Every year, here at Kingswood Oxford, one KO core value is chosen as a theme or goal for the community. This year’s theme is “perseverance,” which is defined as “the steady, persistent effort to achieve a goal despite difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.” One could persevere in anything, whether it be academics, arts, or sports; it all comes down to never giving up.
KO has many traditions, the theme of the year being just one of them. Some of the main traditions are inviting visiting experts, including musicians, scientists, writers, and, in this case, artists to campus. For this year’s Goodman Banks assembly, KO invited Chris Piascik, famous for his ‘daily drawing’ social media project, which helped him secure graphic design and illustration work for companies such as Nike, Cartoon Network, and Adobe—just to name a few.
Despite his success and early, consistent passion, Mr. Piascik never really imagined being a graphic designer as his future, for various reasons. “I started to realize there aren’t many artists around,” he said. Although, once his teachers and family started recognizing his talents, both in the classroom and outside, through his sketchbook pages and album cover designs, he began to gain praise and a notion of what makes a good artist. “I started to realize that,” Mr. Piascik said, “okay, well, that’s because you have to be someone a little bit special or have this unique ability.” So, assuming he had this talent or ability, he went into a class focusing on realism and drew an apple; he noticed he wasn’t doing what he imagined to be good, in comparison to his small-town classmate, and his morale was crushed. However, thankfully, his art teacher was able to talk him out of both his insecurity and dropping the class altogether.
Soon, he enrolled in art school, with one of his classes being illustration. He started skeptical–and experienced a deja vu apple moment–but little did he know that would later help him launch his career. Directly after graduating, he quickly launched a career as a graphic designer, creating work for Yale Medical Group, which he didn’t particularly enjoy, and eventually worked at a studio in Boston where he made art in the music industry.
“This was everything that I dreamed of,” he said. “This is it. I made it. And I was very happy there.” But, as he continued at that company, his joy slowly waned. “I realized that I wasn’t really drawing anymore,” Mr. Piascik said. “The only drawing I was doing was just sketches for design comps. And it kind of freaks me out, because drawing was just like such a big part of my life. It was what I saw as my identity, and if I stop doing it, maybe I’ll lose it.” And then, his famous “daily drawing” project was born.
Unexpectedly, it all began with the economic crash of the late 2000s. “Even though at the time I felt like this was the worst thing that could have ever happened,” Mr. Piascik said, “it was actually the best thing that could ever happen to me, because, as I mentioned, this was what I thought my dream job was, and I would have stayed there. But losing that job, it led to where I am now.” From there, accumulating traction over the next decade, he created a sticker collection with Facebook, gained support from niche communities, and worked for various organizations such as Nickelodeon, McDonald’s, and the snowboard company, Sims. Additionally, he started a YouTube channel – which is still active today – that focuses on all things art.
Through telling his story, Mr. Piascik truly represented “accidental perseverance” – accidental because he accidentally found illustration, accidentally blew up on social media, and accidentally created a YouTube channel which continues to inspire thousands of people. “I just had no idea I was persevering,” he said,” and I think that it’s okay to persevere, without knowing you’re doing it.” He created an unconventional living, doing what he literally never thought was possible, and is now spreading the knowledge to the next generations.
Through repetition by creating patterns, experimenting, and changing his mind as he went, he is now the iconic graphic designer and illustrator we know today. “I think it’s important that you don’t have to have it figured out,” Mr. Piascik said. “I still don’t. I went to art school thinking I wanted to be a designer. I accidentally became an illustrator. Then I accidentally became a YouTuber. I accidentally persevered. I thought I needed a plan. I just needed to keep making things.”
