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1 6 C T I N N O V A T O R S , 2 0 2 3 "I was broke as hell and scared as hell for a number of years, I was terrified. Now I feel it's the best decision I've ever made. I knew I just wanted to be in that world." – Michael Rice To become an artist, Rice said he knew he'd have to work more for less money, and live a simpler lifestyle. "I was broke as hell and scared as hell for a number of years, I was terrified. Now I feel it's the best decision I've ever made," Rice said. "I knew I just wanted to be in that world." anks to lessons learned in the corporate world — like how to handle client requests, manage different stakehold- ers, and understand the commercial motives of clients, companies or even nonprofits — Rice has been able to launch his own studio in Hartford. He does a mix of work, including public and commis- sioned art, as well as designs for businesses such as restau- rants or gyms. Rice said he's earning enough revenue to support his lifestyle. He quit the odd jobs and devoted himself full time to art once he was booked with projects for six months in advance. Now, he's got an even bigger project backlog. e public art, he said, is usually a longer process be- cause of the various stakeholders involved. But it's the work he loves to do the most, especially when clients offer a free space with full creative freedom — an ideal scenario that is difficult to find. Rice said he's motivated by pursuing larger and taller murals, with more ambitious designs. "I haven't lost any of that fire, which I always lost within a year of any other job," he said. He also credits local organizations and the opportunity from federal funding to commission murals and other art around the city. "is really is meant to increase foot traffic, to give Hartford an identity as an arts-and-culture destination, not only for Connecticut but the whole Northeast region, to bring people downtown and to tell the story of Hart- ford," said Conway, the RiseUp executive director. 'Wildly creative' Rice prefers to work alone, but sometimes hires help — even his mother has assisted on projects. She's also artistic. "She's always drawing and making things," Rice said. "She loves color pencils and she draws all these crazy, realistic flowers, trees and fish." His mother's side of the family inspired his love of art. Growing up in the Baltimore area, where they were in- volved in the artistic community, they would go up to a family house in Canada, where Rice would meet his aunts, uncles and cousins working on art, sculptures, mu- sic or woodworking. "at whole side of the family is wildly creative," Rice said. His advice to others looking to pursue art profession- ally is to build complementary skill sets through other work, since art likely won't pay the bills, at least at first. "Artists need to have professional skills, and be great artists to really be successful," Conway said. "[Rice] has got that. He knows how to talk to clients. He knows how to be on time. … ose things are really important for artists as well, just like in any career." Important skills for a professional artist, Rice said, in- clude an understanding of brand strategy, and how to present your work. "Have a cohesive look and feel to some of your work and what you are trying to say, have a message," Rice ex- plained, while also recognizing that "sometimes you have to sacrifice some of that to fit within other people's vision, … whatever it is you're getting paid to do." He also recommends that people interested in artistic careers, or any non-traditional trade, think about their path in more open-minded ways. But one thing's for sure, he said. If you know you aren't passionate about what you're doing, you're almost always better off pursuing something else that will make you happier. Today, for Rice, painting is a way to make a living, but it's also his therapy and passion, he said. "I can't even imagine what my life would be like if I was still doing the grind," Rice said. Continued from previous page I Michael Rice said he used 864 spray paint cans to complete his downtown Hartford mural that depicts a boy releasing fireflies from a mason jar.