Meet Kenton Hoppas

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

Hi Kenton, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
I feel I have moved a little further away from imposter syndrome just by doing more work. I should quantify that by saying A LOT MORE WORK. When I started posting on TikTok I was adding 21 new paintings a week. Then things took off and I started to livestream 30 paintings a DAY Monday through Friday. I do take about a month off a year, so this roughly totaled around 7,000 paintings a year. That said, at some point I just got comfortable with who I was and the work I was doing. It’s sorta like my nose. It’s big. It’s always been big, so sometime in my early 20’s I just accepted who I was and that’s that. No more imposter syndrome.

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?
Right now, 2024, the work that is resonating with the people who visit my postings are custom pieces with their names on it. A few years ago I told myself I was going to paint FOR ME, even if it were a commission. So that’s what I started doing. I tell people, “I’ll paint your name, but I get to do it in anyway with any design I want.” Now, to be fair my work has become almost musical in nature. I’ve developed a lot of characters and designs that the followers have come to know and love. Such as “Airplane Man”, “Skull Face”, “Space Boy” and “Lovers Holding Hands” just to name a few. So, I’m more than happy to incorporate customers names into preferred designs I already do.

I mostly just livestream on TikTok at this time. I haven’t done any in person live events, although a few companies have inquired. I just recently started doing murals again. I pitched a real estate firm a modest design that would communicate the building was “Available” with supporting local graphics like waves and sea animals. (I live in San Diego by the coast). They seemed ambivalent. So I said, “Or we can paint the entire building hot pink and I’ll spray paint aliens all over it.” The clients response? “NOW YOU ARE TALKING!”

So, in a nutshell, I just do whatever comes my way.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
This is tough because everyones journey is different. But if I had to answer it, I’d say this.

1) Listen to old people. I mean like people in their 70’s and 80’s. They have life experience to share that creates a new perspective on life.

2) Listen to young people. I’m serious. Like 4 year olds, or 16 year olds, or whatever. They look at life differently too. With enthusiasm and optimism! Young people only think of how it will work, not all the ways it won’t.

3) Listen to yourself and take action. At the end of the day you are alone doing the work. Or you are in your head talking, talking, talking, talking. Talking gets nothing done and you learn nothing. Listen to yourself, and get to work.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
The Tao Te Ching

In the words of the Tao:

“Do your work, then step back.”

In other words, don’t worry about sales, or what will come of the work you did. The work is the WORK. Now move on.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Kenton Hoppas

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