We were lucky to catch up with Curbie Toles recently and have shared our conversation below.
Curbie , we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
Through adversity of adult life. I was corrections officer for 10 years and working inside the prison, really missed with me mentally. Sometimes I would just be stressed out, depressed or just angry. So I had to find something for myself, my comfort zone. To feel like myself again. So I was reminded of a childhood passion of drawing. But I was curious about painting. One day I just went to Michael’s and picked up a bunch of painting materials and never looked back.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
My story is one I love telling, a self taught artist out of Montgomery Alabama. I stepped out of my confront zone in memory of my late best friend Tanisha Pughsley. I can never stop mentioning her name. She wanted me to see where my art could take me and since her death that’s exactly what I’ve enjoyed doing. Professionally I’ve been trying to grow myself. Reach new platforms, gain more exposure and market myself better. It’s been a steep learning curve, there’s alot that goes along with running multiple social medias and creating the content to post. An just doing the work to make said content. In hopes to make passion for art a full time sustainable life style. Because there’s nothing better then doing what you love to do as a profession. I’m most proud of how well my skills have increased. I paint so often and regularly my skills have embodied the term practice makes perfect. My brand @IdeasForCreativeArt created based of the idea of every day life or anything that my eye may see an inspires me to create something beautiful. It’s as if my creativeness has it’s on will, as it will take control of my mind at times and run wild with new painting ideas.
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?
My top three would be 1.) Don’t force yourself in areas your not really good at just let yourself natural advance in your own skill set, have patience. 2.) Always get a deposit when doing custom work for someone because anything could happen with your customer after they’ve put in an order. An their not able to pay but you’ve done/completed the work. Now that’s your time used with no profit that’s why you most get a deposit for your time and worth of your skills. 3.) Always do a contract whenever your doing a large piece such as a mural, before you do any rough drafts for a business or person. Because once you do a rough draft sketch for a mural or something similar. If you don’t have a contract that restricts them from using that image, they then can take that image and just have someone do it for cheaper or for free but you have done part of their job for them. You’ve made it so much easier and your out of profit. Some of the best advice ive recieved and love to share, is alwssy remain a peoples person. Make you’re connections with more friendly faces. An always be willing to work with you’r customers and take their opinion into consideration.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I would love to collaborate with different artist, make different connections, learn from them and adopted skills that I wouldn’t normal be accustom to. Being around different animators or mixed media painters. I would love to learn a more unique process. Alot of people think painting is easy but there are different styles that cant be replicated. Learning from those type of artist would be a blessing.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ideasforcreativear.wixsite.com/mysite
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ideasforcreativeart/profilecard
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/@ideasforcreativeart
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