend.So we just connect at such a level.
And then Jonathan Hart is who teaches at school. He is a, he's an amazing artist as well.He's a great artist and he's got this incredible story, but he is so funny.So he's like an MMA trainer fighter thing.
And he, he shows up wearing like a donut shirt at like a light box where all these artists are.And he's got this like pink shirt with a donut on.I'm like, dude, you're wearing that today?
So we just have this like, have this banter back and forth of just natural.So we doing this podcast, all three of us. And we'd already did the first one and we did it under a name that is actually taken, especially how stupid we are.
So the name of our podcast was three point perspective.I wanted it to be the three art Migos, but they didn't buy that.So I thought the three art Migos was really awesome.
And then, so I think we came up with, uh, oh, we came up with this new name is called what brush do you use? And that's a funny thing.John goes, yeah, we're going to talk about what this is.Welcome to three.Welcome to what brush do you use?
And we'll answer every question but that.And so it's like this thing where we're going to talk about all kinds of things.Art, you know, we love art and we. It's just so cool.
So this podcast, we're going to do one season of like 12 or 15, and we're going to, we're going to, we're going to record like four and start dropping them in the next month or two.And they're 90 minutes and we just are going to go off.
We're going to talk about what's bad art.Why is it bad?You know, good art versus bad art.We're going to, we're going to talk about the why plan, you know, why is Andrew great?We're going to talk about, Science versus poetry.
We're going to have a podcast on that.We're going to talk about, we're going to interview some great artists.I don't want to say who yet, because we haven't asked their permission, though.
But there are two specific rock stars that I love, Pascal Campion and John Navarez.But we need to ask these guys before I announce their names, so you can keep it in here in case they hear this.So anyways, it's not going to be like,
We don't want it to be a normal podcast.I don't have any problem with someone start a podcast.How'd you get started in art?Because those are always amazing.But we want to talk about different things.So anyways, this podcast is going to be cool.
It's going to be on every platform.John knows everything about it.He started rambling off all these different platforms.It's going to be a visual, a visual.We're going to have it on YouTube as well, but it'll be a visual podcast. not just audio.
So anyways, that's coming up.That's going to be really, really cool.Also. I'll be going to Paris and I'm going to Lightbox.I'll be in Pasadena at Lightbox Expo, sharing a booth with Wouter Kool.And I'll have the Mad Mad World of Music.
I will have a lot of original art and a few prints and I'll have my cowboy book and I'll be selling originals and meeting people.That's gonna be amazing.That's October 21st. 5th to the 27th.That's awesome.
I'm also drawing with James Gurney on Friday morning, which is going to be crazy cool.And like 10 other artists.300, 300, 400 other artists are all gathering to draw outside before it starts.So that's going to be cool.
And then we come back from that, and four days later, I fly to Paris to do a three-week workshop in Paris, which is gonna be absolutely bonkers.It's gonna be insanely cool, drawing, teaching at Beaux-Arts Entertainment, and love these guys.
They have an amazing art atelier in Paris, and we're gonna hit up all the museums.We're gonna go to the Bone Museum.Bone Museum is off the charts.You just Google it. Look at this place.We drew there last year, did a workshop there.
We're going to go to the museum.We're going to go to Louvre.We're going to go to Musée d'Orsay.We're going to do Petit Palais.And we're going to draw from in the studio.We're going to do some character design and just tons of drawing.
It's going to be unbelievable.And that's going to be November 4th to the 22nd.If they can take one week, cool.I have people coming in and flying in and doing this.
They're taking one week, some are taking two, some are maybe doing three, maybe they just do the third week, but that's going to be off the charts.
And then the book is dropping somewhere in between all of this as well, somewhere around the first week of October or December.
That, that's it.Also, I have this, I have two books that I want to do.
One book, and I'm going to turn it into a classic schoolism.It's called the 20 biggest drawing mistakes and how to fix them.That's going to be really cool.That's going to be a class I want to make a schoolism if Bobby signs off on it.
I think he already has, but that's cool.And then I want to do another book on the Dutch Flemish technique. And that's gonna be a video as well, but I'm also gonna turn it into a book.And I'm teaching on schoolism all the time.And I'm on Patreon.
If anybody wants to follow me on Patreon, please don't jump over and follow me and leave Andrew.Oh, Andrew's not on Patreon anymore.But I'm on Patreon.Yeah, yeah, yeah.No, dude, you crushed it.So anyways, it's...
It's a joy to be with you and to see what you do.And you always inspire me, especially your entrepreneurial mad madman pursuits.You're always crazy.I don't know.I don't even know, man.You just like you're out there.
You're constantly moving on, constantly growing, going.And your art is always off the charts and you're getting better.Every time I see your work, I'm like, man, I think I told you, your word is epic.The thing is, I think we've had this conversation.
But this is the thing that I really appreciate.I so appreciate the kind words.I hope I deserve them.But I know you mean them.
But look, man, we had a conversation, I think it must have been a year, if not maybe two years ago, but we just had a real, just heart to heart, and you were just like, hey dude, you're in this spot.And I was in a bit of a spot.
And you're like, you're in this spot because you've lost touch with your category. And this wasn't a, hey, to stay in your lane.It was, you've lost your category.
And I remember specifically, it's like, okay, when you think of Tommy Flew, what do you think of?And it's like, Indigo Blue.It's like right on.Okay, you think of Joe Paquette, what do you think of?It's just an incredible plein air.Cool.
That's his category.Now, it's not to say other people can't have that category. But I was just getting into too many different pies.
And that was a really, I just want you to know, man, like that was a really important paradigm shift for me, that your willingness to be honest with me at the risk of, at the time you were probably thinking, oh, look, this might offend him, but he's got to hear it right now.
Not at all.Like it just, it just got me and I was like, yeah, you know what?That's fair.I'm taking it on the chin and I'm going to, I'm going to really, um, process this and have a recalibration as a result of this conversation.
So I hope, man, I really hope we get a chance to hang out in person.But I just really respect you as an artist and value you as a friend, even though we don't get to talk that often.When we do, it's just so, so important for me.
And it's been a huge impact for me.So I just want to say, man, thank you.Thank you for this opportunity here.Again, really appreciate your time. Thanks for being on the Creative Endeavor.
It's an honor for me to hang with you and be your buddy.We've been friends for the last few years.I look forward to what's in the future and continuing to chat.
Well, thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of the Creative Endeavor podcast.A huge thank you and shout out to Thomas Fluharty for joining me.Right now, if you're not following Thomas on Instagram, do so immediately.
He can be found at Thomas Fluharty, all one word, and that last name is spelled F-L-U-H-A-R-T-Y, and on his website at thomasfluharty.com. Now, Thomas has been so inspiring for me over the years and I always get so much out of these conversations.
I hope you do too.And if you enjoyed this episode of the Creative Endeavor podcast, then please let me know by leaving me a rating or a review on whatever audio platform you're listening on.It makes a huge difference to the show.
If you enjoy the creative endeavor and you want it to hang around, then another way to support this show is to follow me over on Tisch Academy, where you can see, for just the very basic studio tier, you can see the official video version of the podcast.
So make sure you check that out at tisch.academy.I'll include that link in the show notes. But thank you so much for spending this time with me here and Thomas here in the studio.
I really hope you've enjoyed this episode and I'll see you again in another episode of The Creative Endeavor.
Sign in
