James Victore is a graphic artist, author, and activist who describes his art as “sexy” and strives to help people find their creative courage through talks and workshops. He has numerous high-profile clients and his posters have been displayed in places like the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Library of Congress, among others. In addition to his life-changing talks and workshops, James also reaches people through his YouTube video series Burning Questions where he answers questions about life, love, and work. On top of all that, James also has a book out called Victore, Or Who Died and Made You Boss? He lives in Brooklyn and works with his wife, Laura. James joins Charlie on the show to talk about his life, work, and much more.
Key Takeaways:
02:27 – James’ first gig.
04:26 – Moments in James’ career that made him realize he needed to do his own art and not try to be like somebody else.
08:15 – Practicing creative courage.
11:22 – Artists and designers understanding that their work is a gift.
13:55 – The tension of wanting to create what you love but also having to pay the bills and work within the restrictions of a company.
18:38 – James not conforming to what other people want, his “sexy” brand, and walking the line between sacred and profane.
21:18 – Deciding when to take jobs and when not to and making those decision based on what makes you happy and not just because you need the money.
26:45 – The idea of the reluctant hero.
36:20 – The most unanticipated challenge James is currently facing.
40:13 – When people ask James what he’s most proud of, it’s always his sons.
Mentioned in This Episode:
Burning Questions
YouTube
Museum of Modern Art
The Louvre
Library of Congress
Art Directors Club
Brno Biennale
Adobe
MailChimp
Starbucks
Bobbi Brown Cosmetics
Aveda
Time and Esquire magazines
Moet & Chandon
Yohji Yamamoto
Abrams Publishing
Victore, Or Who Died and Made You Boss?
School of Visual Arts
Jeffrey Davis
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Julian Schnabel
Joseph Campbell
Star Wars
Dead Poets Society
Will Smith
Your Work as a Gift
Victory Lab