Meet PJ Hankins | Artist & Animator

We had the good fortune of connecting with PJ Hankins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi PJ, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I’ve always loved creating as far back as I can remember. In school, I would either be drawing or writing stories on the margins of my classwork. There was never a time I WASN’T doing something art or film related, but my younger self was worried that a creative career would be an unattainable goal and that maybe I should pursue a “safer” job path, but I never fully gave up on the idea of making art for a living. But after a string of personal events, I realized how fleeting life could be and that I needed to make the most of the one I have and how much I still really wanted to pursue art, for myself and my happiness. If I could overcome the hardships I did, I could fight hard to do something I loved. Art has always been a passion of mine that’s never faded and a force that continues to drive me forward.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My work has always heavily focused on exploring my complicated experiences with grief and love. I don’t see a lot of depictions of these specific, messy, weird feelings highlighted in a lot of media, so putting them into my own visual language is what drives me. When people tell me that they resonate with a certain piece for that reason, that’s what makes me feel the most accomplished as an artist.

Growing into a more professional creative, of course, had its challenges. I struggled a lot with balancing my work ethic and my health. I pulled a lot of all-nighters in college, never gave myself time to rest, and pushed myself to an unhealthy extent. Queue the chronic burnout all through college. But I think what was a more challenging hurdle to overcome was my own confidence. It was easy to let the self-doubt creep in when it was 4 a.m. and my eyes hurt from the light of my tablet after animating since the previous morning. It was difficult to consider the possibility that my career goals may not be reached, and that made it difficult at times to keep moving forward.

However, hearing other artist’s stories about the ups and downs of their own creative careers reframed my perspective, and I learned that the path to success is rarely linear. I eventually learned how to embrace my low points and allow myself to rest. Accepting where I was enabled me to pick myself back up and try again, even when I wasn’t sure how it would pan out in the end. I’m very thankful I kept going through the rough times, and I feel very fortunate to have reached many of my goals since I started this journey. I’m currently working as an artist on an animated TV show, and I cherish every day I get to work in a career I love!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Thankfully, Los Angeles is never short of things to do. If you’re visiting you have to hit all the famous touristy spots like Griffith Observatory, The Starwalk, and Universal Studios, but here are a few of my personal favorite spots!

If you’re an artist, The Huntington Library and Gardens is the perfect place for sketching exotic plants with a group of friends. Eaton Canyon is great if you’re up for a hike that isn’t too challenging, and the waterfall at the end of the trail is so refreshing to dip in during the hotter months of the year.

For breakfast, the pastries at République Cafe & Bakery are to die for and the interior aesthetic is so beautiful! At Grand Central Market, there are so many food options to choose from and all of the stalls I’ve tried so far have been great. It’s a good option if you plan on getting lunch with a group because it has a little bit of everything! And if you’re into hidden gems, The Cellar is a speakeasy and wine library tucked away in Old Pasadena. A fun spot to split a charcuterie board and enjoy an amazing glass of wine!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people deserving of recognition through my journey. I definitely wouldn’t be where I am without the support of my parents, they’ve helped me tremendously in my creative pursuits and through all the obstacles along the way! My friends have always been my rock, and I’m eternally grateful for that. My classmates and professors from LCAD deserve to be highlighted too, for everything they taught me and for pulling so many all-nighters with me! And of course, my partner has been endlessly supportive of my goals as an artist and has helped keep my head on straight as I grow.

Website: https://www.retrodile.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retrodile/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pj-hankins-4a6769223/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Retr0dile

Image Credits
PJ Hankins