Meet Evan Bennett | Artist/ Content Creator & Occupational Therapist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Evan Bennett and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Evan, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Self-care and work life balance are essential to me. In terms of my career, I work in the healthcare industry as an Occupational Therapist. In terms of my brand, I am an Artist and Stylist/Content Creator. Initially, I found it challenging to establish balance between the two. One of my biggest struggles was managing and avoiding burn out and increased stress as a result of the workloads that were generated by each of the roles. A great part of the workload came from working with my patients and establishing space to create or focus on my creative brand. Currently, I feel that I have been able to find the balance that had previously evaded me. A major part of what has enabled this is taking time for myself and intentionally including rest into my daily routine. Prior to this I was continuously working to meet deadlines when I knew I was already experiencing or already approaching fatigue. Discovering this balance took time and a great deal of self reflection, but I have noticed an improvement in my quality of life once I started to make the appropriate adjustments. I am still productive, yet I continue to engage in activities that are fulfilling, energizing, and restorative. Such activities include increasing my dedicated prayer time, exercising, journaling, getting sufficient sleep regularly, and implementing a healthy diet. These activities have been pivotal to my growth as it pertains to self-care and excelling in my profession/brand.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Art has always been a part of who I am. I studied dance in high school and participated as a member of various dance teams throughout college and into post-grad adulthood. That said, 2020 was the start of me pursuing visual art professionally. I am most proud of how I have navigated through this space with confidence in my talent. My hardwork, support system, and mentors have guided me to opportunities I wouldn’t have imagined experiencing. My Brand K. Evy started during the pandemic in 2020 when I began experimenting with tie dye apparel. Shortly after, I was inspired to branch into art, specifically digital art. A fellow artist reached out to me to assist with a North Carolina sidewalk neighborhood mural in 2021 and although I was nervous, I am proud of how I overcame the fear of showcasing my talent. So far I’ve learned to never give up on my vision, I have a voice so share it, and God gave me this gift for a reason! My artwork is specifically relevant to topics that have inspired me through my entire life. My art portrays my love for music/musical artists, nature, people of color, and memorable moments in Black history. Music has always been a staple in my life. It helps me to tune out negativity, as well as imagine or visually portray my take on lyrics and what the music means to me. I develop my art to showcase who I am as a creative and to relay messages by expressing my truest and most authentic self. Art has always been my first love, but recently I have truly found my voice with the gift of my hands and my vision.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Anything involving shopping, Art Galleries, good food, and a nice lounge spot for drinks and good music is my thing. I am new to the area, but I have been discovering that there is soooooo much to do here. I like to explore, so discovering new spots for my best friend and myself would be a fun experience.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to thank God for giving me the vision and guiding me throughout my journey. Even more so for blessing me with a gift to help others. I would also like to thank my family and mentors for being my support system!!! They have been with me every step of the way and I’m truly appreciative and grateful for them. I would especially like to thank my mom, dad, and sister. Thank you all!!!!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/king_evyy?igsh=am8yOHp0cWFqandy&utm_source=qr

Image Credits
Chad Smith, Photographer