CanvasRebel: What do you think it takes to be successful?

., looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

In my travels as an artist and a young man, I was led to believe that success was only offered to those who study hard. Due to that belief, I had to teach myself what it was that I wanted to pursue. Initially, I did what was expected, and after a year of studying chemistry, I quickly understood that my success would not depend on the scholastic studies of math and science, but instead on the studies of ancient art and philosophy. I believe that we all have the choice to be and become all that we apply ourselves to do. I truly believe that if I had continued my studies in chemistry, I would have started a very successful career; however, my mind was set on another path. The path I sought was that of an artist. I wanted to be the very pinnacle of a successful painter. Not just to practice the arts but to contribute to it, seemed like a mere dream to an ambitious young man. Nothing is impossible so long as we are human. Artists of the past have found the golden path and followed it to the very edge of reality, then why not us? While studying past artists, I noticed a gap in knowledge of how these legends accomplished their goals. It seems like you can read everything you want about your favorite hero however, there is no straight answer to becoming successful in the arts. These legends are living facts that we too can become as successful as they were. I decided to apply the same steps to becoming successful at anything we do on this planet. Without a direction of where to go or how to begin, I picked up my brushes and started practicing my art. Every day I added more and more to it. Over the years I became better and better. I was unaware of how these legends became successful at art, but I could practice every day until I too had something comparable. six years had passed before anyone recognized my art. After six years of dedication, I was gifted the opportunity to paint large-scale public murals. A year from that day I was able to make a lifestyle and career out of my arts. Though my career has been commonly mistaken as the exception or simply the result of grand luck I can assure you it is not. The effect of my career was caused by determination and the consistent studying of art and philosophy. While most in their early twenties remember partying or going out to explore the greater cities, I spent my time in front of a canvas pestering over each and every flaw. It was this act of practice, the studying of the arts that allowed me to become the man I am today. In exchange for energy, I paid it my precious time and was rewarded with the great gift of art. I don’t believe school is necessary to be successful in life, depending on what it is you want to be. If you’d wish to be a lawyer or doctor, school is the best choice for achieving these goals. However, if you are a creative like myself, school is not always necessary, but like any school, time and effort are still essential. It took me six years of studying art religiously before I was recognized for my talents. A longer time than the average college degree. This is what makes this field so difficult. Unlike school where you have a road map of what to do and when to do it. Practicing art is a discipline you must find respect for yourself. I don’t believe I am where I am today because I am the best, but rather that I am consistent at what I do. No one is going to remind you to practice art, and it gets harder when you realize there is never a promise to the time you give. If you are willing to give the time, I believe at some point every artist will be provided with the gift of success. It may take longer than six years of study or perhaps less time than it took me. I asked an artist once while I was lost on the path to success, how was it that he became who he was. He responded to me, “It took me twenty years to become this artist.” I realize now that the only way to cheat time is to learn something on the way, everything else fades. This is what it takes to be successful. Use the time you have while you have it. Work until your back hurts and your mind feels slippery. In the words of philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, “What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.”

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My name is Moschburg, I am a visual artist, muralist, writer, and filmmaker. I was born and raised on US military bases all around the world. The journey began in New Mexico, my family moved around about every four years. We lived in countries such as England, Japan, Germany, Panama, and Guam. This unique experience of global cultures is where I draw my main source of inspiration. Each piece is like a collage of lifestyles, experiences, and emotions. I became quickly known for my substantial-sized murals. It all began with painting canvases late into the night. Now I paint for cities, private art collectors, theme parks, and commercial businesses. Great things take time, and greater things take a lifetime. Over the years of trailing up and down the great state of Florida, I found myself most proud of the depth that I develop into each piece. I do not speak of an illusion to the eye, but rather the depth of sedimental meaning given to each aspect of the art crafted. I personally cherish canvas work over murals. I appreciate the level of freedom given to my craft from canvases. Murals usually have an overall theme, where canvas work can dip into the vast frontier of the human imagination. Although, of some, the best pieces I have ever produced have been on colossal-sized walls. It is this duality that I love most of all. Canvases provide at glance a reflection of the artist’s mind while murals project the beauty of many minds. This is so because while painting a canvas I address the painting to what it is I would like best, while in murals I address to a greater collection of minds. This creates a grand balance between my art. My canvases show the inner thoughts and working of an artist, while my murals show the inner thoughts and working of a society. Leonardo Da Vinci saw it as a flaw to be unable to paint through the mind of someone else. He thought that if you only painted what you saw and did not put into consideration how others see life your work would be flawed to only appeal to yourself. Murals have taught me a lot about how others view art. I believe it is this universal understanding of different cultures that separates my art from the rest. We must be willing to appreciate our own art as well as appreciate the arts of many others. It is only through this understanding that we can create the cultures of tomorrow.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I believe in the creative field of visual arts. The only thing that can help you on this journey is the quality of your portfolio. Knowing people in the right position can get you started but this won’t keep you going. In the end, art speaks for itself. Like my father once said, “always do the best you can at all you do because, in the end, you will get something out of it.” What he meant by this, is truly do the best you can at everything you do even when no one is watching. Like I always say, no hard work goes unseen. Even when it seems like no one is willing to pay you for your creative talents, continue to paint as if they were. I am not talking about raw talent and the ability to be the best. I have learned that anything you practice and put your time and effort into you will get better at. Progress is progress no matter how slow – Henry Ford. It was this driven attitude that I believe is what helped me build my reputation to what it is today. Even before I was being paid, I still gave it my all. This made my portfolio strong because everything I painted was quality work. Soon enough my portfolio became so strong, that I was able to build a reputation that I could start a career out of. With hard work, you will always gain something, even if it is just the practice to get your painting skills better for tomorrow. I believe this applies to every work field. Do your best now and it will pay off tomorrow. So if you are struggling in the market, I truly believe a strong portfolio full of hard work is the secret ingredient to a successful career. Continue to strive in the dark, and you will find yourself showered in blessing from the light.

We’d love to hear about you met your business partner.

Life has an interesting way of staging the grand scheme of things. My two business partners who I can truly appreciate, I met at different times. Shortly after birth, I met my sister Ericka Kesting. A great soul who truly has believed in me from day one. Like my other sibling, she has always been there for me. After growing up, we took the tradition of leaving home to further our education. Throughout my years of adulthood, she had always been a fan of my art and encouraged me to continue my studies in this unique creative field. Unknowing of the bond later to be crafted, I did just that. After a year of mild success as an artist. My sister and her lovely husband David Kesting had inquired me about my art. They recognized what I was doing and wanted to help me pursue this and take it even further. So the three of us met up one night in the fall and discussed formal business, and like that Moschburg LLC was born. Like true heroes to me, they agreed to work for free while the business was starting out. We worked hard at getting the Moschburg name out there, and truly a blessing they came to be. The business skyrocketed after a few months of hard work, and projects began stacking up back-to-back like dominoes. My sister took the role in Business Management as well as Talent Management. While my brother-in-law David took the role of Finances. What I had failed to see before was how much I needed them. I was good at painting, good enough to make some pocket money, but with the three of us united, we formed a powerful team. Both being trained professionally at what they do, we truly took the business higher than we ever imagined. The art began moving at a great pace. As an artist, we sometimes fail to see that even though we might be good at creating we may be terrible at other things such as time management or finances. Now I understand the power of working in teams. With the team we formed we can grow at three times the rate. This is also something we artists overlook; we forget that to be successful at art you must also be successful at business. As Andy Warhol famously said, “Being good at business is the most fascinating kind of art.” As a creative, I focus on my visual passions and what drives my imagination, while my team members, Ericka and David, focus on the business side. This allows me to grow both as an artist and in my career. A flaw in most artists like myself is they cannot find a way to care about money, so it is of great use to have people you trust around you who do. Most artists would rather starve than not create, but with the help of good friends behind us, we shall never see that day. Like a good man once said, “art always finds a way.”