Derek Walker Media
Hello there! My name is Derek Walker and I am an aspiring artist and illustrator currently living in upstate New York. I work each day to build a career for myself and make some dreams come true. The Mediums that I work with are under the umbrella of water media (Watercolor, Gouache, Acrylics…) with the subject material typically based on the natural world and humanity. While I’m fortunate enough to have recieved a bachelors in Fine Art, my experience in the field is minimal. That said, each project I’ve worked on to this point has been dealt with in large amounts of care and time spent reaching the desired results. I will continue to do the same; striving to make my career meaningful.
A little about me.
So, first off, thank you for your interest and taking the time out to read. My story is similar to most regarding the art field. The majority of my life, I’ve been interested in the making and consumption of artwork whether I realized it or not. The cartoons I’ve watched, the ads and branding of cereal boxes (using colorful characters to sell products), and various other items in the mix, that I would then try to recreate. It didn’t matter where as long I had a pencil/pen and paper (Sometimes even just a blank surface - Bedroom wall, A desk at school, or my hand). All during my education, Art periods were a breath of fresh air during the day, and I’d spend more time filling notebooks and folders with doodles rather than the required Math problem or History Reading. I always possessed a subconscious joy in creation without investing much thought in it or thinking there was a future to look to in the field -outside of the only example available to me immediately; being an educator in the field.
Presently, I’ve been in a phase of taking everything learned and directing it towards something that fits into a desired career path. In short, I still have a lot of work to do here, and haven’t covered much ground, but have been taking the steps necessary to ensure success. A few years ago I was inspired when I found that there has been this whole online world of creators who have been present doing work they love through social media platforms and it seemed to fit what I was looking for. The struggle begins though at the realization that there really isn’t a set roadmap set for freelancers, entrepreneurs, or self made career paths. I think that it’s this part of the journey makes it worthwhile; growing and learning new skillsets and building the determination to find a happy median. So the goal for now is to attempt to elevate my work into something that not only makes me satisfied, but also aligns with others interests. And that is, for me, essentially reaching “Dream Job” status - sharing what I love and hoping to reach a form of connection with others.
As of 2020 we can all agree that much of the future is obscured by growing clouds of uncertainty. My hopes for my work is to build something worthwhile. Working on my skillset and building a foundation to stand on in hopes of being able to do more with what I do in the future - Starting within my own surrounding and then projecting outward. I hope to someday be able to illustrate stories, showcase in galleries, or even be active in a cause I believe in. All of these very lofty goals, but I desire to be a part of something more beyond myself and know these goals are in the realm of possibility. We’ll see in time what’s to come I suppose.
