Meet Hunter Knolmayer

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

Hunter, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

How do I keep my creativity alive?
A better question is “How do WE keep creativity alive in this world?”
By passing it on to generations to come, THAT’S HOW!
Let me explain, and allow me to give you an opportunity to play a part in this movement; empowering children to embrace their creativity!

I’d like to start with a quick glimpse into my imagination:
I don’t keep the creativity alive, the creativity keeps me alive! It’s an incredible force that gives me purpose, and constantly pushes me to strive for greatness. This uncontrollable impulse to invent, transform, and organize energy; in a visual and physical manifestation, is the driving force in my existence. I cannot enjoy a day without feeling like I have created something, solved a problem, or accomplished a goal. I suppose this is an innate trait that keeps me pushing the art… which is exactly what I’m about to do; on my next grand mission. An epic adventure fueled by an insatiable desire to share my art with the world; this journey will have me traveling great distances, while supporting a great cause.

This is the “Pushing The Art” Project and Fundraiser:

This Fall, I will be skateboarding over 3,000 miles, making a new painting daily, and raising money for kids’ art supplies.

Skateboarding has been a huge part of my personal and artistic development; from the time I was a child, to the present day. With my mind in a constant storm of visions, skating is one of my few outlets I have for relaxation and meditation. I find an incredible peace when I’m alone with my thoughts on my skateboard. I’ve had days that I pushed over fifty miles, just for the sake of adventure. For several years, I had considered a cross country trip, but I was making excuses why not to do it. During a recent trip to Southeast Asia, I thought to myself, “I should have done this ten years ago.” That thought opened my eyes to the harsh reality that time is unforgiving, and this realization provided me with a burst of motivation to chase my dreams. This was when I decided to create the “Pushing The Art” Project and Fundraiser.

Upon returning to San Diego, I was committed to not let this dream fade away from me. I began training, organizing, and building this project from the ground up. Knowing that many people before me had embarked on adventures while supporting a good cause, I decided to dedicate my voyage to raise money for kids’ art supplies. I was fortunate enough to have art supplies and an opportunity to embrace creativity from a young age. Not everyone is as lucky, and there are kids out there who could use our help. It is my mission to complete this trek, making a new painting daily, and raising as much money as possible, to donate to the cause!

As I write this, I am looking to build partnerships with foundations and organizations which align with my vision. I have a fundraiser campaign actively accepting donations, and much more information laid out on the Pushing The Art website. What I am missing at this moment, is the support of the masses. The more eyes on this project, the greater the impact we can have. The more people involved, the better the outcome will be. I’m talking about something greater than myself. I’m talking about empowering the youth of this world with creativity!

I’ll ask you once more, “How do WE keep creativity alive in this world?”
THIS IS HOW WE KEEP CREATIVITY ALIVE!
WITH A MOVEMENT!

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am beyond excited to introduce the “Pushing The Art” Project and Fundraiser. This truly is an art project like no other; I’ll be “Painting Across America” on my skateboard- raising money for kids’ art supplies.
Before I share more about this movement, I’d like to tell you just a little bit about myself.

I’ve been a creator my entire life and I am carrying on the legacy of a long line of ancestral artists. I studied fine arts and digital media in college, and I am always working to broaden my skillset as a visionary. I am an oil painter and professional tattoo artist, with over 15 years of experience on flesh, and 25 years on canvas. I am currently working at Remington Tattoo, in North Park, California. I am so very grateful and feel incredibly blessed every day; having the opportunity to make a living creating art. For more information about me and my art, please visit: Www.HunterKnolmayer.com – where you can explore much of my work, and contact me about commissioned paintings and tattoo appointments.

My primary focus with this article, is to offer you an opportunity to experience something extraordinary, and watch as I embark on a wild journey.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the “Pushing The Art” Project and Fundraiser:

-skateboarding coast to coast!
-making a new painting daily!
-selling prints and taking donations!
-raising money to get kids’ art supplies!

This is going to be a viewer curated journey! That means I will be asking for suggestions from my viewers along the way!
From planning the trip, to what routes to take, to where I should stop while I’m on the road; I’m counting on the people following along to give me their input and feedback! I am excited to connect with a community that can appreciate art and adventure, while offering recommendations on:
-places to visit along the way
-restaurants and cafes to stop in on my route
-lodging and camping opportunities
-landmarks and national parks to check out
-and much more

I’ve compiled over 100 videos on my channel at www.YouTube.com/@PushingTheArt for you to enjoy!
Make sure to click SUBSCRIBE so you can travel over 3,000 miles with me as I Paint across America!

I will also be posting regularly on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @PushingTheArt

The more people we get watching, the more money we can raise to get kids’ art supplies!

The donation link and all my other content can easily be found at www.PushingTheArt.com

By the end of the summer of 2025, I will be leaving my hometown of Point Pleasant, New Jersey, heading west on my skateboard. All I will be bringing is a backpack containing bare necessities, and enough art supplies to get me through the first couple hundred miles of the trip. Each day I will be creating a new original painting; of my surroundings in nature, based off my emotions, and inspired by viewer feedback! I will be sending the paintings back to San Diego, and restocking my art supplies at checkpoints across the country. Upon completion, prints of each painting will become available along the way, and all profits from the prints will be donated to the fundraiser! This is a cool way to collect a piece of art from the trip, and support a good cause! We are not relying solely on print sales, donations are encouraged as well!

My goal is to raise a million dollars. To some, this might sound crazy; but with enough eyes on this project, I know we can make it happen! If one million people can donate just one dollar, we will reach this goal!

After I complete the over 3,000 mile skateboarding trip, the finished collection of approximately 80-100 paintings will be displayed in galleries; starting in San Diego, and rotating through different cities. At the time of writing this, I am still looking into the perfect partnerships with galleries to hang this one of a kind collection.

With the launch of the “Community Outreach”, I am open to discussing all kinds of partnerships for this mission. If you would like to discuss opportunities on how to be a part of this project, or if you have any feedback you’d like to share with me, please visit www.PushingTheArt.com/contact

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I’ve got three P’s for you:

Patience. Passion. Persistence.

Patience:
I try to remain humble and typically have a nervous reaction when I receive praise on my art. A defense mechanism kicks in to keep me from building ego… And that tactic is either humor or diversion. When somebody tells me I’m talented, I often respond, “It’s ten percent talent, ninety percent patience!” Although I’m merely avoiding accepting a compliment without being rude, there’s a whole lot of truth to this. Some people say you have to work on a skill for ten thousand hours to achieve mastery… well that must take a whole lot of patience! Artwork requires a dedication and understanding that you’re going to be spending lots of time in the craft. Without patience, I could never be where I’m at today.

Passion:
It’s hard to describe passion in a sentence or paragraph because it goes far beyond what words can convey. Passion is something felt deep within your soul, and I’m sure everyone can find it somewhere in life. Whether it is found in a little girl dancing to express herself, or within a grown man cranking away on wrenches in the garage for hours, or perhaps found echoing in the voice of an opera singer… passion is something that we know when we feel it. I can speak for myself that my soul feels better when I let the passion take me to create art. To make anything great, there must be passion.

Persistence:
I’ll keep this one simple; don’t ever be willing to stop. Have your heart and mind and body and soul dedicated to your work, and know that you’ll always be hungry for more. I find peace in knowing that my best work will never be enough. The constant ascent to creative perfection is a never ending journey where there is no finish line. My goal will never be perfection, since it is unattainable. The best I can ever do is to show up and work towards learning, and failing, and trying again. Knowing that I gave this art thing my all when I take my last breath- that will be the trophy waiting for me at the finish line.

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?

With the launch of the “Community Outreach”, I am open to discussing all kinds of partnerships for this mission. If you would like to discuss opportunities on how to be a part of this project, or if you have any feedback you’d like to share with me, please visit www.pushingtheart.com/contact

Here’s a brief list of some of the groups and people I’m looking to spread the word to::

-Fundraisers and Nonprofits
-Art galleries
-Art storefronts
-Art supply companies
-Skate shops
-Schools and daycares
-Colleges
-Influencers
-Videographers
-Radio/Television
-Podcasts
-Restaurants
-Hotels
-Art educators

I am actively seeking partnerships and collaborations within these categories, and I would love to hear from anyone who is interested in being a part of this movement!

Contact Info:

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