Meet Finn Kulers

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

Hi Finn, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
This is a question I’ve been wrestling with a lot recently, and I’m sure many of my fellow artists can relate. I had the great fortune to graduate in 2023, when the covid animation bubble had dried up and productions were held back by the writer’s strikes. Work was scarce, especially for newcomers. Eight months after graduation I was jobless and so were most of my friends. I had to move back to my parent’s place. I was still burnt out from college and the dozens and dozens of job application rejections were taking their toll. I knew that dream of getting the perfect internship or even getting a call back was unrealistic to keep chasing, and I needed to start making money. I had to keep going in life, so I had to give up that dream.
One of several non-art related applications was for a cashier position at a liquor store. However, right away, my artistic, self-branded resume was noticed and I ended up getting hired on to the marketing department, where I learned a whole new swathe of skills and developed a portfolio for something I hadn’t even considered pursuing before.
Sometimes life demands sacrifice that feels like giving up, but those dreams don’t just disappear. They might become painful to think about because of circumstance, but they’re still there. If you love something, it hurts when it’s kept from you. But when you realize your dream has obstacles that are impossible to surpass with your current skills or finances or whatever else, it’s ok to sit back, regroup, put that dream on the backburner for a bit and see where life takes you. You might end up coming closer to it than you’d expect. Let your goals adapt rather than giving up. The world is ever-changing and so are we.

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.
I like to try lots of different mediums and software, and I’m always in the process of learning as I create. I think this interest in trying new things allows me to be pretty versatile as an artist, both stylistically and in discipline. I like to give my work weight, balance, and flow, be it an animation or crochet project or webpage design. I also love to work with others and toss ideas back and forth until they culminate into something neat and unique.
One project I’m really proud of is a game called Kiki & Boba. I made it for Toon Boom’s first game jam with Vincent and Landon. It’s a little rhythm game; you can play it here: https://happycrazywild.itch.io/kiki-boba .
As for challenges, sometime around 2020 I was hit with severe art block that I’ve never fully recovered from. Maybe it was something to do with burnout from school, maybe it was something to do with the isolation of the pandemic, but where art was once a respite, it had now become a chore. There’s a pretty big risk in taking something you’re passionate about it and making it your job that people don’t really talk about. Instead of never working a day in my life, my work bled into everything I did. I can’t watch a movie or play a game without viewing it critically, thinking about the directorial choices, the character design, color choice, lighting, narrative exposition… I wouldn’t say that the magic is lost, only that I can appreciate things in a more in depth way now that I know how the sausage is made. It can be pretty exhausting though.
I became frustrated with my process and things only got harder the less practiced I was at drawing for fun. I forgot all the steps I had to take to get where I was and just felt the worst impostor syndrome. Nothing I drew met my standards and it became painful to engage with my creative side beyond what I needed to do for work. I’ve only just managed to break out of it thanks to my friends inspiring me and encouraging me, and allowing myself the grace to work things out my way and create as many guides and layers as I need. Also, having other outlets for my creative energy that had no bearing on my professional work like playing piano and doing crochet helps. Also, for the longest time I felt I couldn’t post online because nothing was ‘finished enough.’ That’s been combated with a bit of grace and a lot of self discipline. If you feel like what you’re doing (or not doing) isn’t working, try looking at stuff from a new angle. Draw with your friends on a shared canvas. Imagine what a feeling would look like as a line. Study artists that you admire. And most of all, don’t be too hard on yourself.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love going to art galleries, artist markets, and cute niche coffee shops- places like Cat Eye creative, Ash coffee, and the entirety of Little Five Points. I enjoy going to antique shops, because they’re either niche eclectica or fine arts museum. I also would make sure to take them to Ikea if they’ve never been because it’s like a theme park of furniture and a restaurant all in one. As for food, I have a soft spot in my heart for Zunzi’s since I lived in Savannah for a year. The food and service is great, reasonably priced, and they often have a deal going on. Also, the chips and sweet tea are unmatched. Lastly, Piedmont park is always a great place for a picnic or walk.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My friends have been by my side in the trenches with me the whole time, and I wouldn’t be where I am without them. They know my struggle as an artist because it’s their struggle too. They inspire me with their awesome artwork and make me laugh when I’m down. Most of all, they remind me why community is so important. Vincent Tracy (@beeillu), Cole Fourqrean (@cole.fourqurean), Camille Rentz (@umbring), Jannah Manneh, Landon Jenkins (happycrazywild.com), Ellis Snell (@snellyelly), Alex Villalpando, and River Munroe (@lutravurr).

Website: https://www.finnkulers.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/finnk_ink/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finn-kulers/

Image Credits
Photos courtesy of Vincent Tracy