Today we’d like to introduce you to Connor Poovey.
Hi Connor, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
From early on, I have always had captivation by animals and art making. As a kid, it started as catching critters around my backyard and drawing my favorite Pokémon characters. In high school, these activities would become working at the Atlanta zoo for over 5 years and exploring the world of street art, comic books, and graffiti. Growing up, working with animals and making art were some of the best memories of my youth, but as the prospect of college rolled around, I had to consider my future.
I like most kids going off to college, did not know exactly what I wanted to major in or do with my life. I knew I liked animals, but I was afraid the animal husbandry world would not provide me with financial support. Art was in the same boat as the “starving artist” title. Plus, I always felt my art was merely a personal passion, and doing it as a career would only burn me out. Instead, I worked various jobs for several years, dropped in and out of school, and attempted to find my direction in life. These were very tumultuous times, but the one consistency through it all was that I never stopped drawing. Finally, one day during a conversation with my mom, I had an epiphany. Even though I loved making art, the reason I had neglected to pursue it as a career was not from a place of protecting something I loved but instead from fear of failure. Knowing this, I decided I would not let fear hold me back and thus finally took the leap to pursue my art career. Next, I focused on school, got my grades up, and got accepted into the University of North Florida’s fine arts program.
Finally, I was where I belonged, but now I faced the hard part of discovering my artistic voice. Many of my friends had found artistic vision in their family history, identity, and social awareness, but I struggled for a long time to realize mine. Luckily the summer before my senior year, I browsed through YouTube and stumbled upon “Crocodile Hunter” episodes. I suddenly remember watching Steve Irwin regularly as a kid and even falling asleep to the sounds of him wrestling crocodiles. Even in these old episodes, his passion for wildlife was contagious, and I noticed that my passion for conservation was being rekindled. For so long, I had separated my love for wildlife from my artmaking practices, and I know this seems odd, but for the first time, I finally connected the two. Now with this new realization, I had found my artistic voice! I am now a UNF graduate with a bachelor of fine art degree, using my artmaking knowledge and love of nature to build a culture around the promotion of wildlife conservation.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Life is never a smooth road, and if it was, would it be worth living? For me, the answer is no. Like many of us, I have faced many challenges, and becoming an artist is no exception. Choosing this life has meant a road filled with doubts, financial hardships, and social obstacles without clear rules. However, facing these problems head-on has given me the most powerful feelings of satisfaction. My biggest issues have always been fear and insecurity. Fear of failure often leads to insecurity and doubts about what I could achieve. For a long time, I missed out on many opportunities due to this. Even though I had friends and family cheering me on, my inner self still had to be the biggest advocate. After realizing this, I have decided to face my fears head-on and take things to step by step. My life is long, and the road of my art career is even longer, but knowing now that I can face my internal struggles, has made any problem on the outside nothing more than a road bump.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am an Artist with an LLC small business specializing in illustration, painting, and mural making, focusing on wildlife and nature. Two projects am the proudest of are a series of murals for the Seaside Seabird Rehabilitation Center in St. Petersburg, Fl, and a self-published zine series called “Florida and Fauna” focused on educating about Florida species and their needs. The Seabird sanctuary is filled with dedicated people who work diligently to save as many sick or injured birds as possible. It has been a pleasure to enrich a space for a place that does so much for wildlife rehabilitation. The zine publication is a project that has opened several doors for me. Providing me with a way to use my creativity to build a culture of wildlife protection and a unique way to connect with the community around me, which makes my art different. I create works that are visually stunning while promoting a message of conservation. I aim to work directly with scientists, field researchers, wildlife facilities, and organizations to give them creative ways to promote their messages. I do not want my art to merely hang in a gallery where only a select few will see it. I want it on street corners, in homes, on t-shirts, in books, and in people’s hands. All with the hope that someone will connect with it and, in turn, connect with nature.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
My success thus far is because of the three pillars of my business; Connection, Creative Thinking, and Communication. Don’t get me wrong, having a quality of work is important too, but artists’ styles can vary in quality, so ultimately, it will come down to the qualities within you that make you stand out. As a professional artist, your client should trust that what you say is what you will do, so communication is crucial to building a healthy relationship. Throughout my entire art process, I aim to keep open and honest communication, walking people through my initial sketching phase, choosing colors, and financial breakdown of the entire project. This guarantees the client will be happy throughout, but sometimes, issues still occur. In those moments, I remember my second pillar, Creative Thinking. Problem-solving with any project is inevitable, but you will face difficulty predicting challenges as an artist. Creative Thinking allows me to face any sticky situation with confidence that I can get through it. Last but certainly not least is my final pillar: Connection. With every work of art I create, I am not merely thinking of myself but also the audience interacting with it. Art can have a powerful message, and mine aims to, but it will never be heard if you lack a connection to the viewer. Connections are fundamental to human development, which is also fundamental in my art process.
Pricing:
- Murals are 15$ per square foot of wall
- Pet commissions start at $100
- Personal works range from 200- 2500$
- Digital prints range from 20- 100$
Contact Info:
- Website: cpooveyart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/c.pooveyart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100062989902485
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwuhnytlejw75Q09yDhT6fw
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CPooveyArt
