Today we’d like to introduce you to Theartis Grigsby.
Hi Theartis, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
When I was serving in the military, I decided to start up a vlogging channel on YouTube titled, The Art iS Living (TAiL). It’s a play on my name Theartis and the vlog was about the activities my friends and I did while in Japan, so Theartis Living became The Art iS Living. The vlogging life quickly died as I could no longer keep up with all the editing I had to do aside from my personal responsibilities. I would still go out time to time and make vlogs, but only to capture major highlights of my life. Proceeding my transition from the military, I was offered a job at a local hospital as a field service technician for a cancer treatment facility. Although the job sounded challenging, with the help of the team leads I quickly learned how to troubleshoot the facility and was dependable enough to handle my own workload. Growing accustomed to my new role at the hospital, I decided to go back to college for graphic communication. I attended Palomar College full-time while working full-time at the hospital. For the first time I was getting straight A’s! I accomplished all my GE in a year and by the time I started fall of 2021 I had quit my job at the hospital. I decided to go all in on my education and pursue a career that utilized my creative direction. With the newfound skills I learned and continue to learn from Palomar College I decided to start up my LLC, The Art iS Living. Within a year of starting the fall semester of 2021 I became a licensed drone operator, started shooting real estate photography, created an apparel brand, and continue to grow the business. I am eager to meet new people and learn how to become a successful entrepreneur that will continue doing what he loves!
Alright, 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?
I don’t think discovering yourself, nor pursuing your vision is ever a smooth road. I’ve hit roadblocks all along my journey. From getting out of the military and transitioning back into civilian life during a pandemic and protests, long distance relationships, and the anxieties of creating a new “life” plan. My biggest bump along the road had to have been my transition out of the military early 2020. I was so lost, angry, and disappointed with myself. Still struggling with the loss of loved ones, my relationship with the military, and what at the time seemed to feel like “me restarting my life.” I quickly learned that although I was restarting, I was restarting with experience. Thanks be to God my life, thoughts, and behaviors flipped 180 by the end of 2020 and I felt like I was back on my feet with balance restored.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I believe God gave me a perfectly crafted creative mind and eye that cooperates well behind a camera, which translates utilizing many of the Adobe Creative Cloud Apps. I’m a videographer, photographer, drone operator, and apparel designer. I can’t give a specific answer to what my specialization is, which is why I title myself as a creative producer. At the moment, I can confidently say TAiL is known for its Nihon (Japan) dad hats that sold this summer in July. It’s a collaboration of my very own ethnic background (Black and Japanese) made into a logo embroidered on various colors of dad hats. This is my most proud work, for what was meant to be a thoughtful gift for one became an invitation to explore two cultures simultaneously for all. With all the skills I’ve accumulated throughout the years I can finally see how everything is coming together for the success of TAiL. It’s no surprise to me that no matter the obstacle, I will always prevail. So, what sets me apart from others is my relentless ambition to keep moving forward-leveling up as I call it-because my vision isn’t just to provide a life for my family, but to leave a legacy; not to be remembered, but to serve as a reminder that you can do it too.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What I like most about San Diego is that it feels like home. Whatever it is that I may be craving I can fulfill it in the city. There’s no limit to what I can do. I can’t really think of something I like least, but if I had to throw something in there, I guess it would be traffic hahaha.
Contact Info:
- Website: Theartisliving.com
- Instagram: Tail_Hybreed
