Meet Phoenix Rose

We recently connected with Phoenix Rose and have shared our conversation below.

Phoenix, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?

I’m lucky in that I have a very supportive family. My parents always raised me to be true to myself and because of that I’ve never really been afraid to question authority. I honestly think it’s one of the things my parents are proudest of me for. Art has always been a great avenue for that too. I remember in school, there were times where I would take a lower grade in order to create what I wanted for the project even if it wasn’t what the teacher expected and It hink it was because of that I was able to develop such a strong sense of identity. My parents never berated me for it but instead encouraged my individualism and that’s such a big part of who I am today.
I’ve also worked very hard over the years to try to surround myself with people who inspire me and accept me as I am. At times it can be hard to speak your mind, especially if you feel isolated in a group but that’s why it’s so important to have people you can always go to for support or steer you in the right direction if you were in the wrong (which is just as important). It’s okay if I’m not everyone’s cup of tea because I’ll always be enough to my BoN squad & other close friends. I’ve also worked to find ways over the years to make me feel more powerful even when I’m on my own. Bold fashion tends to help me feel confident. Nothing will make you gain confidence quicker than standing out. And honestly, I’ve found being memorable to be a great form of self marketing.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My primary work is animation but I don’t like to limit myself. I work in 2D animation, CG animation, and stop-motion animation as well as puppet fabrication (which is honestly, my favorite part). I love combining mediums or trying to approach a topic in a unique way.
I’ve also been working in mural design and Social Media marketing for various small studios and community artist lately – on top of a few other side adventures here and there. I published a book this last year too called The Everyday Adventures of Terryn.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Oh gosh, this is a good question. Okay so I’m going to answer this question in 2 parts: 3 things that I think are good for someone beginning their animation journey and then 3 things that I personally had to learn or were key to me getting where I am.

For a beginner trying to get into animation/ an artistic field:

There are 3 important traits for an artist: Skill, Speed, and Likability. In order to get work, you need at least 2 of these traits. For working on your skill, I recommend Animator’s Survival Guide as a good read for any animator regardless of style/animation medium.
For speed, set a timer for yourself. Try to finish animating a short/scene before the timer runs out. (This is also a way to force yourself out of perfectionism.)
For Likability, being sociable is a big part of it. However, if you aren’t social, being kind and friendly is just as good. Remember, most people WANT to like you. You don’t have to convince them, just be a good person to them. I often put candy on my desk to break the ice.

Now, for me, some lessons that were really impactful for me as an artist and small business owner. A recent one I learned is: everyone is an ally but not everyone needs to be a friend. The people who you work with all have something to teach you. Don’t be afraid to reach out to companies or creators you admire. There’s a good chance they’ll answer back. Oftentimes, especially in animation, the work I’ve gotten has been from coworkers and friends in the animation world recommending me and I really couldn’t thank any of them enough. even this interview wouldn’t have happened if my friend Mikael Trench hadn’t recommended me.
However, it’s okay to just be coworkers and not buddies with everyone. It’s okay to establish boundaries between personal and professional relationships and it’s actually really helpful in the long run. That doesn’t mean you can’t be best friends with someone you work with (you almost certainly will be at some point) but you don’t HAVE to be friends with everyone you work with. Just getting along is enough.

Another important skill is being able to communicate clear and concisely. In the past (and even sometimes now) I would dance around naming a price out of fear of scaring a commissioner away. Now, I try to name a price if no budget is given in 3 emails or less. There’s no use in wasting someone’s time (including my own). If they want my work they will either try to negotiate a lower price or just pay the price I named and if they decide to go with a different artist, at least the process wasn’t prolonged. Either way, I’m okay with that and I let anyone who messages me know that too. I’ll often have calls with commissioners to make sure they are comfortable with the contract I draft up and give them updates on their project. Being upfront with your employers is really important to establish a healthy work relationship and so far it’s been working very well for me.

Lastly, inspiration can be found in any and everything. I love working in different mediums and with different people because each time, I’m inspired to try something new. In order to be a good artist, you must also be a well lived person. To experience life is to find inspiration. And what is animation or any art for that matter, if not a representation of life?

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
As someone who is always working on a handful of projects or more at any given time and severe ADHD, I’ve developed a LOT of strategies to help me keep on task even when the workload seems insurmountable.

First off, list. I know it’s something everyone says to do but there’s a reason for that. List are an incredibly useful too. I keep daily todo list that I write every night before bed and when times are tough and it all seems like too much, I’ll keep the list simple and add tasks as I complete what’s already on the list instead of giving myself too many goals all at once.
I also usually have a yearly list (this could also be something like a vision board if you’d prefer) of goals to accomplish sometime in the year, and that list I keep in my work area to make sure I see it every day.

Another important aspect is time management. I recommend figuring out how long you are able to work on a task before you start to really slow down. I usually set 3 hour timers if I can (1 hour to get into the project and then 2 hours of continuous work) and at the end of 3 hours I either take a small break or begin a different task. The amount of time you work on a single project may vary. One person I knew would work for 30 minutes at a time and then take 15 minute breaks. Find what works for you. This strategy is incredibly useful if you have a lot of deadlines/ due dates approaching at once. It helped a LOT when I was taking the maximum amount of units one semester in college.

Lastly, I really like working with other people. Not “group projects” per say (though I personally love those too) but having someone else in the same room as you or on video call, working on their own project at the same time as you. I’ve heard it referred to as “Body Doubling” and it’s a tactic I’ve been using since middle school. It’s much easier to work when everyone around you is also at work. Find a friend you work well with who won’t be too distracting and just ask them to come over and bring a craft of their own. I’ve found this one to be especially useful when I feel super overwhelmed or just really stressed or depressed because it forces you to refocus your thoughts on the work at hand in order to not distract your work buddy.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/syfy-tongal-creators-celebrate-pride-2022-with-genre-films

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