Greg Spalenka

After graduating from Art Center College of Design in 1982 I moved to New York City and started a thirty year journey creating illustrations for America's most prominent publishers of books, magazines and newspapers (Scholastic, Random House, Harper Collins, Tor, DC Comics, Time, Sports Illustrated, Rolling Stone, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post) and honored with awards along the way. As a concept designer I worked on feature CG animated and live action films (The Ant Bully, The Golden Compass, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Escape From Planet Earth) and learned the benefits and pitfalls of the film industry.

Throughout the 90s while I was exhibiting art projects at the San Diego Comic Convention, on the internet, and at galleries around the US, an entrepreneurial spark lit up within me. Translating my image making disciplines into creative commerce over the years kept my imagination flowing and flexible, but more importantly it showed me the benefits of connecting one on one with fans and collectors.

Titan Books/London published my first retrospective art book, "The Art of Greg Spalenka, Visions from the Mind's Eye" in 2014. Currently, my art output is overflowing with so many personal projects as well as Artist As Brand® Workshops it is hard to keep up.

I am passionate about seeing artists take control of their creative and financial destinies and founded the educational service of Artist As Brand® which is devoted to empowering art career sustainability. I teach, lecture and conduct Artist As Brand workshops at colleges, universities, art institutions around the world. The Artist As Brand Workbook is the official digital textbook for these events. It has also been used as a college/university textbook for art career, art business and art entrepreneurship curriculum. I would love to see these principles taught in High Schools too. Let's champion the virtues of a self sufficient, independent art spirit within all.

I live in Santa Fe, NM with my wife, artist/botanical perfumer Roxana Villa.

Spalenka.com

ArtistAsBrand.com