Meet Elliot Strunk

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Elliot Strunk a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Elliot with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

My work ethic comes from my deadline-driven day job as a graphic designer. I’ve always enjoyed being creative and it’s a challenge for me to truly unplug and relax. I’m always observing, thinking and making things in one form or another.

I began my collage work during Covid slowly and gradually. It was something therapeutic. Working with my hands, getting away from screens.

As I began to build a library of work, I wondered what I could do with it as it began to grow. I approached a local co-op gallery to learn about showing art and also to connect with my local arts community more deeply. That has allowed for a nice cadence in terms of both creating and showing work, and has led to collaborative shows with other artists as well as my own solo shows in different settings.

I’m trying to not put any pressure on myself and just move at my own pace in terms of output. I’ll have bursts of activity, then channel my energy somewhere else for a time, then return.

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?

Professionally I’m more known in my local community as a graphic designer. I’ve been doing it for a long time. What’s been interesting is that some people see the design profession as very creative, others not so much. When I mention my collage work, people will say, “I didn’t know you were a fine artist!”. I find that response very odd. To me there’s no difference. Creative output comes in many forms. (I also have a BFA, so my college experience had a fine arts bent to it.)

When people who don’t know me see my work and I then tell them I’m also a designer, they tend to have an a-ha moment. I feel the work is loose and unstructured while they will see more balance, structure and purpose in the compositions.

The newest thing I’m excited about is a combination of my two practices under one roof. I have bought a house to use as a freestanding studio for design, collage, podcasting and other forms of creative exploration and collaboration. I’m really looking forward to getting settled and seeing how it influences my work.

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’m only allowed to share three things? Okay…

First, I would remind folks that if you’re truly curious and are always seeking inspiration, it comes in many different forms. That means you should give yourself permission to express your creativity in many different forms. I will admit I have an inner tension between a deep focus in one area and the opportunity cost that can come from not having a broad enough field of vision.

Second, don’t be afraid to reach out and collaborate with others. Maybe you’re a great visual artist but would love to make a film about your work. Or maybe you’re having a gallery show and want to have live music as part of the event. Creative people love acknowledgement and the “game recognize game” aspect of mutual respect for unique talents and hard work.

And last, always have a release valve to prevent burnout. That could mean multiple projects going at the same time. It could mean a completely different project in a different medium. It might be private projects you simply create and keep for yourself. What I have found is that creative energy cannot be destroyed, only transferred. So think about the different places to direct your energy and why that’s a good, healthy and constructive thing.

Whatever you do, scratch that creative itch.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I would really like to learn more about gallery representation in bigger markets. What that means. The work involved creatively, physically and mentally. I’m also curious about selling original work online in a meaningful way. Where to sell it, how to market it, etc. If you’ve walked that walk, let’s talk.

For anyone who likes my work and feels there’s a special person they know it needs to be in front of, please let me know. I’m happy to connect.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mixed-results.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mixed_results_collage/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliotstrunk/

Image Credits

Portrait image by Austin Joffe