75 Otto Sturcke — Be Tenacious and Have Patience

Otto Sturcke: 0:00

Be tenacious, but be patient. Because as you can overwork yourself and you have to, you have to make sense of it. What is your what is your goal? Have a plan, I would say I had my short term goals and my long term goals at some that were very unrealistic. So, just be mindful of that, that there's certain things you may not get to as soon as you can. And if you don't get it done, it's not the end of the world. You know, just know that there are certain things you're gonna get done a lot sooner than you think. And some things are not so, but always with the goal in mind that you want to become a better artist.

Laura Arango Baier: 0:39

Welcome to the BoldBrush show, where we believe that fortune favors the bold brush. My name is Laura Arango Baier, and I'm your host. For those of you who are new to the podcast. We're a podcast that covers art marketing techniques, and all sorts of business tips specifically to help artists learn to better sell their work. We interview artists at all stages of their careers, as well as others who are in careers type the art world in order to hear their advice and insights. Our guest today is Otto sterk an artist based in Southern California whose work focuses on creating allegorical narratives reminiscent of the Dutch masters, albeit with a discerning not his own culture and lived experiences during his life. We discuss his time in the military and how it influenced both his work and his daily routine. I'll keep tenaciously took any job and did everything he could to turn his dream of becoming a full time artist into a reality. Why human connection can take your work and marketing skills to a whole new level. And he reminds us of the importance of writing down your goals and making a plan so you can stay on track and become a better artist. Finally, he tells us about his awesome board game called Mad Monster Bash, and his upcoming pesto workshop. Welcome Otto to the BoldBrush show. How are you today?

Otto Sturcke: 1:58

Good. Thank you. Yeah, everything's pretty good. At least it's not raining as bad as it was a few days ago. So

Laura Arango Baier: 2:04

you know, that's good. Yeah, sunlight, you know, spring is coming. As best as the best when you start feeling spring coming, you know?

Otto Sturcke: 2:16

Absolutely. And I wonder if we're gonna get another super bloom with all this with all this rain? I don't feel we get? Yeah, the hills here. Yeah. Especially like in Lancaster are just phenomenal. So yeah. Like, it's a good reference reference shots to get my easel up and do a little painting. So

Laura Arango Baier: 2:35

that's great. Yeah. Um, but yeah, so talking about you, though, and reference images, so you can get Do you mind telling us a bit about you who you are what you do?

Otto Sturcke: 2:49

Sure. You know, I, I, I've mostly been? Well, you know, let me go back just. So I knew that I want to art work since I was a kid. And eventually, there was a lot of detours. But I had been an artist now for about 25 years. And I've worked in a lot of different genres. So I've been a field Assistant art director for Disney Imagineering, helping them on projects, such as galaxies edge at Disneyland and got into the galaxy. I've done set design. I've done scenic art. I've taught different mediums. As you know what, with illustration, and speaking demonstration, I've done work for film and television. So, you know, I've done a little bit of this and that. But now I'm really working on on the fine art. And I've got few little side projects that I'm working on that I can tell you about later. So hopefully that answers your question.

Laura Arango Baier: 3:58

Yeah, yeah. And the other part that, that I find awesome is that you're primarily self taught, right? Correct.

Otto Sturcke: 4:04

I never had any formal schooling. And I'm jealous because you know, after you telling me that you've been able to take some of these been at these affiliates. So no, I I've been primarily self taught. I was in the military. And as soon as I got out of the military, I was able to attend a school which was not accredited. It was just phenomenal group of artists who were teaching there, many of them were working in the business, in here in LA and in the Hollywood scene, whatever it might be. And so I saved up desperately, whatever money I had to attend some of these classes and workshops, and they were typically about your eight week long classes or your or your several day workshops, and I learned a lot from it. So I've always been very appreciative of all the artists who have given given of their time or given their insight freely unconditionally. And so I tried to do the same. Now whoever comes in asked me about several mediums, or how can they do this or that, not that I'm an expert, but you know, I can I can tell them about my experiences and try to guide them that way. Yeah,

Laura Arango Baier: 5:15

that's awesome, though. And, um, you know, with your detours, I think, maybe also, it benefited you in the sense of, I guess, widening your experience, because you, you traveled a lot when you were in the military, right? So you, you know, you, you decided, okay, I want to be a painter, but then why did you end up in the military?

Otto Sturcke: 5:37

All right, well, there was, there was, I wasn't the best student, let's just say that, and my grades weren't entirely up to par. And so I knew they didn't want to go to an art school, our school is so expensive. And, you know, I come from a big family I come from, there's, there's eight of us, you know, there's, there's a kid that was number seven. And, you know, it was my dad was a traditional construction, even though he did, you know, make a decent amount of money for at that time, that 1970s 80s You know, to feed a kid and try to get them into college was a bit difficult. So, you know, and, and also didn't speak English, entirely, well enough to, let's say, maybe, kind of guide me through seeking grants, or whatever it might be to be able to, for me to attend a certain art school. So anyhow, I went to the counselor that we had, I went to a private Catholic school, and, and I went to the counselor and looks at my grades, and this is you ever think about going into the military? And, and so, you know, I was I was gonna resolve you know, there was just how I didn't know, it, just, it was a dream to be able to think that I was going to be able to get into an art school as much as I wanted to go into one. So I thought, you know, the, she mentioned that. It was actually she, she mentioned that, that, you know, they have the GI Bill and they can help you, you know, put some money together to attend college later on. Okay, so like, took that advice. And I did, I went in and joined the military, I was very young, I was 17, I had my parents sign the forms for me, because, you know, I was under 18, I turned 18, a boot camp. And I followed that path. So it was it was a bit of a detour. Oddly enough. I, when I was in boot camp, they were all lined up. And, you know, we have to speak in in, in third person. And it was it was it was very odd, but either way that drill instructor says any of the new recruits know how to draw. And so, you know, this private does, sir. And so anyhow, there was like three of us. And he made us all draw a bulldog, which is the Marine Corps mascot. And so eventually, I won the contest, and I was known as the artist private. But so I was the artist private, so I got to sign or flag it what else? It was, it was a few things. And you know, there was times when I didn't have to go to go and do some PT because I was, you know, doing the artwork for our battery. But a funny story was a bootcamp. I remember it was a it was about three in the morning. And I'm shaken awake and drill instructors about this far away from my face. And like, oh, no, what did I do? You know, and we're all in our bodies. So this is such recruit says, says, I need you in my office. And I'm like, Oh man, I'm so blessed. No idea what I did. So So I went to the office there in the barracks, and he says it's my anniversary and I need a card Can you can you draw me something? Sure. So so and so the ever mercerie card for his wife and the perk of the burqa that was the pick it out was it I remember everybody's getting that but they're gonna go through picky about for the morning and they're all looking at me in the office and I'm there on his desk and they're just looking at the odds like what is going on with this guy? And so yeah, I split the like the next four hours because I want to do it nice slow do a real nice job was just with the you know, just cancel. It was when I get to that They also they had the art but that are in the daisies. And so it was very odd but but yeah, and I got to go eat at officers chow hall. Now the officers chow hall is very different from the recruit bootcamp chow hall. And it was, it was something else it was like living in the lap of luxury when you go into the chow hall, because you they have, you know, the jello spreads, and they have all the bait all the good food right, where you didn't, you didn't get, you didn't get the slop and you will get the regular chow hall. So that was a nice little break. But anyhow, that turned into me illustrating and doing some work for just some of the, for the Marine Leatherneck for the letter that the other night magazine, I had started doing some pen and ink drawings. And eventually I served in Desert Storm where I was doing some sketches for historical reference, so and so I did get to do some art in the military, after all. And as soon as I got some of that I got out, I did six years, both active and reserve, I found the school associate service was which was in Sherman Oaks. And that's where I started really digging into my, like talent that I didn't have. I, I learned a lot I did, I learned a lot, but I spent a good majority of the day there. And when I wasn't taking classes, I was, you know, trying to help out in the school, whatever it might be. So that, you know, I was I was able to be surrounded by such amazing talent.

Laura Arango Baier: 11:41

That's amazing. It was a bit of an odd story. But a true? Yeah, no, it's a great story. Because, you know, it goes to show that, you know, despite you taking this detour, you still stayed very much true to your identity, you know, as an artist, like no, this is what I want. I'm just doing this as a means to an end, you know, and it reminds me of how you know, you you were interviewed, I can't remember what article it was. And you mentioned how it also impacted you when you were stationed in Norway. And you saw the Northern Lights and how that really, you know, impacted you.

Otto Sturcke: 12:21

It absolutely did. So during my time in the military. And it was this is during actually during the time DeStorm which you would think okay, they'd send mostly everybody to Iraq. We were sent to do operation battle Griffin. And so it was a a training with French forces Norwegian forces. And we were above the Arctic Circle. And, you know, it was I'd never felt cold like I did in Norway. But I did get this Yeah, but my highlight was the fact that I think it was my first time seeing snowflakes, right? And just gigantic snowflakes. And I was just like, wow, this is a snowflake. But the seat the scenery, and I haven't experienced silence, like I did in Norway. You know, I grew up in, in the Northeast San Fernando Valley, right next for fruit freeway in the train tracks. And in a noisy house, that small house with, you know, 10 people in it, oftentimes, much more than that, because we had relatives coming over from Mexico. So I don't know that I ever really experienced silence. And so I remember being patrolling up on one of the ridges, and I stop and I look up and it's the beauty of the aurora borealis spine that was but for a moment there. There was no trees rustling, no breeze, it was just absolute silence and how bizarre that was, but how inspiring and enlightening it was at the same time. You know, and so I just, that was something to remember. And the people, the religions were so it just amazed because you know, we are driving with tanks and these artillery cannons through the backyard, you know. And so I remember, they were really welcoming. And I remember there was this one lad who came up and, you know, he was maybe like seven, eight years old. And, you know, we're, you know, he's coming from the farmhouse wherever he's coming from. And he's trying to you know, he's trying to tell us that his sister can bake really good pies. He wants, he wants my cover for a pie. I said okay, okay. I think was lingonberry is that the is that is that.

Laura Arango Baier: 14:49

That's something they have here a lot. Yeah.

Otto Sturcke: 14:51

Is it the link? So anyhow, he brought me a lingonberry pie and a few turnovers or whatever. And so sure enough, so I give my cover but not before he gave me his cover as well you know with the well I don't know what you call it no I overslept results game. Yeah. I brought that home with me. I brought that home was my gift to my, my nephew. But But I thought that was a it was the most super adorable thing that you know, and he's, you know, he's coming over to hang out with the military guys say hey, because what, what's ties is trying to he's trying to sell pies and stuff. But I said, Look, I don't have any cash on me. But I'm willing to trade this on. Okay, I'll take the hat for. So, yeah.

Laura Arango Baier: 15:39

But I absolutely love are very kind. Yeah, people, you're very kind. And definitely like the the culture here is very welcoming. In a lot of ways, you know, to foreigners. Like everyone just kind of sees the foreigners like, Oh, something new, you know, although the island that I'm on does get a lot of tourism. So it's a little bit different. But still, yeah, people are very, very kind here. Which is really nice. But yeah, so your you know, your experiences, you know, how do you find that they affected? You know, the messages that you'd like to explore in your work? Do you find that? It kind of opened your world up a little bit?

Otto Sturcke: 16:22

Absolutely, you know, much of my work. At least the themes that I I strive for a personal and if you look at much of my work, it does have a narrative to it. I think I owe a lot of that to several, well, mostly a couple things. One is Sister Wendy Beckett, are you familiar with Sister Wendy Beckett? She Okay, no, you have to know Sister, Wendy Beckett, she, she was for that she was a phenomenal art historian, a nun. And she had a show on the BBC. Back in the day, it was either maybe was the early 90s. And I remember being, you know, for the young woman, and, and seeing her videos. And she would go to the north assignment here in Pasadena close to me, and she would visit many phenomenal works around the world, Italy and France. And so she she would talk about the artists but also the works themselves. And it was such an amazing insight. And at a time where I was wondering how an artist paints and how does how did he? How did that artists paint that? How did he How did she create this phenomenal piece of work? Well, for her it was, why did they paint that. And so she gave me that insight as to what was going on in their personal lives. You know, whether whether they were losing children to some kind of fever, epidemic, whatever it might be here. And there was a, you know, you we were looking at steel life, which I love to paint. And, and there was such, there was such a deep personal narrative. And some of these words, because it was a locket that belonged to so and so. And, you know, it just, it was just phenomenal. And the way she describes everything. So if you get a chance, you have to see a Sister Wendy, you got to see your videos, she's no holds barred? Not kind of none. And she's just, she was just a treasure. And so yeah, if you haven't seen sister with the absolutely so. So I after seeing her videos, I remember, whoa, what is the one that I want to paint? What is it? What stories do I have to tell? And you know, being a kid that grew up, you know, in some Valley? And so, you know, I started thinking about, you know, all my detours and all this, you know, things that may have happened in my life. So how can I interpret that in my paintings, and so I found a Zen in that I found that because my work can be very time consuming. I, I felt that I needed to have something that I really was attached to, especially when we're spending you know, 100 hours easy on a painting. And, you know, I went through My trials and tribulations with mediums and, and thinking that oh, maybe this is just too hokey or whatever it is, but when I when I you know, accepted, you know who I was and and what I want to say then then it all kind of balances itself out. So yeah, I just I just I just felt that maybe my stories weren't as mundane as I thought maybe they were and and maybe I can I can tell a story that connects to one person, and even if it doesn't connect anybody, it was very personal to me. And so it was, it was almost meditative. And so for me was painting is healing and, and it made me feel really good as I think that's what I feel best is what am I actually producing? So? Yeah, hopefully that answered that question. Yeah,

Laura Arango Baier: 20:21

no, I did. You know, I really love that painting is healing. And I've experienced painting in that in that way. Also, you know, I feel like, probably majority of painters probably have experienced that, or people who create, you know, because you're not just a painter, I use pastel. So it's like, you know, even through any medium, when we create something, it is, it is a very healing thing to, you know, put down a feeling that we've been carrying inside of ourselves that has been, you know, maybe even burdening us. Because oftentimes, I find that, you know, with creative people, we tend to be so full of feeling. We're so sensitive, and the best way possible, of course, but sometimes even our own feelings can become our tormentors. And I feel like yeah, painting and drawing and just letting it out, can be very healing, for sure.

Otto Sturcke: 21:11

And I think one of the things that stumped me the most was the fact that I was primarily self taught, you know, always doubting what I could create. And so, you know, if you put the time intuitively, I said, you know, I just got to put the time into it and, and just allow myself to make mistakes, allow myself to grow. I am the artist I am today. And, you know, if I keep working on my craft, honing in, I'll get better. And then I'll be able to tell my story a little bit better. So it's, you know, it's a draft, overdraft overdraft overdraft, until finally, you become quite good at the vernacular of art.

Laura Arango Baier: 21:50

And your work is gorgeous. So that speaks for itself.

Otto Sturcke: 21:54

I appreciate it. I think if you if you look at my piece, which I did several years, quite a few years ago, maybe years ago, nine years ago, there was a piece called Sweet serenade. And so I invoke a lot of my culture into my paintings as well. And even though I have a German name, I am you know, what they say must make? Okay, last violas, which is they say, you know, in them beings. And so, I do have a German name, and I'll leave it oh, just to let you know, and that when I was in the military, and of course, you know, the military men aren't exactly kosher, but I did. Just give them the name beaner schnitzel. When I was in the I know. They go, Sergeant, Sergeant Beaners. Nigel. But so yeah, and so I work a lot of my book a lot of my my coach mentor. So if you if you see, sweet certain, you see this little paper mache a piece that represents death and what it is, it's a collaborator, playing a guitar. And so, and looking up at this candle, which has been I grew up Catholic. So you see, the weekend the weather loop, which, you know, Mary, and so, so, my son was actually born on the other one, Luca, which is the date of the Virgin of Guadalupe, which is December 12. But he was my firstborn. And it was, it was supposed to be a time of joy, here comes the baby and so forth. But it turned out to be very hectic. You know, giving birth was very traumatic for both my wife and my son. And so I was very fortunate that both of us survived that, that day. And so, it was my homage to life and death is, you know, you know, that, you know, culture. They're very intertwined, you know, so you can't, you know, they're your, it's not that, you know, death, death is not necessarily a foe. And so, in this painting, you have death, paying homage to us. And so, the fact that he didn't have to do his job that day, and so he's serenading love he has so and of course, the candles were presence of a friend, you know, which Latinos it's like, you know, please, please help me out here. You know, it's a it's, it's a pleading for something and so, but Always with that intent of mine that I will, I will, I will pay it back. So, so that that piece was very, very personal. And so at the, at the very center of the piece, you'll see a sweeping loosen, which, you know, of course, you know, are you familiar with me? Yeah. But anyhow, so so, you know, and of course, I won't give the whole narrative away, but if you if you, if you see it, because I do tend to speak about my opinions a little bit, but I want the person who use your work to, to take in this room for themselves and without me having to, excuse me to write it all down for them. And, and just state it, because I think, again, billing and painting is can be very, very personal. And we all have different senses. And we're sensitive to different things. And so I would like for each viewer who just does take note of what I paint to, to take it in their own way. So

Laura Arango Baier: 26:07

wonderful. Oh, my gosh, I got goosebumps when you're talking about your painting, you know, wow. That's it's it, you know, it is fascinating how, especially in Mexican culture, I mean, in Colombia, we also have a very similar view on on death where, you know, it's not necessarily the end. Right, but I feel like in Mexico, you guys celebrate death a lot more like celebrated in the sense of a natural part of life. And also as a way of connecting with your ancestors, as well as the you know, that you maintain death as a celebration of the past and the present and the future. You know, it's it's a very beautiful thing. I appreciate that. Absolutely.

Otto Sturcke: 26:48

Yeah. And, and I'm glad I was, I was taught that because it's not something that is completely fruitful, it is a doorway, it is a pathway to something else. And so, you know, I, I, I, I think it helped me appreciate life a lot more for certain. And so, so it's, uh, you know, again, you know, when you when you're, when you're, when you're young, I was 19 years old, when you're called to, to serve, you're called to war. And, you know, it's just, it's, it's a, it's an experience that, you know, you don't know, if you're saying goodbye to your family, for the last time. And so, you know, it's, it's a, like I said, it's one of those things, where, if, if you can take those experiences and somehow guide them into these paintings, you know, can you tell a better story, and so I think, sister, Wendy Beckett, helped me kind of really focus in on on what it is, I want to say, with my paintings. So I definitely appreciate him for that. And, you know, like I said, being self taught, is has its own, you know, has its own obstacles, of course. So, you know, and I, and I still, I mean, to this day, I'm a sponge, and I just can't get enough now, now. But that being said, of course, with social media, you can't get sucked into seeing what everybody else is doing. And then you find yourself losing your voice. So, you know, it's, it's, it's one of those things where I have to remind myself you do you do, you know, and, and, because it's very tempting to get caught up in what everybody else is doing. Yeah,

Laura Arango Baier: 28:44

I completely agree. I also stay off social media for that reason, like, I'll pop in, I'll support my friends, you know, like, their posts comment. You know, because I love seeing how well my friends are doing. And then I am out, I'm out. Because, oh, I don't want it to taint my, my desires and my own work, you know, it's so easy to get, you know, pulled off course. When you know, you're especially when you're in like a vulnerable state because I feel like most most artists when we're in like that state of like, thinking and ideation and maybe we have an idea for new, you know, new painting, it's easy to get pulled off course, if you see something impactful, right? But that's, that's the other funny thing. You know, you look at someone else's painting, and maybe it's complete and it's like, breathtaking. You're like, oh, god dammit. Yeah, the point right. Like, why am I why do I even bother, right? But at the same time, you know, it's, it's still good to remind yourself like, yeah, it's still you should bother because that person's doing their thing. You do your own thing, and it'll be fine. You know, your work is still gonna be beautiful and so much of it is don't get pulled away. Don't like just stay stay centered, like yeah, get inspired, inspired. Not like, destroyed. Exactly,

Otto Sturcke: 30:03

exactly. And, you know, and it gets to a point where, you know, you feel like, okay, you know, I'm doing this way too much, you know, I'm beating myself up, because of what somebody else is doing, you know, and so, you know, again, stay focused, you know, stay at, stay mindful, stay present and what you were doing, and, you know, you'll have a better day if you do that. So, I tend to have a pretty good regimen, when it comes to my, my daily routine. So, you know, I like to take my boys to school, and, you know, usually the morning, I'll, I'll check some emails and and then, you know, gotta get breakfast and get them ready to go to school. And that's why I have so good amount of time to, to get a lot of my work done. So I know that that time is absolutely dedicated for me to get, you know, get on easily, because, you know, six hours for me is, you know, six, seven hours for me, it's not a long time to put out the easel if I feel like like painting somebody, I'm totally blue. Especially if I'm working with pastel. Because even though it's not like oil, medium work, you know, you have to wait certain things dry. Well, the thing with pastels is that you have to think a little bit like a chess player in the sense that, you know, you know that whatever you want to put on top of the previous layer is going to somehow affect it, right. And that, and that it's going to move around or bland or, you know, depending on how much pressure you're putting on there. So, so it I mean, but the use of pastel is that, you know, once it's done, it's, you know, there's really not gonna be any, you know, changes to it. I mean, you could have a painting that is 500 years old and looks exactly like the day was painted. Granted that it wasn't in sunlight, or it wasn't humidity, but in any SSB glass, but it just feels very tactile to be able to work with pastel and, and so again, it's just having a good routine is helpful in that. Okay, I'm not gonna get on social media during this time, because this is time dedicated for my craft.

Laura Arango Baier: 32:16

Do you find that you got that discipline from the military?

Otto Sturcke: 32:20

Probably yeah. You know, I still eat like a Marine. Right? Here's the thing, Renae, we way too fast.

Laura Arango Baier: 32:28

I have five minutes.

Otto Sturcke: 32:32

Oh, go back to Norway go back to it. Great. So So you know, they would come with the trucks and they would bring these big thermoses whatever you want to call them. And, and they will, I'm not kidding you. We were time how fast it would take for food to get solid, solid cold. And it was about a minute, it would serve it on your plate and you took my scrub the stew. And but within a minute, it was just like frozen. It was just unbelievable how fast this thing got called because of the of the below zero temperatures. There, especially the windchill factor, whatever it might be, it was just incredible. But yeah, we wait. And so. But the discipline does help. It didn't, it didn't help. But also, I knew that from experience, if you don't set yourself up with a plan that you're going to get sidetracked way too easily. And so it's been good for me to be able to be able to have this time dedicated for my craft. Now. Speaking of detours, there was there were times when I was working for as a field Assistant art director to Imagineers. And, you know, those were some long, long days, you'd have to get up at 330 in the morning, I drive to the park and then I have to put the security check. And it takes a while to get into the park where you need to go to and then you would spend a good, you know, eight to 16 hours a day working on the project depending on how many hours they needed to do. And so, you know, I, you know, come from back in traffic would take, you know, I think driving daily was like three hours easily in traffic. And so it would just wear away at you. And as far as it was working on, you know, guardians of galaxy or galaxies edge it was it was just after, you know, a year or two of that it was just oh my gosh, and you know, it was it was nice to get back to the easel. And it couldn't be more you know, I mean, yes, I got to work on you know, props and certain things like for the spider man right, which is where you get to work on some props, but like for Galaxy's edge, we're working we're painting with I'm not kidding you. We're painting like with hoses and so we've you know Working on scaffold and you know, we're good 100 feet or more up in the air, depending on what we're doing. We're working on boom lifts. And we have it feels more like a construction job because you're in full gear. And so you're you're pouring, you're pouring paint and you're creating these rusting that, you know, it's just very, very aerobic no tasking you might be working on these things. It was it was it was an experience. And so it yet and so when you get into the studio, and you're you're working these little sections at a time, so but it's but I get that it's nice to experience all of that to be able to go from eight inch brushes to you know, going to little pastel pencils or, you know, paint brushes, doing tiny little little hairs or textures. Yeah. All right. Know what I went on a rant? I didn't I forgot what your question was.

Laura Arango Baier: 35:57

So you were just responding to a comment I made. So you're good. I think it's fascinating to hear that because I absolutely love going to Disney World. Well, I mean, I haven't been to Disneyland, but I've been to Disney World and the galaxy's edge there. And I think it's so so cool. It's I love how immersive it is, especially with the Star Wars fan. Um, so i Wow, imagining like, you know, like meeting you. It's like, Wow, imagine the group of people who had to put all this together, right? Because it takes a whole team. And it takes forever. I remember they, when they started and they blocked off, you know, section of the park and no one could go through there. They had to like reroute everyone. And then when they opened, it's like, wow, this is amazing. Like it and you know, I commend you, I commend you. Because, again, it's working for the mouse is not easy. As you mentioned, it is a lot of hours. I've met a lot of people who haven't had the best experiences working for the mouse, as they say, Oh, yeah.

Otto Sturcke: 36:54

It can be it can be tight. It could be tight in the sense where there's a lot of people working all the same time. Yeah, to meet the deadlines. And and, and it can be crazy. I mean, you you're painting and maybe you've got some guy, you know, up on the scaffolding above you welding and so you've got all these sparks flying down. And you know, but I guess it's a it's definitely got its ups and downs with these projects, but to see it all come together is really need to be able to go back to the park and I did actually get to work at disney world a little bit. I got to do work on at the Epcot Center where I was able to work on the big did you get to see the big, big statue of the feet? The at the Numana right next to it, and I haven't gotten Yeah, I guess I got to work on that. I got to work on that last summer the summer before that. And so it was it was pretty pretty. It was really the experience. So I was able to work on a lot of a lot of the foliage that went to Tokyo as well. So it was Yeah, so I that was my first time working in in Florida for on a Disney project, but most of my projects were done. We're done here. But But and each park again differs right from you know, like the guardians of galaxy. If you ever get to ride the guardians of Galaxy here in LA, you're gonna see a difference can be quite a bit different. So it's,

Laura Arango Baier: 38:30

I mean, yeah, I personally am a fan of the Tower of Terror, and I would not want them to change the one in Disney World because it is. I'm a huge fan of The Twilight Zone. So I would be very sad. I'd be very sad. Have you changed it? Fingers crossed the day? Don't you guys gonna have it at Disneyland and we'll keep Oh, gee.

Otto Sturcke: 38:55

I know, it was so sad to see when that when you had some just phenomenal Art Deco style stuff that came out of that. But it was just gorgeous. And so you know, I don't I don't know what, I don't know what they do. Amazing. Do they end up? I guess maybe they end up selling some of that stuff? Or do they archive archives and repurpose it?

Laura Arango Baier: 39:15

I don't know. Yeah, the sort of museum thing. You know, they like they usually put all that stuff in storage. But yeah, I hope they don't, don't change the world because it's my favorite ride. I was a kid it was like when it was like a five minute way I would go up and down, up and down, up and out. Like I would just write it over and over. Because I just love that feeling of falling. But that's the side. That's like, wow, we're off track. But

Otto Sturcke: 39:44

I know I know what we're doing right.

Laura Arango Baier: 39:46

It's great. It's great. I'm back to you know, your career, right? You You started out as an illustrator, right as a career, you know, working as an illustrator. And now you're a full time Artists, right? And also a contractor. Um, what was that shift? Like for you? Was it like really easy for you to, you know, jump out of that career and into like, you're okay, I'm just going to be full time artist or how do you manage? You

Otto Sturcke: 40:13

know, the it was it was actually pretty neat to jump from, let's say, doing illustration. And, you know, I got well let me let me backtrack just a little because in all sincerity, maybe it wasn't that difficult because when I was in doing some nighttime as reserved the military, I remember I teamed up with a group called Esau streetscapes and he saw screen scrapers were actually had this building, like in Skid Row. And so it was it was, you know, kind of risky driving through this area where there's bonfires in the street. And, you know, it was my first time experiencing that. And, you know, we would go into the warehouse and I at the time and you know, what would you have, we had the, you know, the old I'm getting a thumbs up. I had a but, but I had you know, you had the white pages and so I'm looking through the white pages, I'm looking for any art crew or anything that that might I might be able to apprentice with because again, I you know, I didn't have the means for art school. So when Healy was one of the heads of easel streetscapes and they were doing phenomenal murals for East LA, they were currently working on a project for the World Cup back in 1994. And so I was able to apprentice with them. And so I was able to work on these big, you know, murals, these large scale murals. So that kind of segwayed into when I started working for Disney as scenic art, which was, I believe, like 2010 When I started doing that, so again, that was a span of, you know, good 15 years from painting murals with the illustrious caters to the time I was trying to do mural work and scenic art for for Disney, but jumping around from one to one didn't feel as unnatural. And I say only the NSA that because I just was fortunate to have people who got me really well to be able to, to switch over, you know, some things lended you know, into other parts, like for instance, you know, the mural making into the scenic guard, you know, some of the, the illustrations or the sketches that I was doing for maybe the character design or for from ontology, we're transcending over into different parts of my artwork as well. And so being able to jump around you were able to learn a lot of new techniques, new mediums, which I was incorporating into other parts. For instance, you know, my, my artwork I'm a fine you know, as I'm kind of a bit of a mad scientist when it comes to my methods and so you know, hear behind me see an airbrush and sometimes you know, I'm airbrushing, watercolor, or I'm just throwing alcohol up, I like painting whatever it might be. And so I'm I'm just just just working with these different mediums and, and experimenting all the time to see what how far I can push some of these things. And so in that aspect is fun. But yeah, you know, I don't think I don't think I was ever really kind of strange going from one to the other really, because I just had really good guidance, I had people who really were willing to help me become better and then become proficient at that certain genre.

Laura Arango Baier: 43:46

Yeah, that's great. I mean, I'm sure you know, there's a lot of crossover as you say, BoldBrush, we inspire artists to inspire the world, because creating art creates magic, and the world is currently in desperate need of magic. BoldBrush provides artists with free art, marketing, creativity, and business ideas and information. This show is an example. We also offer written resources, articles and a free monthly art contest open to all visual artists. We believe that fortune favors the bold brush. And if you believe that to sign up completely free at BoldBrush show.com. That's B O LD BRUSH show.com. The BoldBrush Show is sponsored by FASO. Now more than ever, it's crucial to have a website when you're an artist, especially if you want to be professional in your career. Thankfully, with our special link faso.com forward slash podcast, you can make that come true and also get over 50% off your first year on your artists website. Yes, that's basically the price of 12 lattes in one year, which I think is a really great deal considering that you get sleek and beautiful website templates that are also mobile friendly ecommerce print on demand in certain countries, as well as access to our marketing center that has our brand new art marketing calendar. And the art marketing calendar is something that you won't get with our competitor, the art marketing calendar gives you day by day, step by step guides on what you should be doing today, right now, in order to get your artwork out there and seen by the right eyes, so that you can make more sales this year. So if you want to change your life, and actually meet your sales goal this year, then start now by going to our special link faso.com forward slash podcast, that's s a s o.com, forward slash podcast, you know, like, I actually find that people who have studied illustration before painting, they tend to have a bit of an advantage. In my opinion, I know it's like a little bit funny to say that, but there's an advantage in the sense that with illustration, there's more of an emphasis on the symbolic, like sort of nature of representing something instead of the literal copying of something, which tends to happen today with a lot of painting, especially, you know, in this photographic world. So there's a bit of a sense of like, you guys, like an illustration, there's an understanding of, you know, the essence of something, versus Oh, yeah, we're just gonna, like paint this person, exactly a car. So there's like, a nice crossover there. With the two, it's actually I feel like people who have studied painting after like, not after, but people who have studied painting, and then afterward have taken illustration, I feel like that also helps, I feel like they feed each other beautifully. Well,

Otto Sturcke: 46:31

I got regarding illustration, I gotta say this, you know, you are a taxi driver, you know, you gotta you gotta take, you gotta take them where they want to go, you gotta take the client, wherever it might be. So, so you've got to do that efficiently. And so that is a good, that's, that's, uh, you know, training in that manner is excellent, I think for an artist, because you're under a certain Dylan pressure, right? So you've got to get the composition, right, you gotta get the design, right, you got to get the likeness, right, you got to get, you know, so many things done fairly quickly, which is almost kind of opposite of the way I'd normally work. But that was a good training round, because it helps you get the narrative across fairly quickly. You've got to make it read, you got to be able to, to, you know, speak the language of a narrative. And so when you look at, you know, people like Norman Rockwell or Dean Cornwell, and you look at some of these phenomenal illustrators, who then had flourishing careers as, as artists, look at the training ground, I mean, they were proficient in mediums and working fairly quickly. And, you know, so they, they were great designers, and you can learn a lot from those artists who, again, you know, started their careers as illustrators, some of them did remain as illustrated to me. I mean, you know, when you look at an I hope, I'm not saying incorrectly, but Landecker lantic. You know, he was just one of the, what, I think maybe at the time, he was the best paid artists out there, when it came to illustration. So, you know, I kind of got out of illustration, because it was becoming a bit of a thankless job. It was the, the deadlines were becoming way too hectic, I was losing all my weekends, I like to young boys, that I felt I needed to devote more time to especially like, when I was working these long hours, these long days at Disney, or these scenic art jobs. So I find that this is much more appealing to me at this point in my life, to be able to be there for them and to having this regimen to be able to say, Okay, this time is for me to paint. And the rest is, you know, I've got a I've got to work with, you know, with you know, I've got, I've got to be able to do, you know, work around the house and boys out with their homework, whatever else. And that it's, it's just so much more appealing, because I remember, you know, working so many years on these projects, and, you know, I just I come home and they're already asleep, you know, and so I leave before they wake up and so, you know, maybe you got to see them on the weekend. It's like, oh my god, he grew like three inches. So you know. So this is nice. This is really nice that I can I can spend a lot more time with my boys and, and, you know, I'm giving them our classes because something that I never had, you know, so I Oh, they they they're one fun music. I mean, they love me. They're great at you know, playing piano and, and cello and stuff. But the art they've always do when they just kind of see me do it and then they really dig into it. And they just draw all the time. And I just wish I had somebody to teach me when I was eight years old or 10 years old. I think there was no there was no art in my house. I think the only artwork that I and maybe something you're familiar with is that we had a calendar from the barber shop or maybe it was a meat market. And it had a painting of again, right? So if you're familiar with them get as work. It was these mighty ASIC workers with these ASIC, quilty, or maybe they're, you know, these ASIC prints this is maybe or, you know, I don't know, but it was just, I mean, his work was just gorgeous, you know. And so we would have, you know, a calendar hung up, and I would just remember seeing his his work. And so that's about the only artwork we had in the house, you know, it just because my, my folks didn't know, the art world, they didn't know, they weren't very familiar, we never went to art museum. And so, you know, again, it was it was about my time in high school, when I finally had an art class with, you know, Mrs. Mrs. Main, and she was just, it was a one class, I was like, good at, okay, you know, I just really love going to that class. And so she was just really, really supportive. And so I still talked to her to this day, and just that for thank her for, because I was horrible everything else. And I just think, to this day for helping me out and keeping me motivated. And she, she gives us pretty decent challenging, you know, exercises, you know, to, you know, I remember, you know, we'd have to, you know, she'd give us a picture of a magazine that in this case, maybe it was a BMW and I had to draw the other half right on the gear. Did you ever do that? Where you feel like, you slice that object in half, and then you have to replicate the other side, you know, and so yeah, and it was pretty good exercise. So I, you know, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the class so much. And so I think that's what really, really kept me going and saying, okay, yeah, what I'm, I definitely want to be an artist doesn't want to be an artist. And so, you know, so yeah, so if you're right now, you know, 50s, and stuff still going on,

Laura Arango Baier: 52:04

it's awesome. Because you're enriching your kids lives as well. And I love that, you know, I'm also what I love about this career as well is, like, be the part where you actually have time to be with the people you love. Right? Like, you can make time for that. As long as obviously, you know, you're working on your stuff, and you're getting the money coming in from that. It gives you a lot of freedom in terms of, you know, spending spending that time and I think that's off. That's really awesome. So that's really great, man, you know, oh, when I was looking at, I wish I'd also had someone you know, to, to hold my hand and show me exactly how things are. But yeah, I love that. Oh, um, but also, you know, I wanted to know, right? Because when you were studying at the school, right? You were probably I'm guessing, maybe having you maybe you had a day job or something. Right? While you're going to the schools.

Otto Sturcke: 53:03

Every job, I can

Laura Arango Baier: 53:05

match, you gotta do what you got to do. Are you good? I just want to, you know, finish the question. What was it like for you to like, once you finish school, right? Were you able to jump right into a career in illustration? Or did it take like some time?

Otto Sturcke: 53:24

You know, it wasn't, I never finished school. To be honest. It was just one of those, you know, things where you, you paid for class. And, you know, hopefully you had enough money to take the next one. Yeah. So it was I, during that time, when I was there, I was very fortunate to meet Mike buckets, who was the one who took me under his wing at that time. It was like 1996, maybe, like, military 1995. And so Ron 86 Nine. So you know, I remember mica studio, upstairs in this building. And he was just phenomenal. I mean, he was, he has worked on 1000s of projects. And so he and I hit it off. And he mentioned that I had a pretty good sense of for composition. And so he says, Do you want to help me out on this one gig? And I think it was for Superman. At that time, there was Superman Returns. And so I said, you know, sure. And so I started helping him out. I was taking actually he was teaching there and I was taking his classes I love taking his classes on illustration and, and just he has so many techniques, you know, using acrylics, oils and, you know, using different tools like, you know, the airbrush whatever might be so you had some phenomenal artists and illustrators. Well, I don't think it was until about 2003 where he he threw me to the deep end and he says here, you're gonna go to this one company, and you're going to just Jake, take on what you got. I don't have much money. I haven't really done any jobs, you know, other than whatever you want. Just go try to get the work. So I went, and it was a pretty big company. I think I don't know if they still exist, but they were working at that time on Polar Express. And so we're with Tom Hanks. It was Robert Robert Zemeckis film, right. And so they gave me the job. They said, We need you to do some work for standees that we do do just concept work, we need to do this stuff. Oh, my God, I was not ready for it. Now. Here's the funny thing. Mike and I were actually he was doing it for another company. So we're kind of competing against each other and stuff. But but, you know, of course, you know, Mike was always a great sport. And, you know, he, he helped me immensely with with with this work. And so, it was actually my first real venture into film, conceptual work for film. And, and I, and it worked out, it worked out and I just, you know, it worked out for me, and then I started getting more and more work done. And so, you know, there was doing illustrations, and so, and we were working directly with Robert Zemeckis, so that was a real joy. I do recall, I think maybe my first illustration job was maybe when I was 17. But that came because my sister was working for Dino DiLaurentis. And, and they were doing a movie with Edward James Olmos and Willem Defoe, which was called triumph of the Spirit. And it was, I think it was about the life of the boxer during World War Two. And I guess we're having issues with the title. And she says, Hey, are you wanting to try to come up with a title for illustration for this movie, and worked on it for a few days, and they accepted it? So yeah, it was my first paid gig as an illustrator, they actually ran with it. So it was it was just a title. And it had the barbed wire going through the font. And it had the boxing gloves on the side. And they actually used it for the title. So they refined it did their thing. And so they used it, so not pretty, like at that time, I think the I got like, two or $300 You know, for the for the sketch, right? Well, 70 Yeah, that's pretty it was pretty good for me, right. So so but you know, I did everything I could to try to come up with money so that I can learn that included selling oranges at the park when I was a kid I was a little kid. And I remember my dad would take me this party because his buddy was selling oranges and stuff in the bank and they were $1 bag at the time. And so he said hey, we'll give you a quarter for each you know for each bag that you sell you know so I sell a bag and then I think that coordinate go get a sidewalk Sunday which I've run up to the edge of command and when I was finally sick of sidewalk Sundays, I started saving it up and then I would I was struggling art supplies or you know, crayons, markers, whatever might be you know started really early early on but I became clever and that I would always go to the kissing couples and and I'd stand there you know, even after they bought a bag so you can take the other one and see all the couples with two bags of oranges. But then and then you know I would take whatever side jobs you know it's collecting aluminum cans I was I even became became a psychic brand it sounds so weird say that. I was just like you know and so that was an odd job. And so it was it was just I was just taking the audits jobs just trying to make money for my craft and so you know when I think about it, you know, I was I started airbrushing shirts I was working at at art fairs and it's all I was just doing going mad painting, you know, easily 50 shirts a day and till your head and your wrist was just raw, you know. And I start painting billboards for Tower Records to remember Tower Records. But it was on Sunset Strip and you know, you paint these album covers on these on these billboards and you will you know, then there was another company I worked for art attack, and I was your

Laura Arango Baier: 59:44

favorite kid art. Alright, I loved it.

Otto Sturcke: 59:53

I was just painting a bunch of stuff and you know, just all these odd jobs and so you want yeah, Have I learned if I learned anything? It was tenacity to? Because if it wasn't, if nobody was gonna hand it to me, I mean, I do. I was very fortunate to have people like Mike bekas and, and Steve Bray who actually put me to work doing painting jackets on, on Sunset, I was, there was a store called brace rock and art, it was right between the whiskey and the Roxy. And I remember painting jackets there, and Guns and Roses, shot a video. And, you know, they would walk in and, and they'd say, Oh, who painted these and so all of us, you know, we're like, we're proud of our work, like, Oh, we got to meet quite a few celebrities. I actually was able to paint a jacket for counter Reeves he we had breakfast together, you know, and I painted a dragon for galleries a jacket. So Louie Anderson would come by to and, and so it was it was, it was a neat experience. Like I said, you know, if anything, I knew, in my gut, that I want to paint and that's what that's, that's what I want to do. And so many detours, as I had, I was glad that I was stubborn enough to stick to, to wanting to learn and and getting, you know, I need Yeah, I mean, you you had I had to pay my bills, I did try to come up with money for those classes. So you know, it's it was a small fortune learning, right? You know, so,

Laura Arango Baier: 1:01:28

yes. But it's, it ends up being worth it. And also all the experiences, you know, of, you know, working in all these places, and you try your hardest Yeah, I feel like that really enriches your work as well. Because you know, you're putting, you know, your work is like the culmination of all of your life. Right? So it's even more interesting that you have all of these crazy anecdotes, and like all of these crazy experiences, and it's all you know, in the work, which is, Wow, that's fascinating. You could totally write like a biography, like an autobiography. It would be so fascinating to read it. Because it's cool. Yeah, it's

Otto Sturcke: 1:02:11

more comedic than anything else. It's pretty funny.

Laura Arango Baier: 1:02:13

I would, I would read it, I'd be laughing the whole time, but I'd read it. Because you have a way of explaining things is very, it's very captivating. So I appreciate you, you're welcome. But, um, speaking of also, you know, online, right? What are some of the ways that you personally like to put your work out there to be seen, like, what online or offline channels do you use? Okay,

Otto Sturcke: 1:02:41

well, I gotta be honest, I mean, I don't use Facebook as late as much as some artists do. And I've been mostly if I use social media, you know, Instagram and, and that's, that's pretty much about it. So I love people. Oh, you're going about it. Oh, Ron, I get it, I get it. But I'm not the real big social media kind of guy. And I like to devote much of my time creating personal relationships, face to face relationships, I have found that by being able to do be in front of people doing art shows, or even like, when I was telling you doing, like, you know, the whole t shirt thing with a jacket, just being able to have those conversations face to face. I think those have been my, my, I've been my my moments where I realized that this is really how you make a living for me anyway, right? Where you go out, you meet people, you let them see or you get them, you know, have them talk to you and and tell them about your experiences. Tell him about your narration, tell him about your paintings. Right. And, and you get to to create a really great relationship with these potential collectors, which many of them have become collectors. And so in that sense, yes, I'm, I'm very grateful that I like to get out there and be seen. And so I understand there are people who make a great living at just doing social media. And that isn't me just yet. So I feel like at this point in time, I enjoy still just the old fashioned one on one. I

Laura Arango Baier: 1:04:38

love that. You know, I think it's very undervalued. You know, I know that. I think, you know, personally, a lot of artists, we struggle I would I in my opinion, some of us might struggle a bit with talking to people, especially about our own work. But I think it is, you know, in the end, when you gain that ability to Do that and you go out and maybe you're part of like some sort of, you know, like you said, like an art show, or you're part of a group of people like, like a painting Society of some sort. And you do like a group show, it is such a great opportunity to, you know, talk to people and connect with people, I understand that social media is, you know, it's, it's useful for connecting with people, but I feel like, it's still a very shallow way of connecting with people. Because it's very surface level, it's almost like a fantasy. But when you meet someone, you know, face to face, or even just a resume, like we're doing now you get a different feel of a person, because they're, you know, expressing themselves instead of just like little little writing on a phone screen. So I'm with you, I think there's value to face to face human. Yeah. You know, there's, there's something there. Yeah,

Otto Sturcke: 1:05:53

I just, I prefer those types of conversations, you know, we're, you know, because you're right, you know, you when you're just typing, you don't get the full, but the full gist of, of who this person might be, and I just, I just really enjoy being able to connect with people that way, especially because I spent so many hours in my studio, that when I get that opportunity to finally go out, you know, and, you know, so I don't know, like, I always see, you know, I always tease my wife, you wondering a slide another way to get slide another stick under the door, you know, but because I mean, my, I mean, my dungeon, I mean myself, it's and so, so I think I have to I have to put that time in. But for the same reason, the same time I spent in my studio, I need to be out there as well and making those connections. And in maybe, I'm not on social media, because I don't know how to use it as effectively just yet, but, but I would say I do know, some artists to succeed that, but they also mentioned that it does eat up a lot of time. It does eat up a lot of time to be able to, you know, put the videos together or whatever it might be, but I I'm not, I'm not creating paintings every few hours. That's not me. And so, you know, I just feel like I got to put the time on the on the easel.

Laura Arango Baier: 1:07:32

Yeah, yeah. And that's another great point, you know, there is a lot more to just posting on social media. And personally, I, you know, the algorithm is pretty messed up right now. So you're good, you're not missing. There's so many artists are now we're complaining about not getting it anymore. I post something. But the algorithms been like, pretty bad to the point where like, people who are getting maybe like 1000 views or something are getting maybe 200. So there's like a, there's some crazy stuff happening there. And they change it every month. And it drives everyone bananas, so you're not necessarily missing out much. So you're good. You're good. I mean, it's still worth it because more eyes on your work is great. Yeah. But I you know, it's a balance. You can't feel like it's a mistake to overly rely on only one social media to you know, it's, it's good to spread out. But again, that takes work. It takes time.

Otto Sturcke: 1:08:37

That's thankful for newsletters, you know what I'm able to get a newsletter and let them know, hey, you know, so that's been very helpful.

Laura Arango Baier: 1:08:47

For sure, for sure the newsletter is like, number one. Like, I feel like, it's so great when I when an artist brings it up, because it's so true. Like, if someone has taken the time to sign up for a newsletter that's worth, ah, that's worth a million times more than like, a follower on social media. Because, you know, it's so easy to just follow someone but it takes effort to go to someone's website and like, type in your email and then put the, you know, except, like, Yes, I do want to get like I'm a real person. I want to get the newsletter from this person. Like it takes a little more effort. And it goes to show that those people really do want to hear from you. So yes,

Otto Sturcke: 1:09:23

it's one of the things choose, I think, I think what you people maybe have lost the value of sending a postcard sending a letter to people and that helps out immensely. You know, years ago, I taught I give classes to Tom Kenny, Tom Kenny is the voice of Spongebob and I gave our classes to his son and his daughter and to this day he still makes a donation in my name to I think it helps If I remember quite well, I think it's for cancer research. I'm trying remember what it is, but either way, I just think it's so nice to be able to get every year get get a postcode, you know, Christmas card for that. And, you know, it's like, wow, okay, you know, I touched somebody in that sounds, you know, where I was able to make a little bit of a difference. And so and so I think postcards and sending a message in the mail, old school is still very valuable. It's, it's, it's helped me anyway. And aye, aye. Aye. I, I've been, again, I keep using that word fortunate. Because yeah, I've been very fortunate to have those connections. So and, but you gotta work from you gotta work from and, and I think if, if you're genuine in, in what? In your craft, if you're, you're trying to be very genuine, the communication that you're trying to? Well, with the message you're trying to convey is that yes, I am. This is my artwork, and this is what I'm trying to say in this lifetime. Do you strike a strike of a controversy conversation? And that's something that sometimes it turns into, you know, what, I really love that piece, I want to take it away. So, you know, it's, it's, again, it's, it takes some time takes some doing. And I feel like again, if we're just going back to this whole social media, what it is, that seems to be working for me is again, the, the, the the connections that I make through newsletters and and postcards and, and driving somewhere to see somebody in just having lunch or whatever it might be just, you know, just talk about something other than just art. Yeah, yes.

Laura Arango Baier: 1:11:51

Oh, human connection and the human you know, that's a tactile part. I feel. You know, it's social media. It's like you've just like this on a phone screen. Right? You don't Yeah, you'll get to hold something. You don't get to raise the same error. Someone else. So it's like, yeah, dude. Oh, my God, I actually speaking of postcards, I just got a postcard from from one of my best friends that she sent it was expecting it. Yeah, it was like, so cool.

Otto Sturcke: 1:12:16

You know it was that kind of weird for you them? Is that like to get something like that mail? Or is it is it?

Laura Arango Baier: 1:12:21

I was so excited. Yeah. Cuz she sent it from from the Canaries, because that's where she's from? Oh, yeah. It was like, it's really nice, you know, unexpected. And I feel like, I'm hoping today, you know, the, I feel like a lot of people are rebelling a bit against the always online culture that we're in now always available culture that we're in now that, you know, I feel like so many people, especially, you know, people from my generation are definitely also turning back to the old, old way of living, you know, the playing outside all day riding your bikes all day and the sending a postcard or sending a letter. Because there's something in it. There's something about the slow life.

Otto Sturcke: 1:13:06

Yeah, yeah. And after living years and years of crazy deadlines, working long, long days, it is nice, just to slow down a bit. And, you know, and get to have these conversations. So, thanks. Yeah.

Laura Arango Baier: 1:13:24

Oh, man, I love that. Yes. Um, by the way, do you have any final advice? For maybe someone who's looking to become an artist? And maybe they want to do it as their career? Do you have any advice?

Otto Sturcke: 1:13:37

I will say, I mean, from my experience, Be tenacious, just but be patient. Because as that you can overwork yourself and you have to, you have to make sense of it. What is your what is your goal? Have a plan, I would say I have my short term goals and my long term goals at some that are very realistic. So just be mindful of that, that there's certain things you may not get to as soon as you think. And so the thing is just to just to be mindful of that, that as long as you're, you're working, you're working for a goal, have those those goals in mind. Don't stop learning, always, you know, but I think more than anything, allow yourself to make mistakes, you're gonna make mistakes. And so, you know, not everything has to be a piece that has to go out to the world as some pieces can remain unseen. And regarding becoming a working artist. Well, like my friend Mike says, You got to put the mileage and you've got to put the hours into it. You've got to really address your weaknesses and strengthen what it is you truly love to do, and you have to paint what you love, you have to do what you love, if you don't, it's not gonna matter to you as much and move, you're trying to do what everybody else is doing. And that's, and then you know, you get fed up, you get frustrated, and it makes you less motivated to keep painting, if you can create some kind of regimen, some kind of routine that helps you get to those goals, this, then do that, because that's what helped me out, I know that, that is definitely what helped me out is dedicating your time your day to certain things, and you have to be adamant about you have to, don't get sidetracked by the phone, don't get sidetracked by the TV, really stick to it. And you're gonna see yourself in a matter of a few weeks, how much you have progressed, and how much you've gotten accomplished. Write it down, if you have to old school, just write it down, put the reminder on your phone, that you've got to do this, you know, and if you don't get it done, it's not the end of the world, you know, just know that there are certain things you're gonna get done a lot sooner than you think. And some things you're not. And so, but always with the goal in mind that you want to become a better artist, and hopefully a better person because, you know, there's there's, we can we could definitely use better people that are already gives us good nature artists in the world. So absolutely.

Laura Arango Baier: 1:16:22

Beautiful. Very well said. I love that. Thank you. You're welcome. Do you have any upcoming shows exhibitions or anything you'd like to promote?

Otto Sturcke: 1:16:32

Well, I've got let me say I do have a workshop coming up at this stage star that's in Torrance, California. It's on April 5, and sixth is a two day workshop. We're gonna be working with pesto, different textures, creating different textures. So we're going to hone in on textures. And so you can go to destination art.com or.org I believe. Either way, I'm going to be posting it on my website soon. If you want to go to my website, it's strict studio.com. So that's s t u r c, k, e studio.com. You can also go to my Instagram and that's what it was Instagram. Fourth life, whatever, strict studio, same thing, strict studio as T or C as T or C Ke. And here's my model name, string studio. And so and so you'll get to see some of the stuff I'm doing. It's not always fine art, you know, you'll see some my illustration. And you'll get to see the board game that I'm working on right now because Mike and I have illustrated plenty of board games for monopoly for you for clue. And we even did a Sunday fifth anniversary. Wizard of Oz pop up Monopoly game. So we're working on our own it's called Mad Monster Bash. It's family games, you can play from ages eight to immortal. And so it's it's this zany, zany game, and we hope to have it out this year. But if you if you want to see you know, more that kind of artwork, and how we're created that you can we also have our Instagram, which is mad monster. bash.com. No. Yeah, I don't know. For Instagram. It's just mad Monster Bash. So anyhow. Yeah. So that's, that's pretty much about it. So I've read the worship of no shows. I know other than the pesto Society of Southern California, which is a group society show. I was the president for a couple of years with the the pesticides in California. And then I'll post it on my website as well, because the exact dates I come back to me right now, so apologize, but

Laura Arango Baier: 1:18:30

yeah, awesome. Wow. So much going on.

Otto Sturcke: 1:18:35

Thank you.

Laura Arango Baier: 1:18:37

Welcome. And thank you so much for being a guest on the show. This has been no thank you for writing awesome chat. Of course. Yeah. It was a happy laugh.

Otto Sturcke: 1:18:50

I get to see you in Norway, because I told my boys I really want to pick them up to to Norway to see what I saw. You know, and of course, you can go to Alaska and stuff. But, ya know, it was just absolutely amazing. So I hope I hope they get to see that. So

Laura Arango Baier: 1:19:04

yeah. If you let me know. Yeah. Oh, yeah.

Otto Sturcke: 1:19:10

And we were mentioned that you are too far away from where I was stationed.

Laura Arango Baier: 1:19:14

Yeah. Yeah. Awesome. Just we'll stay in touch. Okay, thank you.