Today we’d like to introduce you to Caleb Beck.
Caleb, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I suppose I can begin with my first college degree from Texas A&M; yes, I’m an Aggie. I studied architecture with grand plans to attend grad school. The recession hit and things changed, I bounced around between Houston and Austin before finding a job offer which brought me back to Dallas. I served the city of Dallas for almost five years as a firefighter and paramedic for Dallas Fire-Rescue. I went through some heavy experiences on the job and in my personal life. I wasn’t happy or fulfilled and it started to show to those around me.
At 30 years old, I decided to change careers and go back to school for graphic design. During the transition, I went through a divorce and struggled to make it in Dallas. I attended The Art Institute as a full-time student while also working full-time at Alamo Drafthouse as a server. I lived in a rodent and insect-infested apartment, skipped meals, and ignored sleep for too long. Then I met people who pulled me up and helped me through the struggles of school, work, and my personal battles. I picked up another job in my last year of school as a remote, part-time designer for a company in Houston. It wasn’t easy, but I stayed with my vision for the future and kept fighting for my passion.
I graduated at the end of 2018, began freelancing, and searched for a job for over four months before an opportunity came. I was offered a contract position at JCPenney on the creative packaging team. After 90 days there, they offered me an associate position on the team and fulfilled my dreams. I still have imposter syndrome and live in a state of shock when I think about where I’ve been and where I am now. I’m so lucky. Lucky for the people in my life who were there for me, lucky for the struggles I had to battle, lucky for how things lined up for me when I thought they never would again.
This journey has been incredible and I feel like it is only just beginning. I kept the Houston job at SafeSpace Concepts as the lead designer because it is fulfilling and fun. We design soft play environments for children around the world in museums and childcare centers. I also take on freelance work, calebcreative, as it comes while working full-time at JCPenney. It can be exhausting, but I live for it. I do plan to scale back after some bills are paid… You can find me posting my personal art and designs pretty frequently on my Instagram (@calebbcreative), where I pick up most of my freelance work. I can actually say “I’m happy” again and mean it.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
More detail of the struggles and rough roads, let’s do this. The divorce was one of my biggest obstacles. I lost the first love of my life and it devastated me. I fought depression and suicidal thoughts. It all hit me at once and I think that is what made it heavier. I was a “poor college student” again at 30 years old and coming out of a marriage where we were very comfortable. Adjusting was difficult and I had to fight very large rats for my food at times (seriously, they were too large for sticky traps).
And going back to the service industry was difficult to swallow, as well. Please take care of those who serve you. It is fucking hard. I worked myself into the ground at times and then had to turn around and finish school projects with little to no sleep. That’s a normal thing for most college kids, but doing it again at 30 shook me. I even totaled my car in 2018, which was paid off, and had to find another to continue working and going to school. During all of this, I found love and lost it again. It was a year-long, tumultuous relationship, but they were the reason I finally went to a therapist to heal, so I am thankful for them. Earlier this year my father was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, so the hits are still coming. I know people have it far worse than what I am describing and I feel guilty for even complaining about it.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I have several outlets for my creativity which happen to make me enough money to live. I have my freelance gigs that pop in randomly from my Instagram account, @calebbcreative. I’m able to post personal work and if people like what they see, we can work together on larger projects. I work remotely for a job in Houston, SafeSpace Concepts. As the lead designer, I work on custom spaces for 0-3-year-old kids.
We are still building up the company and working on details when we can. (Please forgive the website.) It is truly fulfilling to create these environments for the play and development of the little ones. Finally, I am an art director on the creative packaging team at JCPenney. I have an incredible team and the job has been a blast. I am so happy and grateful each day that I can be paid to be creative in any of these three jobs. I love the challenge of solving design problems which all three positions throw at me. I believe I have acquired a unique management style of the stressors involved at this point in my life, as long as I remember to include some self-care.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Personally, I believe success is getting to a point in your life where you feel fulfilled. Disclaimer: never fully fulfilled, though. There is always a burning desire in me to make something a little better, to improve my skills, to see more, to push the boundaries of myself and what I design. The markers so far in my life have been goals I met along the way.
For example: make it through school and graduate, find a job where you’re happy, make those around you feel better about themselves. I want to be a successful person emotionally and in life. It’s not about being rich monetarily. It’s about pursuing happiness and what it means to me. Creating, loving, traveling, seeing the beauty in the world. Especially at a time where it can seem so dark. I thrive on the little things and I believe success is knowing yourself and what makes you truly happy.
Contact Info:
- Email: beck.caleb@gmail.com
- Instagram: calebbcreative
Image Credit:
Personal Art and Photos of/by Caleb Beck.
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