Today we’d like to introduce you to Mitchel Wu.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I’ve been creative for most of my life, and all of my professional life. I have a degree in illustration from the California College of the Arts and worked at the Walt Disney Company for 6 years, followed by creative collaborations with Cirque Du Soleil, Lucasfilm (Star Wars), Sony Pictures Entertainment and Warner Bros. It was this combined experience that taught me the importance of offering the highest levels of both creativity and professionalism.
Please tell us about your art.
I craft and create stories through toy photography, capturing the illusion of motion and emotion where none exist. Telling stories has been a constant throughout my career and is the foundation of most art. I find that toys are an amazing vehicle for telling a variety of stories. If you think about it, that’s essentially what toys are made for. It’s getting back to those childhood pursuits of ‘playing make-believe,’ in which almost anything is possible. Most adults rarely exercise that part of the imagination, something that came so naturally to them as kids. Toy photography allows me to enter that world again.
As an artist, how do you define success and what quality or characteristic do you feel is essential to success as an artist?
Every artist is on their own personal journey so what I define as success might not match another artist’s definition, especially since my art often crosses over into the commercial realm where I am commissioned to work on specific campaigns for clients. With that said, the foundation for me is being able to tell stories through my art. The art is always evolving, changing, hopefully improving…but telling stories is the constant. If I enjoy what I am creating, and as a by-product, others enjoy it as well, then I guess that’s how I would broadly define success for me.
The qualities or characteristics I feel are essential to success in developing as an artist are discipline and perseverance. I won’t say passion, because we all start with that – it’s what initially drives us to pick up a paintbrush, sculpting tool, pencil or camera. It’s discipline and perseverance that’s needed to work on our craft and our art on a daily basis – to continue to experiment, learn and grow as creative beings. Even when that initial rush of excitement and passion ebbs.
From a career standpoint, I think it’s essential to know your value and to know that your skill and your art has value. If you want to create for a living and career, then you can’t sell yourself short – be prepared to walk away from a job, sale, whatever if needed. No one will value you or your art if you won’t.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
I have a website, blog and YouTube channel that people are welcome to visit, but my toy photography lives and breathes on social media – specifically Instagram and Facebook.
Stop by either and introduce yourself, ask me questions, whatever – I enjoy interacting with others on my social media pages. With that said, one of my goals for this year is to find and collaborate with a few galleries, nationally and internationally.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mitchelwutoyphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mitchelwuphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mitchelwuphotography/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mitchelwuphoto
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