Today we’d like to introduce you to Buddy Pajak.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I always knew I enjoyed creating things, but I never thought I could pursue an actual career as an artist until after college. I ended up graduating from Texas State with a studio degree in drawing and from there, I waited tables during the day and made artwork at night. One day I’ll never forget, my friend came over, and after seeing my paintings, he handed me a $100 bill and said he wanted a cat painting for his girlfriend. I think that was my lightbulb moment. For the first time ever, I realized I could actually pay bills with my artwork.
From there, I just took on any opportunity to create work and get paid for it. I started with pet portraits, and hand-painted signs, which later led way to larger commissions for local businesses and eventually murals. After committing myself emotionally to creating work for a living, I realize that never even gave myself a plan b.
I would make this my career no matter what and I’ve been a professional artist for 7 years now.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road for any artist is usually not smooth. In addition to the fact that there is no set “formula” or step-by-step process to being successful and generating income, there is an abundance of self-doubt that is always looming in the back of your mind. I would ask myself if people would reject my work, what’s my financial worth, and what would happen if I failed. For me, creating artwork is a humbling and vulnerable experience. Many times I had to rely simply on faith and a positive attitude that I would somehow find a way to make rent. It tends to be an emotional rollercoaster, but I’ve learned to love this process.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Currently, in my career, I have two main ways to generate work. For my personal practice in the studio, I paint surrealistic and evocative paintings of abstracted animals, people or even science fiction and combine them with retro elements of energetic colors and dark moody undertones. I love to begin these creations with loose and random mixed media processes and add oil paint later as the image becomes more visually clear. I am always looking to strike the perfect balance between loose and expressive brush strokes with clean lines and technical ability.
On the public side of things, I create murals for businesses and outdoor spaces. I really value my ability to provide a product that satisfies both the client’s vision for a particular aesthetic and my need to incorporate the technical skill of design and realism. I have the ability to adapt my style to the needs of the client while remaining authentic to myself.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Personally, I haven’t explored too many mentor options for myself, however, social media has proven to be a great asset in accessing other professional work, providing a platform to ask questions and finding out about local events in your area to participate in. For me, what has seemed to work well is I always strive to provide quality craftsmanship in the final product, remember to be patient in obtaining success and communicate with honesty to my clients and collectors. With this approach in mind, the majority of my opportunities have found me. Word of mouth is a powerful tool and allows your work to do the talking for you.
Pricing:
- Personal commissions are $3.00 per square inch.
- Mural prices range from $30-$60 per square foot based on the size and complexity of the design.
Contact Info:
- Website: buddypajak.com
- Instagram: @buddy_pajak
