Conversations with Brandon Hunt

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon Hunt.

Hi Brandon, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My career really began in high school where I was focused on becoming one of two things, either an artist or an actor. Over a holiday break we took my little sister to see Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and I realized, oh my god you could do both!? I realized the animators were able to use drawing to act out an amazing story. I decided right then and there to become a Disney animator. I worked hard and got accepted to an amazing art college that Disney hired from all the time. Then, my freshman year, Toy Story came out and most of us who were studying there realized that our dream of being a traditional animator didn’t have much of a shelf life left. So, I pivoted and studied illustration and really loved it. I got a job out of college working in-house in a communications department for an Internet provider. After that I went agency side for a few gigs before starting my own business and becoming a full time freelancer, specializing in branding, print design, website design and of course, illustration.

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?
No complaints and really, I’ve been very lucky – but every road has it’s bumps for sure. Being a freelancer in general means that most days, at some point, you’re gonna hit some rough patches. It’s rare when everything goes smoothly and none of your clients has an emergency. And then the ebb and flow of the feast or famine nature of the job can make for a bumpy ride. In addition to that, and on a larger scale, being a creative means you wanna do and try a lot of things. They don’t all work out. Some ideas fall flat no matter how hard you try. Some teams just don’t click, even if they’re all great people. You just have to accept that bumps are coming and know how to steer around them or recover with grace. And don’t get to hung up on them.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have a few different things I specialize in but what I’m probably most proud of, and usually gets the biggest reaction from people, are my super colorful, collage like oil paintings. They are a stream of consciousness style of layout and composition and are usually a lot of fun. I recently completed a large format piece for the Young Adult section of my hometown library. I also love to do caricatures and have done many famous divas and drag queens. Some of my favorite subject matter.

What does success mean to you?
Being satisfied at the end of the day with what you did with your time. Did you make something? Did you help someone? Did you find a way to lift up a voice? Is the world a bit better (even a little bit) because of something you did today? If yes, then you succeeded and can sleep a little easier.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://brandondhunt.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandondhunt
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandondhuntllc
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandondhunt/