OMG ITS ACTUALLY POSSIBLE (literally, whatever you wanna do, if you work hard enough you can make it happen). I thought every master artist had magical wizard powers, but I realized they just studied, and practiced, and failed and tried again until they became great. I feel like that applies to anyone in any craft. You just have to do it.
As a part of our series about “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became An Artist” I had the pleasure of interviewing FEWOCiOUS.
FEWOCiOUS is a 19-year-old art sensation who is currently the #3 NFT artist in the world. He has amassed nearly $50 million in sales so far in his career, including his groundbreaking auctions with Christie’s Auction House and Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Day Sale. Most recently, he collaborated with The Bowie Estate to create a David Bowie NFT collection, which sold for $127,000.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
I grew up in Las Vegas, I moved in with my grandparents when I was little. I first started selling my art because I wanted to move out as soon as I turned 18. They didn’t appreciate my art, and it wasn’t a healthy place for me, so I was in a hurry to leave. I left the day after my 18th birthday and moved to Seattle. It was basically the opposite of Las Vegas. The first time it snowed I was so amazed. I felt like a little kid again.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
I’ve always expressed myself with art, so finding this path for myself felt
natural. I made art to express feelings I had that I couldn’t express to anyone with words, I still feel like making art is the only way to communicate a lot of what is inside my soul.
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
During pride month all of my art was plastered around New York City. I remember watching the parade of people marching past my art at my first ever pride. I realized I’m not just alone in my room anymore. The world can see me.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
Definitely FewoWorld. Creating my own world is so magical. I feel like my creativity can truly be boundless, every detail is something I dreamed up, and that’s the coolest feeling ever. I’ve always felt like my paintings are one still frame of a whole world. But, an imagination is bigger than just one frame. Having the ability to move the camera now and hit record is so exciting.
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
Probably Sam Spratt. I idolized him growing up. I would study his art because I was always so blown away by his storytelling, his attention to detail, and the sheer beauty of his work. Being able to just call him up or text him now is so strange in the best way. When he followed me I felt like I was gonna explode.
Where do you draw inspiration from? Can you share a story about that?
I draw inspiration from everything! Life is so beautiful, the whole world inspires me. It’s so fun to go outside and look at the buildings, strangers, trees, graffiti on the walls, everything. Inspiration can come from anywhere. I love watching movies and listening to music when I’m stuck on something.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
It’s always been my dream to create clothes, so making my own pride collection with MadHappy was so incredible! To support the LGBT+ community in celebration of pride we donated some of the proceeds to the incredible Born this Way Foundation. I was also blessed to work with the Bowie estate in support of CARE, a charity working to end world hunger. Being able to use my art to help people in the world brings me so much joy.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
- OMG ITS ACTUALLY POSSIBLE (literally, whatever you wanna do, if you work hard enough you can make it happen). I thought every master artist had magical wizard powers, but I realized they just studied, and practiced, and failed and tried again until they became great. I feel like that applies to anyone in any craft. You just have to do it.
- DANG YOU’RE SO COOL!! Everyone when I was growing up was so mean to me about my art. I wish I had someone who just told me “Dang your art is cool as heck”. believed in me and didn’t think I was crazy for doing what I was doing.
- YOU ARE ALLOWED TO EXIST. I would always compare myself to other people and I would be scared that my art was too colourful, too weird, too different. But I realize now that the things that are weird about my art are the things that make it my own. My favourite artists are people who just do what they want and don’t worry about what other people think. They just exist.
- OIL PASTELS LOOK SO COOL YOU SHOULD TRY THEM.
- People will know your name is Victor, and eventually it will feel normal for you to hear them say it. I didn’t know what coming out and being myself would feel like. Knowing that the people I care about accept who I really am would have been a huge comfort to me when I first started down this path. It’s scary at first, but eventually it feels as natural as breathing.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
OMG lol this is so much pressure! Can everyone be nice to each other please, and also save the planet, and not fight anymore. That would be amazing thanku.
We have been blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she just might see this.
OH DAVID SHANNON!!! I would LOVE to have breakfast with David Shannon and tell him how much I love his book A Bad Case of the Stripes and eat pancakes and french toast with too much syrup. He wrote all of the coolest kids books ever and I admire him so much.
What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?
My twitter and instagram are both @fewocious!
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!
FEWOCiOUS: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became An Artist was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.