Today we’d like to introduce you to Dylan Kennedy.
Dylan, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
When I moved to the DFW from West Texas seven years ago, I had big dreams and no road map. I decided that moving to the metroplex was the right move. I saw the opportunity to leap into a bigger sandbox and really make an impact with my art, and so far that decision has been fruitful.
Since my initiation into the world of mural-making, I’ve had the pleasure of working with a diversity of urban and residential developers, architecture and design firms, business entities and private clients. I’ve painted murals throughout the area, from kids’ rooms and commercial lettering signs to full-scale custom artworks. I’ve also had fun creating body paintings for events. And along the way, I’ve worked with many fellow creatives, builders, placemakers and homeowners who wish to fill the world with color.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My artistic journey has been a whirlwind to say the least. Before I started gaining recognition is my career I was working in odd service industry jobs, sometimes 2 or 3 at a time or 12-hr double shifts that made it difficult to find the time to focus on making art and finding clients. The very first opportunity I landed was from a Craigslist search of all things: I performed some odd jobs for the Cosmic Cafe, a bohemian oasis nestled between the Design District and Oaklawn retail shops in Dallas. The environment was an experimental playground that helped me get my bearings in the local scene as I contributed some artwork over the course of 2 years.
After my stint at the Cosmic, I was mainly just painting kids’ rooms and logo signs, submitting bids for bigger projects without much success. Once I started really getting out of my own way and putting myself out there more, switching to part-time bartending shifts and attending art openings and pop-up shows, things started to click for me in ways I didn’t expect. After some persistent effort, I was chosen to paint a 120ft X 30ft mural art project for Downtown Arlington, an opportunity which allowed me to solidify my own vibrant style into the public sphere. I found that focusing on putting myself in environments that I enjoyed and just connecting with the self-supporting DFW creative community was immensely easier than I had expected.
Every new client project has its own ambiguities and unique challenges, but I’d say my biggest hurdle has been learning to work with big teams with varying processes and hierarchies, learning to flow with the red tape, budget constraints and unexpected obstacles that occasionally arise. It’s sort of like being a quarterback on a team: even though I have confidence from experience that I can quickly put my vision into place from beginning to end, I have to be willing to adapt to each new environment and take responsibility for any fumbles, mishaps and dysfunctions that may arise. It can really be a balancing act of ego, will, and attention to details that aren’t necessarily in the paint.
Artists need to have more faith in ourselves, take bigger risks. I know the artist’s struggle, the rejections and commissions falling through. But being a professional artist takes a lot of courage and an insane amount of passion, so it’s important to embrace the challenges that we face.
We’d love to hear more about your art.
Through my professional experience, I’ve crafted a visual language that’s adaptive to the atmosphere and context of each space while maintaining a uniquely imaginative style that presents an opportunity for the viewer to be transported into a world in which abstract themes coalesce into visual form. Such themes include the celebration of the human creative identity and the relationship between society and nature, using a blend of immersive 3D realism and graphic textures, vibrant colors, and dynamic compositions. Representation of diverse voices and ideas are typically at the forefront of these works. I work with a broad array of materials, including latex paint, oil-based enamels, textured finishes and marine-grade protective coatings according to the needs of each project.
When producing large-scale custom murals, I often assume the hat of an art director assembling a visual experience inspired by a wide range of multi-sensory influences, including music, film, dance culture and storybook illustration. While my personal projects incorporate elements of fantasy, my goal is to create artworks that are dreamlike meditations that ground the viewer in the physical present and into a motivational frame of action. My aim is to achieve immediacy of impact by melding familiar subjects with unexpected elements like a sweeping animated still while allowing for a richer reading upon further examination. This creates an approachable landing pad for the central message, giving the viewer a chance to more deeply connect with the subject.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I’d say that autonomy is one of my biggest motivations as a practicing artist. As it turns out, discovering exactly what that means is definitely an art form in itself. Not every artist working commercially is granted the opportunity to exercise personal expression and creative control for their vision, but I guess the key is to craft a niche among the right people who most resonate with your style.
Financial success isn’t necessarily my main driver, but it follows when you step into bigger arenas. I see my work as being largely mission-driven, specifically toward using my work to inspire the broader creative community to take bolder risks, no matter how crazy or quirky or different, their style may be.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dylankennedymurals.com
- Phone: 806-674-7493
- Email: info@dylankennedymurals.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dylankennedymurals/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dylankennedymurals/
Image Credit:
Thomas Escobar
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