MTS#15, Jacky Mak, on being an independent artist in Singapore

Mr. Tok Show

Jacky is a Singapore-based mural artist who first picked up a brush in 2009. He immediately realised he had to pursue painting for the rest of his life. Most well-known for his massive murals of vivid landscape scenes & animal portraits, he is deeply inspired by the original Impressionists.
He is constantly looking for bigger walls to paint upon & share how he sees the world. He has come a long way since taking art as a subject in school, to making a full time living with his art via commercial and commissioned work.
In this conversation, we talk about his journey as an artist, how he approaches online & personal branding, and his parents' reaction to him pursuing art full time.
Jacky Mak
Jacky's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackyvsthewall/
Timestamps
0:00 Meeting Jacky at his First Solo Exhibition
1:05 Plans for Second Exhibition?
1:33 What does this Exhibition mean for Jacky?/Preparation Process
3:21 Memorable Experiences from the Exhibition/Learning Lessons
6:40 Vision for the Next Exhibition
8:08 Jacky's Journey as an Artist
9:17 Parents' Reaction to his Inclination to Pursue Art as a Career
13:03 First Time Making Money with his Art
14:34 When did he First Thought of Pursuing Art Full Time?
17:05 Promoting Himself on Social Media
18:02 The Importance of Leveraging Social Media
20:16 The Internet Changing the Art Marketplace
23:09 Networking as an Artist
24:45 Tips for Artists who Struggle with Self Promotion
26:51 How does he View Competition as an Artist
30:21 The Importance of Putting Bread & Butter on the Table (Part 1)
31:19 The Singapore Art Community
32:20 Bread & Butter (Part 2)
33:49 Connecting with the Singapore Art Community
34:41 How has his Artistic Style Evolved over the Years
37:15 Mentors
37:58 Has he Settled on Art as his Full Time Career
38:53 Talent vs. Hard Work/What does it Take to get to the Top as an Artist?
40:48 Humility vs. Self Confidence as an Artist
42:43 Views on NFTs
45:07 Explore other Art Forms?/Moving out into a Dedicated Work Space
46:52 Plans for the Next 6 Months
49:30 How does he Balance the Stress of Commercial Work & Ensuring his Creative Best
52:21 Getting Busy ("Busy is good, busy is the best")
54:52 Views on Societal Expectations
57:44 There are Many Pathways to Success/Support is Always Appreciated when Starting Out
59:34 Taking Accountability for our Own Decision
1:00:01 What does Success Mean to Him/Plans for the Future
1:01:27 Does he Intend to Remain a Solo Artist or Scale his Art Business?
1:03:16 Advice to Aspiring Artists
1:04:33 Outro