Je Suis La Nuit, an oil painting by Russ Renshaw: a nude figure with flowing dark hair, arms raised between golden crescent moons on a dark green-black ground

Paint, Pixels and Permission: My Talk on Starlit Studios

This fall I sat down with artist and host Shelby Shea on Starlit Studios: Where Artists Speak, a podcast about the real, unfiltered side of making art. Our episode, "Branding by Day, Oil Painting by Night," is out now.

Two worlds, one creative life

For about twenty years I've kept a foot in two worlds. By day I build brands and design websites, mobile apps and the occasional mural. By night I'm in the studio with my oils. Shelby and I talked about that "nine to five and five to nine" rhythm, and how a painting practice can keep getting bigger and bolder even when it shares the clock with a day job.

From spray paint to slow paint

We traced the path that got me here: drawing as a kid, then graffiti, then acrylics, and finally oils. It took years of experimenting before oils clicked, and what won me over was the pace. Oil paint is slow and stays workable, which suits the way my mind moves. I like to think while I make, and oils give me room to change my mind on the canvas.

Making a living as a maker

We also got honest about the business side of being a creative: the habits that keep the work moving and the realities of trying to earn a living from it. If you've ever wondered whether you need someone's permission to make art the center of your life, this one's for you.

Thank you, Shelby, for the thoughtful questions and for building a space where artists can talk about the whole journey, not just the highlight reel.

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