Make a Living Drawing Pictures: An Interview with David Pjecha, #ICON11′s Local Liaison.
I began a lifelong preoccupation with art and visual communication at a very early age. As a child, my favorite color was green and I wanted to be an astronaut. Math was not my friend and I was better with colors than with numbers, so I moved towards art and away from science. (I still like science.) I studied Illustration at the Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio. I made many lifelong friends there and began to understand what it meant to be creative. Most of my professional life as an illustrator has been with Hallmark Cards in Kansas City. I've been at Hallmark for many years and in that time I've watched the world of illustration go through many changes and I learned to adapt and change with the flow. Always curious. Always leaning forward and looking for something else. This is how I approach the creative process.
I'm married and have three adult children and a black rescue cat named Mike.I dream of painting and telling stories.
What's your favorite memory from past ICON conferences?
It's most satisfying to be in a setting with so many other creative people and make new friends or re-connect with old ones. There's a type of energy that is generated in this setting that becomes a source of inspiration and encouragement. ICON is an event that delivers a sense of creative possibilities. I like that.
Tell me about your practice!
I work as Illustrator for a corporation, which is an unusual mix of creative problem solving against a specific brand profile and consumer. I like the intersection of working with a developed strategy while relying on intuitive creative impulse to develop product solutions. I think this is a common challenge for illustrators, regardless of the setting or nature of the job. It allows me to bring my unique viewpoint and skills to create compelling visual content and make a living drawing pictures.
What is your studio/office space like?
My studio is on the third floor of my home and has a group of 5 north-facing windows that overlook the entrance. I live in mid-town Kansas City, Missouri. It is currently a mess as I'm remodeling and resetting the space to suit my changing painting methods and preferences. It's a hundred-year-old building with good bones. I can't wait to get back in that space.
What's your hometown and where do you currently live?
I was born and raised in Erie Pa. and I'm currently a resident of Kansas City, Missouri.
