We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Seth Abair a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Seth 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?
Can for sure say I get my work ethics from my parents. Both of my parents are very hard worker people. When I was a kid, they each had at least 2 main jobs, usually another part time job, and anything that other people would consider a hobby, they were making a side hustle off of it. My dad was a lumberjack, up until an accident that left him with a head injury. He’s medically retired now and I know that sitting around all day is driving him nuts. But when I was a kid he was off cutting trees, working in the mill, taking on roofing jobs or other fix or building jobs. He also made hunting knives by hand and would work as a gun smith on the side. My mom was a house keeper, manager of an arcade and a laundromat, and she made jewelry on the side. I’ve never really had a “hobby” myself. I’ve always found a way to turn those things into ways to make extra money. I can’t just sit and watch tv. I gotta be working on something at the same time, weather it’s putting together earrings, mystery bags of merch, or packaging items.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am and always be an artist of some sorts. I grew up with comic books because they were entertaining, full of cool art, and cheap. We didn’t have cable tv, and I was battling un-diagnosed ADHD, so reading regular books at the time was a struggle for me. Comic books got me drawing better and wanting to do art as a profession. I didn’t know until I was in my mid 20’s that it was even possible for me to be a comic book artist without working for large publisher. I could just self publish. I find I like being able to draw what I want and make items from that art and sell those. Like stickers and keychains, and maybe work on comicbooks on the side. Thats my main goal. To just draw designs to sell, and work on comics. I found the chance to sort of do that through TikTok. I am able to share my art and designs to people on there, and found someone to work with on as well, on a comic book. I am the official artist of a series on TikTok called Hell’s Belles, and the creator, Jaysea, and I have been working to turn the series into a comic book. I should have the copies of that book in my shop this spring in fact.
I also found an audience wanting to buy my other random designs. I’m not making huge sales, or selling a ton of merch yet, but I get enough orders to cycle back into the business and order new merch or restock items. I’m still working a regular job at a major retail chain store, but I was able to drop to part time and I hope some day I can finally quit and do the art thing full time.
I’ve been working to launch my plant sticks recently. I would love to get my work in more stores across the country, and I have hoping that my plant sticks would be my big ticket to that. They are something I don’t really see too often, and I haven’t seen anyone else out there making them the way I do. I use my manufacturer for my keychains, but I have to give them specific instructions. So far they have come out how I want them and they do ok. I gotta figure out a better way to display them so people know instantly what they are. Thats the key there. Get people with house plants to see them better and think “OMG, I need a beta fish plant stick for my aloe at home.”
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?
Skills most impactful for my journey would be, being stubborn. I don’t know when to stop doing a thing, even if it’s not looking to be in my favor. Never close off to learning new things. This also applies to my drawing. I’m always looking to upgrade my art skills and learn new things, tweak that new thing in my own way and add it to my arsenal. the last would be the drive to do and be better. I grew up very lower middle class. I had people telling me from a young age that I’ll never be able to be a full time artist, or I’ll never go far or do much of anything with my life. I’ve stated in other interviews that I am fueled by spite, and when people tell me I can’t do a thing, it makes me wanna do it even more, just to rub it in their faces later. For those early in their journey, don’t let others tell you who you are or what you can do. No one know you, or what your capable of better than you. Always keep an open mind and ready to learn new things and figure out how to apply that to what your doing. I’ve taken classes on things having nothing to do with art, and was able to bend that to fit what I am doing.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I am at the moment looking to get my art seen by more people out there in the world. I would love to license my art out for items to be sold in large stores, or get my products on the shelves of large stores. I started selling wholesale on Faire and so far it’s been slow going but a great experience. I would love, love, love to get my stuff in shops in Japan! I’m an anime nerd and I love Japan and want to go some day. I do a lot of cute and creepy art and I think my work would do well over there. Especially my mushrooms with their little butts. I think Japanese girls would love those.
I would also love to work on a few comic books with my dream list of other artists and writers. Top of my dream list as far as comics go would be to work with Gerard Way on a comic. I have a story in mind I feel he would vibe with.
Best way to contact me is through my email, [email protected] or I am GoblinGrimm or GoblinGrimm1 on most main social media sites. Theres a link tree link in my bio on all. I love using linktree for all my links. Makes things so much easier.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/goblingrimm
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goblingrimm/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-abair-b86430ab/
- Other: Deviant Art: https://www.deviantart.com/goblingrimm1
