Episode 40 - Your Work is a Gift with James Victore

James Victore is a graphic artist, author, and activist who describes his art as “sexy” and strives to help people find their creative courage through talks and workshops. He has numerous high-profile clients and his posters have been displayed in places like the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Library of Congress, among others. In addition to his life-changing talks and workshops, James also reaches people through his YouTube video series Burning Questions where he answers questions about life, love, and work. On top of all that, James also has a book out called Victore, Or Who Died and Made You Boss? He lives in Brooklyn and works with his wife, Laura. James joins Charlie on the show to talk about his life, work, and much more.

 

Key Takeaways:

02:27 – James’ first gig.

04:26 – Moments in James’ career that made him realize he needed to do his own art and not try to be like somebody else.

08:15 – Practicing creative courage.

11:22 – Artists and designers understanding that their work is a gift.

13:55 – The tension of wanting to create what you love but also having to pay the bills and work within the restrictions of a company.

18:38 – James not conforming to what other people want, his “sexy” brand, and walking the line between sacred and profane.

21:18 – Deciding when to take jobs and when not to and making those decision based on what makes you happy and not just because you need the money.

26:45 – The idea of the reluctant hero.

36:20 – The most unanticipated challenge James is currently facing.

40:13 – When people ask James what he’s most proud of, it’s always his sons.

 

Mentioned in This Episode:

Burning Questions

YouTube

Museum of Modern Art

The Louvre

Library of Congress

Art Directors Club

Brno Biennale

Adobe

MailChimp

Starbucks

Bobbi Brown Cosmetics

Aveda

Time and Esquire magazines

Moet & Chandon

Yohji Yamamoto

Abrams Publishing

Victore, Or Who Died and Made You Boss?

School of Visual Arts

Jeffrey Davis

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

Julian Schnabel

Joseph Campbell

Star Wars

Dead Poets Society

Will Smith

Your Work as a Gift

 

Victory Lab

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