We’re looking forward to introducing you to Steven Crowe. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Steven, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
I think being on a creative path is really about finding that balance between walking the road and letting yourself wander off it. Growth kind of happens in that space between the two. There have been a few points in my career where I knew if I just stayed the course, success was right there within reach. But something inside me always pulls in a different direction. Even with what I’m working on now, I’ve never been more proud of a body of work than what I’ve done over the past few years. Still, my mind keeps racing ahead, thinking about what I’ll try next once this project wraps up. So I guess I’m still on the path, just the kind of person who’s always eager to see where the next detour might lead
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Steven Crowe, a freelance artist and author from Bluffdale, Utah. For over a decade, I’ve had the chance to work on everything from tabletop games to animation, projects like Middara, Masters of the Universe: Revolution, and Quest Forged: Arena.
Right now, my main focus is Quest Forged: Crossroads, an illustrated novella that pulls together everything I love about storytelling—fantasy world-building, strong characters, and immersive visuals. I’ve always been drawn to that space where art and story meet, where the illustrations don’t just support the narrative but actually help build the world itself.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
Growing up, I actually had a strong distaste for anything fantasy. I remember my friends setting up to play D&D, and I couldn’t get out of there to go skate fast enough. Then one day my dad said, “Hey, we’re all going to see The Lord of the Rings, do you want to come?” I had zero interest, but I wasn’t about to turn down a trip to the theater.
The prologue started, and I was hooked before I even knew what hit me. By the time the movie ended and we got home, I was already sketching elven archers, wizards, and orcs. I’ve never been the same since.
Now, pretty much all my personal art lives in the fantasy genre, the books I read, the games I play, the worlds I create. And I’ve played plenty of D&D since those early days, so yeah, I’ve definitely eaten my fair share of humble pie, and have to admit that fantasy is far better than I had given it credit for.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
There have been a number of times I’ve almost given up. A lot of people think being an artist is an easy road—you get to do what you love, right? But that idea doesn’t really account for the many projects you take on that you have zero passion for, just to keep things going.
Freelance life can be incredible when the work is steady. When it’s good, it’s great, and you can’t keep up with the demand. But there are also long stretches where the emails go quiet, and you start wondering when the next gig will come, or how you’re going to pay the bills.
The closest I ever came to quitting was during what felt like a perfect storm. I had the chance to work on a dream project with an amazing up-and-coming artist. We’d been seeking outside funding to get things off the ground, and the day we were supposed to hear back, I showed up to the office and found out he’d just been offered a job with Marvel. I was so happy for him, but I knew what that meant for our project.
That same weekend, I found out not only had we secured the funding, but we were approved for even more if we needed it. Then, out of nowhere, a publishing studio reached out after seeing some concept art and hearing our pitch, offering a deal. The excitement was unreal. To have all that hope and momentum, only for it to collapse at the last moment, was crushing.
Thankfully, I have a wife who wasn’t about to let me give up. She’s one of the kindest, most patient people I know, but that night she looked at me and said, “We haven’t worked this hard and come this far to give up now.” The tone left no room for argument, and honestly, it was exactly what I needed to hear. That moment helped me get back on track.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
When I first started out, I thought there was a finish line, that point where you finally feel proud of your work and can say you’ve “made it.” But the pursuit of art doesn’t really work like that. It’s more like chasing a carrot on a stick. You’re always reaching for that next bit of growth, always trying to get better and learn more.
If you showed a younger version of me where my work is now, I think he’d believe I’d made it. But the funny thing is, the more I learn, the more I realize how much there still is to understand. And honestly, that keeps me hungry. I’ve never been more driven to level up than I am right now.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
When I’m gone, I hope the stories I’ve written give people a place to escape. So many stories have done that for me over the years, and that’s really what drives me to create. The Quest Forged series I’m developing is something I think is pretty special, a world people can get lost in for a while. In the end, I hope it’s the stories that stay with people more than my name or any one thing that I’ve done.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.artstation.com/stevencrowe
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/steven.m.crowe
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-crowe-46a61310a/
- Other: https://questforgedarena.com/pages/new-products
