We were lucky to catch up with Christian Stanley recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Christian, so great to have you on the platform. There’s so much we want to ask you, but let’s start with the topic of self-care. Do you do anything for self-care and if so, do you think it’s had a meaningful impact on your effectiveness?
I feel like muralists don’t talk about this much, but it is very physically demanding work. We (my wife and I) work in the blazing heat and are on our feet (and standing on ladders) for hours. Since going full time with our mural business we have made a habit of visiting hot springs everywhere we travel, to help with muscle aches and etc. We’ve recognized the importance of taking time out to rest. I also have started routinely visiting a chiropractor, which helps quite a bit.
Mentally and creatively, self care looks like time spent in nature or relaxing with friends. Anyone who runs a business can tell you, it can consume your whole life if you let it. We’ve become protective of our down time and don’t feel guilty about restful days. I draw a lot of inspiration from nature and in visiting new places, so this restful time is invaluable.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am Christian Stanley, and I am a muralist/street artist. I am originally from Stuart, Florida, but now call Orlando home. My wife Jessica and I started C. Stanley Creative in 2018 and over the years we have grown enough to both leave our jobs and dive in on the art business full time. We travel frequently around the country for murals, and recently completed our first international mural in Sibiu, Romania for the Sibiu International Street Art Festival.
My style looks very different close up than it does from far away. It is somewhat impressionistic in nature, made up of colorful dashes and splotches of color. From a distance the figures may look like one well-defined figure, but up close they are a flurry of colorful swipes. When painting I get into a flow that is hard to break away from.
While large scale murals are my specialty, I also make and show smaller works on canvas for collectors. Be on the look out for new prints and works coming from me soon as we set up our online storefront.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I think successful artists are dedicated to what they do, and are always developing. I don’t necessarily believe in talent. I believe in practice. With countless hours of practice and development, an artist can find their own voice and style, which is invaluable. Something that I think many artists take for granted when starting out is how multifaceted they will have to become. You can make a masterpiece, but if you don’t have the business skills to market it, then it will go nowhere. Every artist that is trying to make a living from their work is a small business. I would recommend diving in with both feet on learning how to operate your small business, or find yourself a partner that can manage things like that for you. It really is a full time job.
How would you describe your ideal client?
An ideal client would be one that has approached me because they know and like my art. This ideal client would trust me to be creative and value me as the expert in mural painting. They would have an appropriate budget in mind, communicate well, and help the project stay on time for the dates agreed upon. We especially enjoy working with rural communities. We can really feel the impact the art makes on the community in these cases, and enjoy the connections that we make with people.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.cstanleycreative.com
- Instagram: @cstanleycreative
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/cstanleycreative
- Other: Tiktok: @CStanleyCreative
