Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Anderson AKA Onekind.
Onekind, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
It started with a combination of watching anime and being introduced to art when I was in 5th grade. I started drawing different Dragon Ball Z characters on TV as that was a big influence. Art became an escape from reality as I eventually started to realize what anxiety was. I found the more involved I got with art, the more it helped me overcome my anxiety and became a great outlet for me. During my senior year in high school, I applied to The Art Institute of Atlanta and had the opportunity to submit my portfolio in hopes of a scholarship. I ended up winning a $10,000 scholarship for 1st place to help put me through college. It was then I realized my art was good and winning was a boost to my confidence and that I could really get somewhere with art.
After graduating with a degree in Graphic Design, I wanted to gain experience by working for a company, which was a challenge but eventually became rewarding. Having constant support from family and friends, who have always been my biggest supporters, kept me focused on my goal. I have been able to stay in a creative mindset, using my passion for making a living, which has been my dream!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road. Doing what you love when you’re younger is great. You can focus on art without a care in the world. As I got older and out on my own, paying my own bills, becoming more independent, it became a challenge to continue giving my passion full attention. I wanted to become a full-time artist but had to work other jobs in between to make ends meet and fund the art supplies that I needed. With all the challenges and curveballs thrown at me, I was forced to push myself to reach personal goals and try to set the bar higher for myself so I could be a successful artist. I feel constant pressure to create, constantly thriving to make the best possible work I can. Its like the whole world is watching me and I need to be able to deliver and make sure I’m on top of my craft.
There’s also the pressure to create daily/weekly as if its my job, whether I’m getting paid or not. I need to make sure that progress is continuously being made. I wasn’t seeing results for many years. I even thought about giving up several times due to suffering from anxiety and not seeing the results that I expected to see. Impatience set in, wondering when my hard work would pay off but it never lasted long. I found myself going back to creating, as my faith would never leave my side. I had to listen to the voice in my head and trust the process and be patient.
We’d love to hear more about your art.
I specialize in a couple of different mediums like painting, digital art and traditional drawing. I love learning new forms of art and people started noticing my drawings from the different ways I illustrated cartoons/anime. Inspiring people with my art is something I’ve always wanted to do and after receiving feedback from my loved ones and people I don’t even know, I looked forward to being able to inspire people through what I love. What sets me apart from others, I would say, is my work ethic. I put 100% into what I’m working on and am continuously focused on finishing my next project.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsonekind/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/itsonekind
- Website: https://www.itsonekind.com/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7qZxa6UR9giH1F4DMD07hA
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