Today we’d like to introduce you to Steven Crowe.
Hi Steven, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Growing up in the ’90s, I was spoiled with incredible cartoons, X-Men, Batman: The Animated Series, Spider-Man, and so many others. I was constantly drawing, and somewhere along the way, I realized I wanted to pursue art as a career.
I started by creating indie comics, which eventually led to working on board games like Middara, Fright, and Quest Forged Arena. From there, I moved into animation, contributing to Masters of the Universe: Revelation at Powerhouse Animation, taught college art classes, and took on countless other creative projects along the way. It’s been a long road filled with opportunities that are difficult to summarize.
Now, after years of learning, creating, and growing as an artist, I’ve published my debut illustrated novella, Quest Forged: Crossroads.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Art has been far from easy, and every stage of the journey has come with different seasons. When work is good, you’ll often have more than you can keep up with. But there are also plenty of times when work slows down, and you’re constantly searching for the next opportunity.
On top of that, we live in a golden age of art. There are so many incredible artists creating amazing work that it can be difficult to keep the faith that your own artistic voice matters or can stand shoulder to shoulder with so many masters.
Social media is its own unique battle. On one hand, it has opened countless doors for me. On the other, there have been times when I’ve let engagement determine how successful I thought a piece was. Logically, I know that likes, views, and shares have nothing to do with the quality of the work, but it can still be easy to fall into that mindset.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As an artist, I’ve primarily focused on concept art and illustration. I originally got my start traveling to conventions, where I sold fan art. Over the past few years, though, I’ve shifted more of my focus toward building my fantasy series, Quest Forged.
As I mentioned earlier, I recently launched my debut illustrated novella, which has been a massive passion project and easily the personal highlight of my career. It follows a young adventurer as he embarks on his very first quest. While the world of Quest Forged can grow into something epic, this first story is intentionally lighter in tone. I think the real world can be overwhelming at times, so my goal is to create an adventure that offers readers an escape from all the doom and gloom.
The series also includes a board game currently in development, featuring many of the same characters from the novella.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I’ve never really had a single mentor, but I’ve received a lot of advice from incredibly talented artists over the years. The biggest piece of advice I can give is to simply talk to people and be social. Not just as a way to promote your own work, but to celebrate others, recognize their accomplishments, and genuinely uplift them.
Like I said before, we live in a golden age of artists, and there’s so much incredible work being created every day. Let people know when you appreciate what they’re making. Not only will you encourage them, but you’ll also build meaningful relationships and make some great friends along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://questforgedarena.com/products/preorder-quest-forged-crossroads
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steven.m.crowe/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@StevenMCrowe
