Today we’d like to introduce you to Ken Garduno.
Ken, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I was born and raised in LA and have been proud to live in LA ever since. I’m 41 years old, and I’ve been drawing for the majority of those years. I always knew that some form of art was what I wanted to do as a profession. Early on, my only knowledge of what I could do professionally as an artist was a career as a cartoonist. Somewhere along the way, I learned many different paths that I could go with my passion for creating. Illustration became my direction, and I graduated from Art Center in Pasadena in 2006. I love illustration, and how it has evolved in so many ways, even in the short time that I’ve been doing it professionally. I’ve had the privilege of working with many great clients, as well as participating in many art shows throughout my career.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I like to think of my work as a process that is constantly evolving. I don’t ever want to get stuck in a creative rut, so I’m always trying to do whatever it takes to keep my work fresh. It’s the one aspect of my life that I feel confident taking big risks. I expect people looking at my work to be able to tell that I’m having a great time making it.
Artists rarely, if ever pursue art for the money. Nonetheless, we all have bills and responsibilities, and many aspiring artists are discouraged from pursuing art due to financial reasons. Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share with prospective artists?
You can do this for many years and still never quite figure it out completely. Just try and learn how to budget if you’re doing freelance illustration for a living. This isn’t usually a career path to take if you’re looking for something stable. It’s a rewarding career in so many other different ways if you’re willing to stick with it.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I post pretty often on my Instagram, @kengarduno. I have a store on Etsy that I keep updated as often as possible. (kengarduno.etsy.com). I love communicating with patrons, so I mostly sell my work directly these days.
Contact Info:
- Website: kengarduno.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @kengarduno
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