We recently connected with Steve Barnard and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Steve , thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
My work ethic was formed by my parents. My father was a perfect example of finding a way to solve a problem. Even if it meant several attempt’s. Mom was the youngest child of a large family, She would often be sent to live with an older sister to help on a farm or take on whatever chores needed to be done. It was expected of me being the eldest of five children, to work along side Dad. He would take on any job around the house. He figured why hire someone if he could fix anything from a broken car, to designing and putting-in a sprinkler system. I didn’t get an allowance and wasn’t paid for mowing the lawn etc. If I wanted to buy something it meant finding a job in the neighborhood. I suppose my entrepreneur skills were forming in the pre-teen period.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
In school from grades 1-12 I was always known for the art I created. I would sell t-shirts that I drew on with felt markers. While serving in The USAF, I continued to sketch and paint. Following that I attended a dental laboratory technical school.
Designing and fabricating natural looking porcelain teeth fit right in with my eye for good aesthetics and the use of color..
As I designed and built six different small dental labs,, I also expanded my art interests. Public and private lessons and seminars, jewelry, sculpture and painting was most important to me. Today after forty years as an owner and technician, I have established myself as an artist. having shown in several galleries, art fairs, and competitions, I have illustrated covers for Kindle books., music albums, posters, business cards and logos. My sculpture constructions are life sized and have lights and
electronics for playing a persons music library.
As this article is being put out by VOYAGES, I have a story being published as a book.. I have always been keen on writing. The story is fiction/ adventure. The illustrations were painted by myself. I am blessed to be able to leave some art and writing that will be around after I’m gone.
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?
I believe when a person has decided on a career or direction to choosing an endeavor, the first general goal is to be aware of opportunities. These can be subtle and can easily be overlooked. It could be a note or person or some information related to the next step towards the next step etc. Example from my manuscript: “No one knew that Wilford had once been a janitor at a large rocket company. And even though he had no formal education, he had a sponge type brain. Every tossed-out scrap of paper or formula left on a blackboard, every overheard technical conversation was filtered through his clever mind.” Exaggerated yes but luck plays a big role if you can put yourself in recept mode.
Honing one’s skills and not letting distractions rob you of time.
Priorities and goals must be embedded into your sub-conscious. Writing them down and referring to them helps keep one on course. Circumstances may alter your plans, but having a coping, puzzle solving nature will solve the obstacle.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
Probably AIR POWERED The Art of the Airbrush Random House 1979
HORIZON BOUND on a BICYCLE Eyvind Earle, autobiography
Discovering what is possible using the airbrush and it’s fascinating history, bumped me into expressing my imagination in a way that catapulted my skills..
Eyvind Earle was not only an artist for WA.LT DISNEY, he was a visionary in the use of paint and color! His work in serigraphs and illustration is extraordinary.. His life story is one of amazement.
Art books and tutorials are giving way to videos and Podcasts. The reading experience is fast fading. I highly recommend
getting your hands on a book if you are a visual artist and spending some time about what’s been done. The computer AI
Images are taking over the process in a very magical realm. Who knows maybe hand made art will come back in the future.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: Steve Barnard gallery
- Youtube: Charlie. Davidson Steve Barnard, Cyborg in Progress, FIREHAWK
