Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Seabrook.
Hi Justin, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I really just fell into everything that I call my work these days. I never planned on being so present in the digital space, and I’m still growing into being present in the physical. I always wanted to be a wildlife biologist. I had such a love for the environment and was born just at the right time to be presented the state of the world in such clear view. Pollution, environmental degradation, and the spread of human consumption of our world, as much as I had love and a want to “save the world,” it was all too much. Our destruction of the natural world was just the tip of the iceberg in learning the true forms of intentional and unintentional hatred people have presented to the earth and one another. Almost always simply because of misunderstanding and lack of knowledge
I always had a passion for the media arts and realized that I could present a message in a much more consumable form and still earn a check within a field I am passionate about, as is needed to live in the world we do. This birthed my community organization, Never Enough. It started as a platform for me to express myself, my artwork, and my views, but through the learning process that is life, I realized that just simply putting out a message to the ether Never felt like Enough. I’ve lived a much more privileged life than many people, and I knew I had the opportunity to present the resources I have to the people around me in the hope that I can inspire more people to do the same. I never started any of this with money in mind, and I still try to make everything I do as easily accessible to others as possible, even occasionally at my own detriment My true goals for Never Enough is simply to grow its credibility through attempts at bringing people together in atypical platforms and help others offer their knowledge to anyone willing to listen and learn.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Throughout any journey of self-discovery and learning, there will be struggles. However, I really want to thank everyone in my life who has supported me through this, in whatever form that may have come in. Often done so unintentionally or without the realization of what their contribution would mean to me.
The biggest struggle for me has been just figuring out what to say. There are numerous people and groups in the world offering solutions to people’s problems, but many of them often fall short of a solution. I’ve never been looking to offer a solution, but rather to tell people that there can be better options, and I, personally, am looking for better ones, but I’ve none of the answers. Trying to show people that my only goal is to help and bring people together, I feel, can often make people suspicious of ulterior motives, due to people offering the same in the past.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a Media and Marketing specialist with a degree in Visual Arts, specializing in Graphic Design with a minor in Art History. My work spans a wide range of mediums, with a primary focus on digital design through photo manipulation, collage, and photography. Much of my personal digital work is influenced by the aesthetics and messaging of past social movements.
Print media has long been my preferred design format, whether through poster art or magazine layouts, and it has shaped much of my creative identity. Recently, my practice has expanded into public event organizing. I’m part of the team behind ATG Fest, a rising annual music festival in South Carolina where I handle social media, design, and marketing.
Through my own community organization, Never Enough., I’ve also organized events like the Open Source Market, which brought together local vendors, artists, and professionals to share their work and knowledge with the public. More recently, I hosted Saluda River Day, inviting friends and past event participants to relax at my favorite spot in Columbia’s Saluda Shoals Park. I designed and handed out a free Saluda Species Identification Guide Zine to everyone who attended. Both of these events are projects I’m deeply proud of and excited to continue building.
In addition to event work, my photography and digital design have been featured in several galleries and recognized in various contests. One of my proudest achievements was winning Gold and Silver Scholastic Art and Writing Awards for three pieces. Still, what matters most to me is creating space, whether physical or digital, for people to share their work, connect with others, and celebrate community.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
As cliche as it sounds, all you have to do is start. It doesn’t have to be good, or as good as you’d want to be. You don’t have to reach your goals instantly. Just like everything else, life is a process, and the more effort you give to certain aspects of your life, the more versed and knowledgeable you become. Also, definitely do not forget that you do not have to go and do any of this alone. Other people’s knowledge is always a beautiful resource that you can tap into. You never know what a stranger could offer you, whether it’s knowledge, their previous experiences, or a connection to someone else you’d never imagine. Though it may be hard to find those people if you don’t go out there and start yourself, never fully rely on others to push you further; you have to be willing to put in the early mornings and late nights yourself. In doing so, it helps you become more self-reliant, as well as showing people that you are worth their time and effort.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Juahsea.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justin.washere
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-seabrook-5060b51ab/
- Other: https://linktr.ee/NVRENUF
