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

Hi Jack, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
“To get into the Entertainment Industry, you have to be obsessed about your craft.”

That’s the advice a mentor gave me shortly after I arrived in LA. It sounds wise, but is it?

Consider the challenge every artist faces. To stand out from crowd, you have to have something special, something unique. But what do you have?? There’s always someone better, faster, and more connected than you. If only there was something you could do to get ahead of the pack, to jump to the front of the line. You need a golden ticket.

For me, artistic obsession seemed like that ticket. Over the course of 5 years, I’ve tried to fill my life with as many art classes, life drawing meetups, and networking events as I could handle. I meticulously planned out my weeks in order to maximize drawing time. I’ve watched hours of instructional videos on Youtube and treated my sketchbook like a part of my body. If obsession is the key to having a dream career, then I was going to over-obsess.

However, obsession has consequences. Last year, in the midst of portfolio work and job applications, I developed an anxiety-induced stomach condition, The reason? My mind wouldn’t let me rest. It kept demanding, “Have you drawn enough today?” or “Have you applied to enough jobs?” These demands hounded me 24/7. Any kind of rest, hanging out with friends, reading a book, or playing a game, made me feel guilty. Any moment not spent drawing pushed me further away from my dream job and another, younger artist closer. I began to hate art itself. After months of anxious thoughts and mentally beating myself up, my body decided to join in the fun. That was the last straw. I had to take some time off.

Now that we’re well into 2022, I’ve started to reevaluate my relationship with obsession. It hasn’t unlocked my dream job, but it has produced a great deal of mental and physical anguish. Don’t get me wrong, you need to work hard and pound the pavement to achieve the dream, but there HAS to be a middle ground between obsession and laziness.

If I had to give it a name, I’d call it “The Art of Excellence.” This mindset encourages the artist to strive for perfection, but recognize that improvement is a journey. In other words, artists can be gracious and patient with themselves. They can make mistakes, but not feel like failures. In contrast, obsession is like a task master. Nothing an artist makes will ever be good enough. Ever. I am convinced that embracing “The Art of Excellence” is the key to having a long career in the arts. It’s difficult to shift paradigms, but I am seeing a little fruit. I like to draw again.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a passionate, contemplative creative with a deep love for art and storytelling. Having grown up on a steady diet of Saturday morning cartoons and Sunday comics, it was inevitable that I would start drawing my own stories. In particular, I love world building, creating the environments and props for shows.

It’s been a difficult road, and I would still say that I’m trying to break into the industry, but there have been positive developments. Last December, I worked my first animation job and had an absolute blast. I look forward to the next one!

In terms of advice, I strongly recommend that every young artist in LA find a community to join asap. We all moved out here for the jobs, but left all out relationships back home. It’s hard to make friends out here, but don’t give up! Those relationships are what get you through the hard times and allow you to keep pursuing the dream.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Gotta visit Stuart Ng books and Gallery Nucleus. Where else in the USA are you going to find stores exclusively dedicated to visual development! I could spend a whole afternoon here.

Descanso Gardens is also a must. When you’re inside, you forget that you’re in LA and get lost the beautiful flora and fauna. Plus, it’s a great place to draw or paint!

Food-wise, I can’t recommend Salsa and Beer enough. This is the only restaurant in LA that I tell visitors they HAVE to try. Never met a disappointed customer. Never.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutout to New Creation Church! The members are some of the most amazing men and women I have ever met. They have loved and continue to love me throughout my art journey. Couldn’t live life without them.

Website: https://www.jackkinyonart.com

Instagram: jack.kinyon

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-kinyon/

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