LANDER,WY—On February 1st, award-winning artist and writer Nick Thornburg will begin teaching a four week workshop through Lander Art Center, entitled ‘Designing a Creative Career that Works for You.’ The workshop, which will be offered as a live workshop as well as a virtual class, will provide students valuable insights to help them make better decisions, improve planning, and narrow their focus as they go about building a creative career for themselves. Thornburg will lead lectures and discussions on a range of important topics, including the state of the creative industry, new technology and innovations in the creative space, communication principles, and related lessons from the world of entrepreneurship. The class is open to all levels with no prerequisite requirements or prior experience necessary, and is suited for beginners hoping to break into the creative industry as well as seasoned professionals looking to advance their careers.
“The creative industry is notoriously difficult,” said Thornburg. “Many of the problems people have navigating the space stem from the fact it is incredibly opaque, which makes it hard for people to plan and to make productive decisions. The goal with this class is to help address that.”
Thornburg’s own career has spanned film, television, and promotional work in Los Angeles for clients like Tesla and DreamWorks as well as creative design work for a wide range of clients, including 3D design for the City of London during his time at a world-renowned research laboratory. After moving to Wyoming in 2017, he used his creative knowledge and entrepreneurial experience to make a career for himself in the world of fine art. He recently opened a solo exhibition at The Nicolaysen Art Museum’s Ptsaynski Gallery in Casper, WY.
“Many people assume that in order to have a creative career, you have to live in an urban center,” said Thornburg. “That can leave those who live in largely rural areas, like Wyoming, feeling as though a creative career isn’t possible. But the state of work and the overall economy is shifting in interesting ways, making it possible for more people to be able to make a creative career work for them. This class will hopefully open participants’ eyes to that.”
As an advocate for the arts, Thornburg has been focused on this particular issue for several years. He dedicates as much of his time to research as to his own art, and shares his takeaways and analysis of the creative industry with his growing email newsletter audience and through written content on his website. “The workshop at Lander Art Center will offer a concise version of much of what I’ve learned as a creative professional and a researcher,” said Thornburg. “We’ll be going deep, but participants will come away feeling empowered and a bit more energized about their creative prospects.”
“Nick Thornburg is one of the most brilliant minds in our creative community,” said Lander Art Center outreach coordinator Oakley Boycott. “Not only is he a soul-filled and thoughtful creator but he also knows the ins and outs of how to market his work to the world at large while providing his audience with the satisfaction that their investment in his work is authentically worthwhile.”
Boycott, an endurance artist and actress whose credits include productions at notable New York venues like the Metropolitan Opera, understands the issues Thornburg will be addressing full well. “As an artist, it’s hard to know where to start or how to revamp the marketing aspect of your creativity and how to make your career work for you,” she said.
“Having someone like Nick offer a class like ‘Designing a Creative Career That Works For You’ at the Lander Art Center is such a benefit to all creatives in our community,” added Boycott. “No matter their medium.”
Those interested in participating in the workshop can sign up at landerartcenter.com or by calling Lander Art Center at (307) 332-5772. The cost of registration is $45.
Nick Thornburg is a multidisciplinary artist and writer, and a former artist-in-residence at Lander Art Center. He is the 2018 winner of the Spirit of Wyoming art competition in Jackson, a three-time recipient of Best in Show during The Nicolaysen Art Museum‘s annual art gala, and has been featured on Wyoming Public Television. His work has been shown on the independent stage and screen, overseas at the Prague International Theater Design Quadrennial Exhibition, and at various institutions and exhibition spaces in the United States, including the Yellowstone Art Museum, the State Historical Museum of Iowa, and the White House Visitor Center. Work of his is part of The Nicolaysen Art Museum’s permanent collection. Through his research, writing, and studio work he illuminates relationships between objects commonly held in opposition and probes deep into the meaning and practice of creativity. His work can be found online at www.nickthornburg.com.