Meet Ryan Stark of StarkhouseCreative in Mesa

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Stark.

Ryan, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started going to school for graphic design in 2009 and took some drawing classes, which introduced me to how big the world of art is. From there, I started getting interested in painting and in digital art, and I have been creating works of art from all different mediums ever since.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
For the most part, it has been a smooth road. It is a struggle many times to sell enough prints of my art just to make up for the money it costs me to have art booths in the festivals I’ve participated in. Aside from that, the only struggles I’ve faced is being firm on how much my art is worth. I love making art so much that is is often a struggle to convince people to pay fair prices for it because I’d be making art either way. I often have to talk myself into not giving people huge discounts for my art, just because I want my art to be out into the world so badly.

We’d love to hear more about your art.
I just run a very small Etsy shop and occasionally participate in small events such as Mesa Zen Nights or Phoenix First Friday Art Walks by setting up booths to give out business cards or sell original works of art or prints of my art. I specialize in painting animals. I’m most proud of the fact that people had liked my animal paintings so much that when I was the featured artist of the month at a grocery store in Glendale, I sold the most items by a landslide. I think this is because my art prints are extremely affordable and because everyone loves their pets. I offer custom paintings of pets of customers, having the animals painted wearing fun outfits of whatever the customer can imagine.

I also do an abundance of art aside from painting pets, including painting mythical creatures onto wood panels or canvas, as well as digital art, where I do a much more cartoony style.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
The quality that is most important to my success is the fact that I truly love making art. I’d be painting or creating digital art even if I didn’t sell a single thing. Most of my creations are just ideas that I like for myself, and luckily sometimes, other people share their likes with mine and enjoy my art as well. I think since I love creating so much, it comes out in my work as more fun and happy, which people tend to enjoy more.

Pricing:

• 11×14 Custom Animal Portraits for $80
• 16×20 Custom Animal Portraits for $120
• Prints of any previous portrait I’ve painted range from $3-$12
• Custom DnD character digitally drawn for 60$

Contact Info:

• Phone: (480) 388-5595
• Email: ryanvstark@gmail.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/starkhousecreative
• Facebook: facebook.com/starkhousecreative
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/StarkhouseCreations?ref=search_shop_redirect

Image Credit:
StarkhouseCreative

Suggest a story: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.