Today we’d like to introduce you to Sean Phillips.
Hi Sean, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi, my name is Sean Phillips. I was born in Broward County, Florida, and my parents are both immigrants. My mom is from London, England, and Dad from Kingston, Jamaica. I have a younger brother, also born here. Art has always been a gateway for me and a small pastime that I used to keep out of trouble growing up. As a child, I attended the Nova Schools in Davie, Florida, and graduated from Nova High School, later attending Broward College, where I graduated with my Associates in Arts.
During moments in class with my classmates, I can remember one of the first artworks I created drawing stick figures at the corners of papers and watching the fluid movements of the characters as they would fly down and do crazy flips or fight scenes from western movies that my father liked to watch. Even when in the church, I would draw and create characters with my church brethren and compare our artworks. Aside from watching cartoons and anime as a kid, I grew up watching my dad as he painted yachts and cars for a living, and this may very well be the reason I enjoy art so much. I enjoyed photography as the world, in my view, was and still is such a massive place. My maternal grandmother bought me many disposable cameras. Never once was I able to have the film exposed, but in traveling one year to Georgia where my Uncle ‘C’ lives, my grandmother’s brother introduced me to his digital camera, and it blew my mind! I was so stoked!
This camera we first tested in his backyard then carried to the Georgia Sea Aquarium. The beauty of all these photos was unparalleled; I had never seen pictures in real-time on the mini LCD and the computer so quickly when we got home. This moment was a pivoting moment for me and awakened another form of art that I didn’t think I would enjoy so much. I begged for my parents to get me a digital camera, but of course, we couldn’t afford it, and my grand uncle made a bet that if I could get straight A’s that year, I would receive the camera as a gift. Unfortunately, I was no straight-A student and definitely didn’t get that camera that year or the next, but it never stopped me from trying to get my own. I wanted to have my own, so I decided to buy my own with my own money. It was no big camera, but eventually, I bought a Lumix Panasonic digital portable camera, and yet again, I was blown away. The excitement dwindled; however, as I used this camera very quickly, I found it wasn’t everything I wanted. I used this camera every day and realized that camera was not as versatile as I would’ve liked. I needed something bigger and better.
I had been in school by now for three years and alternating between my two hobbies of drawing and taking photos, but in my 10th and 11th-grade year in school, I was fully invested in school, only concerning myself with passing and taking classes geared toward helping me obtain Bright Futures Scholarship which I did receive. I decided to take on a Web Design class. I was average at best, but it didn’t deter me. I was willing to learn, enjoyed the class, and made a friend; this guy Kyle would change my world with a USB and a program called Photoshop. This program drove me over the moon the amazing things it could do; I was hooked like a fish out of water. It was amazing the way I could edit and move things around. Although super hard to learn, I made it my duty to seek out so many hidden things it could do especially using Youtube to learn all that I could about what it had to offer. I enjoyed the process, and later on, in college, this process helped me meet some influential people that influenced me to seek out a different way of life for myself. One day I was with some friends hanging out, and one of the guys that I had previously attended Nova High school with asked me to create a necklace with his facial features; that way, he could get it designed out of wood. We did it, and it came out amazing.
Later, another friend asked me to design a tattoo for her. We are both Pisces and born on March 5th, so I designed this really cool koi fish for her; then I was developing a hummingbird for another friend’s tattoo, and next thing you know, I’m being asked to put that hummingbird in photoshop to get put on a T-Shirt. I never even considered that this would be the point to where it just clicked and why Marine Engineering could never work for me. The guy Shane, who asked me to design the bird, our native country birth for Jamaica, printed the design on a shirt and sold it for $40 literally the same day and place he bought it. It cost him $20 to make the shirt, and he sold it for $40 and created a ned shirt in a different color. At this, I said, “Sean, you are in the wrong line of work!” Art is where I wanted to be. I had stopped drawing for so long and had gone into engineering thinking about what made the most money career-wise. In changing my major to an art major, graphic design, I had found a new love for the arts yet again, learning from my experiences and people I met and networked with and have been doing this since I graduated High School and entered Broward College, in 2010. I started working for Aeropostale, where I entered a contest, but my store manager submitted the design too late, so I never got to see how it would do. However, the joy and excitement didn’t end there. I continued to move forward, learning more until I got my new job at Spirit Airlines in 2012. I met more people in the Aviation industry and found more friends to network with and grow.
Around 2016, things started to slow down, and that’s when I decided to get back into Photography after having many talks with my two cousins PJ and CWDaly. They helped me get my first camera, and from there, I took on work as an event photographer under a social media entrepreneur Wanda Tima, for L’union Suite a huge social media haven for the Hatian Community. She helped me grow and understand the shots needed in Event Photography, as well as my eye for the arts and seeing the world in ways people don’t usually see helped tremendously in my growth. Since those days, I have undertaken many different art mediums, always telling myself that life is too short of stepping down or step away from exploring different ways to create my art. I’ve had many experiences, some bad, but so many more good, and my work has continued to grow because of them. I would like to thank my cousins for helping me start and Wanda to get ready for the business and four of the most influential persons to me Kayla, Rolf, Jennifer Tima (Wanda’s sister), and my wife, Winie. Kayla is a believer in me who comes to me for many different kinds of help with her “Kommunity Talks” business; she always supports my business and the growth as a young black business and entrepreneur and has created a group for businesses to come together and grow with each other helping to make aware the strengths that we all possess as well as creating wealth amongst us all.
Rolf, I met him in 2018, and he runs his business “Visionary Media.” He and I have partnered and networked together since we met in class on day one. We’ve taken on a couple of event photoshoots together as well as two weddings. We have many more plans for the future and the continued growth of our businesses and friendships. Jennifer helped me start my business and get everything going using everything she has learned, and I’m ever thankful for all she does for me. My wife, my last pillar who would go to the end of time, the moon, or any lengths to make sure we succeed together; Winie is also one of the main reasons I have not given up, and the name of my business was so skillfully and tactfully chosen. IN-CRE Design & Photography stands for Infinitely Creative, and it’s what I strive to be! I want to help others become all they can be, and without these people, my pillars, I would not be where I am today.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has been a long, tough road and I still expect more to come. I have struggled financially and with meeting people that I felt helped push forward my cause and the things I want to do. I had to learn to let go of certain people who were not a driving force in creating momentum forward. However, I have taken all my struggles as a way to learn the things I like, my craft and my personality. I’ve grown from the little ignorant business creative into the less ignorant businessman; there is still so much to learn.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a Graphic Designer and a Photographer. I don’t yet specialize and so while most have a specific niche, I am still seeking out a specific area for me. I am most proud of how much I’ve grown and the journey for which I’ve taken. My upbringing, and things that I’ve experienced from working with others, has helped me to become a caring person who gives what he can to the betterment of humanity. I believe it is this that sets me apart from many others and why I seek to help others like myself to grow with me. As they say, “The Sky is the Limit!” I truly believe that there is space for all to grow and that we can all be successful together. I am a youthful creative with an eye for compassion as well as the things unseen by most and wish to provoke the beauty in ideas and form of the things we want to see come true.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I don’t believe that I have books or apps or podcasts at the moment that have helped me become my best, however, the connections created between the people and world around me have been the driving force in who I am today. My experiences and connections have helped mold me and keep me sincere to who I am.
Contact Info:
- Email: In.Cre.Medias@gmail.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/In.Cre
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/in.cre.medias
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/InCre_DP
Image Credits
Joe NII, Rolf Duverna & Whitney Ulerio, Kayla Croney, Douglas Phillips
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