Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Sikes Howe.
Hi Brian Sikes, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I have been creating various forms of art and music for as long as I can remember. It began with drawing and painting as a kid, but as I got older, those interests expanded into writing, music, film, and pretty much everything related to arts and entertainment. The more involved I became in the arts, the more I realized how interconnected it all was, and developing new skills became less of a hobby/curiosity and more of a necessity for survival and growth in the industry.
There isn’t really a straight line I can draw to chart how I got to where I am now, other than the reality that I have been following my passions and working nonstop for the past 20+ years.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This lifestyle requires more than a “standard” full-time commitment, and while it’s easy to romanticize, the realities of the modern world can be difficult to ignore. It’s amazing to be able to support yourself and build a life doing what you love. However, being a creative in a professional environment can be incredibly challenging because that faucet doesn’t always flow as strongly as you’d like.
Once you successfully monetize your passions and build a solid foundation for your talents, you really have to be mindful of your inner peace and never lose sight of what is most important to you about the work. It’s so easy to burn out and fall out of love with what got you to where you are if you don’t approach your craft with patience, understanding, and true love for the work.
Work isn’t always gauranteed either, and too much of the time we spend behind the scenes putting in the work goes unnoticed and usually unpaid. Time is your biggest enemy.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’d like to think I am primarily known for my work as a musician/producer, but the reality is that more people probably know me these days for promoting dance parties and DJing than anything else I do. I love music, and DJing was originally something I just did on the side to fill in the blanks whenever I had open spots in my calendar. However, it eventually became where the majority of my time, energy, and creative focus went, driven by the demand for the events my team and I were producing. I’m proud of what we accomplished, but over time, I started to lose my identity in that world.
As a result, over the past couple of years, I have been making an active effort to step back from that work and return to writing and recording my own music. I am directly involved in a handful of musical projects, and I also record and produce for other artists. I have also had the chance to get back into video work, directing and editing music videos for my original music, as well as working with clients. I also do a lot of freelance graphic design.
I have also been hosting a podcast focused on arts and entertainment in the Pittsburgh area since 2014. I have produced and released over 550 episodes to date. It’s something I am incredibly proud of and love doing.
I know so many talented people and have worked with them over the years, and it’s always an honor when someone trusts me enough to bring me on board for a project. I think I have a strong work ethic, broad knowledge of different media and techniques, and a clear creative style/voice in the work I produce, but I don’t feel qualified to say what, if anything, sets me apart from others in my field.
You can look at it as one chaotic career or a dozen part-time jobs, but my only real goal amid the chaos is always to build and take steps forward.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I don’t think I would label myself an intentional risk-taker; however, I would be ignorant not to acknowledge that the very nature of being an artist or entertainer in any professional capacity hangs almost exclusively on the fragile hook of “risk”. There is so much that you cannot control in this field, and risk plays a huge factor in almost every decision you make. You can control your productivity, develop your skills, and manage your availability, but that doesn’t guarantee success, and unfortunately, sometimes the juice just isn’t worth the squeeze.
In this industry, it’s pretty common to have a “take what you can get” mentality, but you also have to learn how and when to say “No. It takes time and experience to learn to navigate the risks inherent in creative projects, events, collaborations, etc. Sometimes you do everything “right,” and it still fails but thats all part of the game. I suppose there is no progress without risk, in any industry.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://briansikeshowe.com/
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/briansikeshowe
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therealsikes
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCorJxj8H3YaqA0Z4lGMGA_A
