Today we’d like to introduce you to Tyler Johnson
Hi Tyler, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
It’s difficult to pinpoint a clear “start” to my story – I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember. Some of my first memories take place sitting at a craft table making books with my mom. From an early stage I remember feeling as though it was a space I could play and escape within. Throughout all the various stages that kids go through, art was the one constant that never changed for me. It didn’t matter if I was into football, skateboarding, music, whatever, but the lens I viewed those things through was always how I could put my own spin on them through art.
In college I found myself swimming between majors as many others do – trying to find my place in the world, what it was I was supposed to do, and how to make a living doing it. While I was wrestling with these questions, I continued taking a lot of art and marketing courses. Finally a professor of mine pointed out that art wasn’t just something I enjoyed doing but something I was meant to do. It was a small moment that was a major turning point in my life. I think up until that point my perception was always that I wasn’t a “real life” artist. Part of me needed permission to chase a career in creativity and thankfully I had a mentor who was able to push me there.
From there the theme of my story has been a long line of running into similarly talented people and trying to learn as much as I can from them. I spent time as an entry-level employee at the Duluth Art Institute which broadened my understanding of the art world. I worked at two ad agencies as a graphic designer where I learned how to collaborate closely with others and use art and design as a tool to solve business challenges. I also spent a few years at a small design studio in Northeast Minneapolis where I was able to hone my craft while working on some amazing branding projects. During all these stints, I’ve had opportunities to pursue art and design outside of my day job, whether participating in local art exhibits, joining a small screen printing group, or providing design and illustration work for freelance clients.
Today I’m working to blend all these experiences into my role as the Creative Director at wonderhorse, a small marketing studio in Duluth, MN. I’m excited to be working closely with a tight-knit team that has a hunger to grow and chase new potential. I’m excited to see the heights we’ll reach together.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wouldn’t say it’s been a particularly smooth road, but I think that’s somewhat universal to people who make a living with their creativity. The years at the beginning are often a grind. It’s always a challenge but it’s something that’s immensely rewarding.
In the beginning, Imposter Syndrome was my biggest obstacle. When you’re a young creative person, so much of your time is spent immersing yourself in the field – looking at others’ work and seeing how yours measures up. As a result, you’re bombarded with the talent of the other people surrounding you and it’s easy to get caught up in that and lose sight of what makes your work special.
Making a good living in the creative landscape can be a challenge too. In my early years, I spent tons of time freelancing and trying to get my name out there as much as possible waiting for a “big break” or another opportunity to come along. I also entered the job force during a recession so the opportunities weren’t necessarily overflowing. I’ve found that my career journey has been less about the big break and more about the small incremental steps you take forward. If you do a good job on a project at work, you’ll get more projects like that in the future. If you do good work for a freelance client, more clients come along. It took a lot of people (bosses, coworkers, clients, etc.) believing in me along the way to get me where I am today.
Today the biggest obstacle is simply finding the time to make all the things I want to make. Along with being a designer, illustrator, and artist, I’m also a dad, which is always the top priority. Over the last few years I’ve learned to be more methodical and patient with the work I’m putting out. Sometimes a personal project might sit on a hard drive or in a sketchbook for more than a year before it’s fully developed.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m somewhat of a multi-disciplinarian with creativity – I get paid to design and strategize brands, I enjoy illustrating, and I don’t mind getting messy with a paint brush when I have a spare moment.
The most fruitful and fulfilling projects are typically branding projects in a field I’m passionate about, where I’m able to use illustration. Five years ago I started posting illustration work depicting the outdoors or outdoor activities. Eventually, people started reaching out from across the U.S. and it’s provided some really rewarding opportunities. I’ve been able to do work in some pretty fun spaces such as bike races, clothing and accessories, social media influencers, fitness tracking, t-shirt subscriptions, and even performance denim.
I try to bring an element of fun and surprise to most of the work that I do. If someone looks at something I made and thinks, “haha, that’s cool.” then that’s a win for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tylerbjohnson.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylerbjohns/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-johnson-bb60a236/
- Other: https://wonderhorse.com
