Today we’d like to introduce you to Eli Pollard.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
When I was very little (about three years old), I used to fill up sketchbooks that my grandma would get me. I started working in an art gallery when I was six years old. I got a bachelors and masters degrees in fine arts and have taught art and design courses at a variety of universities while continuing to run art galleries. In 2020 I had an opportunity to open a small gallery space of my own in West Virginia. Around that time, my friend Erik Muendel was buying most of the artwork I was making and hanging them in his new tea house – ESP Tea and Coffee. A friend of his came in and said that he should open up a Gallery. Erik saw what I was doing with Galactic Panther in West Virginia and contacted me and I stopped through Alexandria to look at a space with him and we hit the ground running.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Doing what you love can be very rewarding, but I guess one of the biggest challenges of pursuing a career in art revolves around the financial realms. I’ve had some serious financial struggles along the way, but zero regrets!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a multi-disciplinary creator. In addition to traditional visual arts like painting, printmaking, drawing, etc. I also have been in multiple bands. One of my bands even made the top half of the college radio charts. In addition, I’ve always been interested in experimental video and animation. When my wife was about to give birth to my daughter, I created a children’s show in an effort to create something that I would be happy with her seeing. It actually got into several film fests and won several awards as well. I’m now speaking with two groups of producers about putting out a couple different television series.
I’m most proud of my children who obviously inspire me.
I think maybe if I’m set apart from others in any way, I would say that maybe it’s because I bust my ass. I don’t know that I was born with any special skills, but working hard can really help make things happen. I try to make progress on projects every single day.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I don’t know that I really believe in luck, but I do believe in karma. I try to focus on all the good things that I can count up. And when I do that, they really aren’t things. They are people. I have so many amazing people in my life to be thankful for. Of course my friends and family, but beyond that, through Galactic Panther, I’ve developed so many great relationships with so many great artists. It’s given me the opportunity to develop a deeper working relationship with artists that I’ve admired sometimes since childhood.
Pricing:
- Galactic Panther has offerings for every budget with pricing ranging from $1 to $20,000.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.galacticpanther.com
- Instagram: @galactic.panther
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/galacticpanthergallery
- LinkedIn: Eli Pollard
