Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Fenton.
Hi Christopher , thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always drawn. Right out of high school, I learned caricature, but honestly, I failed at it at first. I eventually stepped away, tried stand-up comedy, learned more about the business side of being creative, and spent years working warehouse jobs just to pay the bills.
At some point, I realized something simple: you get good at what you do every day. I was getting really good at working in warehouses, but I wasn’t getting any closer to the artist I wanted to become.
I have a bachelor’s degree in computer animation, and those ambitions never went away. After going through the loss of my baby, I knew I couldn’t keep putting my goals off. I found a mentor, Caleb Staker, stepped up my work ethic, and really dialed in.
Since then, I’ve approached art differently. I work harder, practice more intentionally, put myself out there, and treat this like both an art form and a business. Caricature has become a way for me to make a living doing what I love while continuing to build toward my bigger goal of working in animation.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One of my biggest challenges has been learning not to give up on myself. I tried caricature when I was younger and struggled, and later tried becoming a tattoo artist and that didn’t work out either. For a while, I started believing that maybe art wasn’t going to be enough to build a life around.
Eventually, I realized I didn’t want to keep walking away from the things I actually wanted. If I’m going to fail at something, I’d rather fail chasing my goals than succeed at something I never wanted in the first place.
I’ve also had to overcome a lot of insecurity and learn to be comfortable being myself in front of people. I have ADHD, so learning how to channel my energy, stay focused and build consistency has been its own challenge. I’ll sing and dance to my music while I’m drawing, and that definitely attracts a certain amount of judgment. But putting yourself out there creatively means giving people the opportunity to judge you, whether it’s your art, your personality or the way you choose to live.
I’m learning to be okay with that. The more I show up, the less afraid I am of looking foolish, failing or being judged. I’m still learning, still growing and still figuring things out, but I don’t want fear or insecurity deciding what I do with my life. I’d rather be fully invested in what I’m trying to build.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a live caricature artist specializing in airbrush caricatures. I’ve worked at festivals, fairs, private events and tourist destinations around the country, drawing hundreds of different personalities and learning how to capture someone quickly while still making the drawing feel like them.
What I’m most proud of is how much I’ve grown beyond simply being able to draw. Live caricature is part art, part performance and part people skills. I talk with customers, joke around, sing and dance to my music, and try to make getting drawn an experience instead of just a transaction. I’m not afraid to be a little animated myself.
What sets me apart is that I’m always studying people and trying to improve. My background is in computer animation, so I’m especially interested in character, expression and exaggeration. Caricature has given me an incredible real-world classroom for that. Every face is a new character and every drawing gives me another chance to get better.
Ultimately, I want to take everything I’m learning from drawing people face-to-face and bring that experience into character design and animation.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
The best way to support me is to give me an opportunity to create. I’m available for caricature work at festivals, fairs, private parties, corporate events and other live events, and I’m always interested in collaborating with other artists and creative businesses.
I’m also working toward a career in animation and character design, so I would love to connect with animators, studios, filmmakers and other creatives who are willing to collaborate, share knowledge or give an artist an opportunity to prove himself.
And honestly, sometimes support is as simple as sharing my work, following along or telling somebody, “I know an artist who would be perfect for this.” A lot of the opportunities I’ve had started with one person making a connection.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://FNTNcreative.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/fntncaricatures
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-fenton-0073a2177?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@fntncreative
