Meet Riley Hannon

We were lucky to catch up with Riley Hannon recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Riley, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

Purpose is such an odd thing – because while I personally believe we all have purpose, it’s sometimes difficult to feel as though there is one. As an artist, every stroke I make has to have a purpose – it has to involve feeling, emotion, SOMETHING. And I believe on a grander scale, the same is true. We are all some paint strokes on a canvas, making up the painting of the universe. I struggled a lot in the past with my purpose – I felt as though if I wasn’t perfect, something wasn’t my purpose. But now I’ve accepted that my purpose is what makes me happy, what fills me with drive. And that’s creating. Creating my paintings, telling my stories. All of that is what drives me, and gives me purpose.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’m an artist, specifically a digital illustrator. My main line of work involves doing character design for other people, or concepts for stories. I love people, and adore creating people. I’m so heavily inspired by the world around me to create, and love to tell stories about people based on real events. While my work tends to revolve around fantasy characters, that doesn’t mean they can’t feel real to others. Psychology is one of my biggest interests, and I try to tie it into all of my characters I design or draw.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I think three qualities that were most impactful were as followed:
1. Resilience. Realizing you need to get back up and keep going is so so hard. I’ve found that when I hit rock bottom, I feel drained and uninspired. But you need to do something – half is better than nothing, 100% of the time. A bit of effort goes a long way.
2. Interpersonal skills – talking! this was hard for me, as someone who struggles with other people. I’m good at the science of why people act the way they do, but actually being around people can be difficult. In a creative field, its so important to talk to people and make connections and friendships. Networking is a must. You have to push through and talk and put yourself out there.
3. Understanding how you work – This is huge for me as an artist. I know I work quickly, which is why I can space my time accordingly. I have myself set up differently than what is standard because I WORK differently than what is standard. It’s a huge bonus when you’re confident in what you can do when talking to a client.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

Life can be overwhelming. I have spent the past year doing nothing but art – and I mean no breaks, no weekends off – just art. It can be a lot, even when you love it. Since art is a hobby, it’s very hard to separate hobby and work. But it has to be done – I pick days that I draw for work, and times when I take a break. I mentally differentiate what I do and when I do it, and for what purpose. For those who are overwhelmed, I personally make lists. I make lists of everything I have to do, so I get that boost of success when I mark it off. Even if I’m dealing with small tasks, it helps me keep track and know how far along I am in something before I get carried away spiraling. Breaks are good as well – so good. Taking a walk just around my apartment is a huge deal whenever I’m stressed – just looking outside my window gives my brain a break.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hannon61.wixsite.com/popswif
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pop_swif/

Image Credits

Riley Hannon