Today we’d like to introduce you to Wagner Humphreys.
Wagner, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
As far back as I can remember, I’ve spent a large amount of my time drawing. It’s a running joke that I learned to draw before I learned to speak. I picked it up quickly at a very young age and felt it was a great way for me to pass time and entertain my imagination. The majority of my time drawing was spent sitting in front of the television and drawing what I saw, including cartoons, action movies, and nature shows. Drawing became my fun and therapeutic habit and with time, I began drawing many animals and movie scenes from memory.
In one instance, during kindergarten, I drew an aerial view of the entire school building in full detail. My teacher, so amazed, contacted my parents without context for a private conference that day. My parents initially thought I was in some sort of trouble, but my teacher cleared the air and showed them what I drew. She tells them, “How your son, at his age, was able to draw this school from memory AND from a bird’s eye view is beyond me. I haven’t seen any student his age do what he does. He is very gifted.”
Over the years since then, my art skills have grown and continue to grow significantly. With every new piece, I aim to challenge myself and earn tremendous support from friends and family. I’ve gone as far as earning “Most Artistic” in my graduating class and winning the 2012 Congressional Art Competition, representing San Diego County. I’ve also grown a fond interest in architecture, having taken a few college courses in the subject. Most of my artwork now consists of family portraits, pets, architecture, and fan art. If I find something I like, I usually use references and add my own twist to it. I currently post my artwork, old and new, on my new Instagram account @the_art_of_wagner.
Has it been a smooth road?
Because I started at a very young age, drawing became very natural to me. It’s a lot of fun practicing and experimenting what I can put on paper. Sometimes my mind goes blank and I can’t think of a project to do. Other times I get all of these ideas at once and want to finish them all right away. One obstacle that’s been consistent is the excessive amount of time I spend working on one drawing. I try to be a perfectionist and won’t call a project “finished” until every detail is accounted for. Some of my drawings are completed within a few days, some within a couple of weeks, and some are revisited after a few months. To me, different drawings give me different levels of inspiration.
Another obstacle I currently face isn’t just how good a drawing comes out finished, but how much originality I put into it. I use a lot of references I find on the Internet and draw what I see. It’s not exactly copy and paste, as I do add my own touch and combine elements, but I’ll admit I do have a harder time creating something entirely from scratch rather than simply using something that already exists. I also maintain a very cluttered desk, but that’s a given. Overall I feel incredibly blessed to be the artist that I am and I hope to invest my talent in the right field of career soon. It’s definitely been an interesting road I’ve gone on, but it’s the road I’m designing and I decide where it’s going.
We’d love to hear more about your art.
I currently work as a Park Operations Assistant Supervisor for the rides department at SeaWorld San Diego. I help run a number of rides with a set of teams, making sure all safety procedures are followed and that all guests we encounter have a fun and safe experience. I’ve been with the company for almost five years now, constantly learning and participating in the fun side of customer service.
A big plus at my job is the opportunity to visit the marine life, my personal favorite and major influence in my artwork being sharks. However, what I like most about my job is how close and social the team is. In those five years, I’ve maintained a strong friendship with nearly the entire department and regularly share my artwork with coworkers, often taking requests as well. Occasionally when it’s time to see a close coworker leave the company, I’ll make time to draw a work-themed caricature of them.
Outside of my daytime job, I’m usually at home working on more artwork and commissions. Normally I would post my artwork on my personal Facebook and Instagram accounts to share between family and friends. Over time, they would say to me, “Dude! You gotta show off your art to the world. I bet you’ll be a famous artist someday!” Encouraged, I made @the_art_of_wagner as a separate public Instagram account. It’s relatively new and every now and then. I’ll post my work (not in chronological order).
What makes me a little different from other artists is that I enjoy the reaction and feedback I get from my peers much rather than the amount I receive in commissions. I take all of the “oohs and ahhs” close to heart. There was a long period of time when I would make and give away drawings for free, which upset a lot of family and close friends, but I’ve embraced the saying, “If you’re good at something, never do it for free.”
Nowadays, I moderately take commissions and use the majority of the income for more art supplies. Apart from that, I recently started participating with art groups and sometimes do collaborations within our circle. I found this experience to be incredibly refreshing as I’m able to work closely with other artists and share each other’s ideas, critiques, and support.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Honestly, I’m really hoping my art account will expose my work to a much wider audience and show people exactly what I am capable of. I’m determined to build up my art account as a credible portfolio to open many doors in the art world. Soon, with the help of my current job and commissions, I’m looking to apply myself back in school and earn a degree in either visual arts or architecture and take it from there.
It’ll also be interesting to see my art continue to evolve drastically over the next decade. I’m hoping to expand in other art forms other than drawing. I’ve practiced some traditional painting and building model houses, but there’s much more to learn. Especially now that technology is dominant, I’m interested in starting a portfolio specifically for digital artwork. The possibilities are endless!
Pricing:
- My commissions average about $50 for a 9×12 drawing.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @the_art_of_wagner
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