We were lucky to catch up with Mark Brewer recently and have shared our conversation below.
Mark, thank you so much for making time for us. We’ve always admired your ability to take risks and so maybe we can kick things off with a discussion around how you developed your ability to take and bear risk?
The difference between artists who sell their art and those who don’t are the risk takers. For example, early on in my career, I became friends with artists who put together clever campaigns to get the attention of creative art directors from some of the most well respected and widely distributed publications in the United States. They often spent money on these campaigns without knowing if they would ever get one assignment. I recall thinking how risky that sounded and wondered where their concern was if they didn’t make the money they spent back. I remember not having a lot of money for that to be an option for me. Until one day, I did. I took a risk and spent an entire paycheck on three different postcard mailings running consecutively for three months. From that campaign I received a drawing assignment from New York Magazine. That was the day I learned the importance of risk-taking. That’s the day I believed in myself on a whole different level. I learned that taking risks is part of success.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Currently I’m focusing on creating drawings of places people remember. Memories. Drawings of amusement parks, craft breweries, and unique places that families visit often or even for generations. Drawings with a lot of detail! The kind of images in which your eye finds something different each time you look. I’m working on putting myself in a position in which I sell enough prints from drawings to be able to donate portions of the proceeds to local charities. While driving my daughter to college, I stopped to make some quick sketches in Southern California at the end of 2024. Had this idea been in motion, perhaps I could have created a substantial drawing from one of the beaches I sketched in Malibu or Santa Monica and donated proceeds to help those affected by the horrendous fires in and around the LA area. When there’s a will, there’s a way. With positive thoughts, kindness, determination, and ambition, we can all do anything we put our minds to.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I believe ambition, passion, and practicing your craft are the most important qualities one can have. Something not taught in school. Being ambitious continues to help me today. Art will always be about self-expression. No one artist is “better” than another. An artists work can be more popular than another for a given time, but that’s not to be confused with being “better”. My advice is always the same. Once you find something you’re genuinely passionate about, be ambitious! Practice. Take risks because you believe in yourself and meet people already doing what you’re passionate about. Most people love to help others who share the same passion. Listen to what they say and watch what they do. With your mind, repeatedly create the vision of your success and “see” it happen! Believe it. Whether you play an instrument, act, write, or draw, you can’t help but get better the more you practice. Last, celebrate along the way because every ambitious step you take is one step closer to more success.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
Meditation practice is the most significant area in which I’ve grown and improved in the last 12 months. 20 minutes a day, two times a day, and often a little more because it feels good to be “there.” For the last 25 years, I’ve been an on-and-off meditator, but never as dedicated as I am now and without missing daily routines. Quieting my mind through meditation makes stressors and anxiety palatable when they’re present. Drama is easy to avoid, and with a present mind, reacting is practically non-existent because we become mindful that reacting often makes things worse. Being present and thinking positively is habit-forming I know now. Meditation has been a game changer in my life and has set a clear path to more happiness, love, and making MORE art!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.markbrewer.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markbrewerillustration/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarkBrewerIllustration
Image Credits
Illustrations by Mark Brewer
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