Todd McPhetridge

"Inspiration is all around us. I see it in people I love, the landscape around me, old abandoned tractors, the music I listen to, even in the city I find inspiration. We just have to slow down long enough to see the beauty that is around us" Says Todd McPhetridge. Todd McPhetridge is a successful artist who started at a young age. Todd has been in marketing for over 18 years. He has been involved in high growth, start up and turnaround businesses and works on his photography on the side. Todd's career in the arts started when he was about 7 or 8 years old when he was in the newspaper for winning 3rd place in a school art contest.

How do you know when a piece you're working on is done?

I don't know that it's ever done for me. I find myself going back year after year and trying new techniques on old art to see how it changes the mood and style. Once it is off to the publisher it's done in a sense, but I'm constantly trying to improve my technique.

What did you do before devoting your life to art?

Growing up all I wanted to do was spend time in the woods hunting or fishing. I received my first camera when I was 16 and that changed my entire life. I found myself spending more time taking photos and less time doing other things. It also was a matter of finances. I was spending so much money buying and getting film developed that I simply didn't have the funds to pursue anything else.

How did you get a career as an artist?

I've been a landscape photographer for 24 years now. I didn't pursue trying to sell my art until 2010 and it was a matter of being in the right place at the right time. I sat down and found the best of the best art publishers and emailed each of them with a short note expressing my interest and a link to my online portfolio. I immediately heard back from Canadian Art Prints and Winn Devon Art Group and was signed in less than 24 hours. The rest as they say is history. It's been a very fun ride with them and I'm very thankful for the opportunities I've had to share my art with the world.

When did your career in the arts start?

I was 7 or 8 when I won 3rd place in a school art contest and was in the newspaper. I drew a picture of Mr. T pointing and talking about wanting you to read more books. That was when I knew I was destined to be a huge star in the art world (sarcastic laugh). Oh and I've still got that poster.

Is there a style of art you are interested in trying?

I'd love to learn to paint. I'm friends with some wonderful painters and have recently started dabbling in digital painting. I really like the style of art from Lori McNee, Mike Savlen and Zach Even.

What is your biggest inspiration for art?

My biggest inspiration for art would be the Great Smoky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains. I love the area and the people that live there. It's in my soul to create art that reminds me of where I grew up in Virginia.

Where do you see yourself as an artist in the next 10 years?

I'd love to create something that would leave this world a much better place even after I'm gone, even beyond art, a foundation maybe. I've spent far too much of my time living in the past and worrying about the future. Lately I've tried to focus on the here and now and let God work out the rest of it.

What is your advice for aspiring and uprising artists?

Never give up on your dreams and don't quit your day job until you have replaced your income. Having a career in the art world is a labor of love and it'll take that passion to get you through the rough patches. I've had some very close friends and acquaintances encourage me to keep going when times were tough. I create art because it's in my soul and I have to get it out into the world. If you're doing it purely for the money then you may be in for a rude awakening.

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