Blending Business and Art with John Kneapler, Painter

Discovering your creative outlet can be beneficial on many levels.  Just ask John Kneapler, who found that painting helped him through the death of both parents.  Then the impact of COVID on his graphic design business led him to move into painting full-time. John describes the profound importance of finding a creative passion and a supportive community, which he discovered at the Art Students League in New York City. We talk about overcoming perfectionism, the value of combining business skills with an art practice, and the challenge of finding purpose in retirement.

John encourages others: “Nobody's the best. Nothing's perfect. If you get a result that's 80%, sometimes it's plenty. You are doing fine.”

Topics covered in this episode:

• How arts practices, such as painting, can help combat isolation that may come with aging 
• The health benefits to pursuing creative passions with others, as found in the maxim, "if you find your passion and do it with a like-minded community, you'll add seven years to your life.” 
• How "the new longevity" may mean your retirement might be almost as long as your career, making it crucial to find meaningful pursuits.
• How John uses his marketing skills to mentor fellow art students on the business side of their art, helping them set up an Instagram page, find a gallery, or otherwise promote their work.

John Kneapler is an artist who grew up in Miami, Florida, with an early talent for art. Discouraged by his parents from pursuing fine art as a career, he studied at Pratt Institute and founded John Kneaper Design, a prominent graphic design and branding company in New York. His firm worked with high-profile clients such as MoMA and Citerella. Following significant life events, including the loss of his parents and the closure of his business during the pandemic, he retired from graphic design to pursue his lifelong passion for painting.   He serves on the board of the Art Students League in New York City.

Resources:

John Kneapler’s Website: https://johnkneaplerpaintings.com/

John Kneapler’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnkneaplerpaintings/ 

John Kneapler Design firm (closed): https://www.johnkneaplerdesign.com/

The Art Students League: https://www.artstudentsleague.org/ 

Please rate and review on Apple Podcasts. And see more about Betsy Bush and her guests at www.yourcreativemidlife.com. Are you on your own artistic or creative journey? We want to know about you! Please contact us through the website. Dare to follow your muse!