Meet Sean McGill of East Valley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sean McGill.

Hi Sean, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started doing mural work in the late 1990s after joining a community service-based high school group. From there, I was introduced to community outreach projects and anti-tobacco campaigns. All of the artists involved used spray paint as a medium, and I met many great people who are still my closest friends. Once I started using aerosol, I was hooked, terrible at it, but hooked.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Pushing and promoting aerosol-based art was a challenge early on. It’s gained more traction and become easier over the years. People have a certain stigma about the work that can be created with spray paint and the misconception that it’s either a cheap medium or that I need a favor by providing a space to paint for free, the weight to legitimize my work and work’s value in a lot of these instances. Moreover, this has pushed me to grow creatively to make a piece with undeniable value.

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m an artist specializing in large-scale aerosol pieces, and my work has a wide range of styles and variety. My largest asset has been my ability to stay fluid and flexible for whatever commission request comes my way. I’m most proud of just that, I’ve done this work for decades, and I’ve managed not to paint myself into a corner where I’m painting the same subject, style, or trademarked character day in and day out. My commissions vastly differ from one to the next, and I thrive in that diversity. I could finish lettering for store signage one day and roll right into portrait painting or graffiti style the next. I love it.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting?
The biggest mistake someone makes starting in this game is undervaluing your product. I’m not saying every artist will have huge profits right out of the gate, but I don’t believe you can get ahead by selling yourself short. Keep your value high to meet a client’s budget. Any work you do at cost or free should be self-serving, either for self-promotion or the love of it, but creating a commission for someone has merit, which is worth more than an Instagram story or shout-out. A client that’s seen your value and happily paid will always promote your work more than someone you gave away art to.

Most importantly, if you don’t love it, don’t paint it. If your heart isn’t in it, that shows in your piece and is not worth the effort. I’ve caught myself over the years painting for the money, hating the work, and never promoting something I’ve spent days on.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @imakethepainting