Today we’d like to introduce you to Chad Spangler.
Hi Chad, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
It’s hard to pinpoint when I started as an artist. I never thought of myself as creative when I was younger. I took one graphic design class in high school, and made the occasional flyer for my college Nerf club. I did enough projects to build some skill, but not enough to make me see how much I enjoyed making art. The real catalyst came in my early 30s when a social media account I was running started gaining a lot of traction. That gave me a reason to make my own merch. These were the first art projects I can remember that were truly my own expression. I fell in love. From that point forward I started learning everything I could about art, always adding new things to my artistic tool belt.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road was smooth until it wasn’t. I got furloughed from my IT job during the pandemic. I had a set return date, so I didn’t have to job hunt. This gave me an opportunity to spend some time growing my social media accounts and practicing my art. When I returned to my job, I just couldn’t get my heart back into it. On top of that, the department I was in was kind of falling apart. When my boss told me he was leaving, I responded with “I’m going to get to the door first.” I did, by one week. At that point my art wasn’t making as much money as my “normal” job, but enough to where I was willing to try it full time.
What people don’t tell you about being a full-time artist is that it’s two jobs: Artist and manager. I never learned how to be a manager. For a while things were going okay. I was able to grow the business I had going, but when the inspiration for my social media started drying up, so did my sales. To be honest, I was too stubborn and waited too long to begin the job hunt again. The financial strain ultimately lead to a divorce with no clear path for my life.
Thankfully I was able to find my current job, and I love it here. As I stabilized financially, I took stock of where I was at with my art. I had mostly fallen off of making videos, but that had given me a sort of blank slate. Without the pressure of making money or pleasing an algorithms I was able to fully fall back in love with art. The exploration and inspiration are at an all time high, and I can’t wait to show everyone what I’ve been working toward.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Above all else, I consider myself an ADHD artist. I allow myself to bounce between all sorts of creative mediums. For a long time this made me feel like I had a lack of focus. Then I realized that long-term this helps me combine my various mediums in ways I don’t see many others doing.
I am most widely known for my polyamfam social media accounts, where I made educational and comedy videos about polyamory. To many this may seem completely separate from my art, but making those videos is absolutely an artform. Regardless of peoples’ feelings toward social media content creation, I stand by the fact that it is a form of filmmaking.
In the more traditional sense of being an artist, I am known for my St. Louis Pride flag design and typography-based digital illustrations. I’m the guy that says “Welcome to my weird little art booth,” to people at the Tower Grove Farmers Market. I also recently won a local art competition called Studio Showdown.
I’m proud of it all, and I’m most proud of what’s to come.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
If there’s one message I’d like to get out there, it’s to not let money have a hand in every decision you make. Everyone is an artist in some way. Make things simply because you want to. There doesn’t have to be another reason. It doesn’t have to please anyone else or make you a single dollar. Create for the love of creation. It’s what makes us human.
Also, go to Studio Showdown. It’s awesome.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thegoodchad.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/thegoodchad
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@the-good-chad
