You’ve probably seen one of his earnest Instagram posts at some point, and that’s because Brooklyn based artist, Adam J. Kurtz (aka adamjk), has a lot to say.

In this week’s episode, Chris talks with Adam about why he calls himself an artist and how channeling emotion into both his illustrative work and captivating lectures will leave you smiling and feeling empowered.

According to Chris, when you’re in the room with Adam, “you just go. It’s part self-deprecating humor, brutal honesty with a little dash of optimism.” If you follow Adam on Instagram, you’re probably nodding your head like, “Yep, that’s Adam."

As both an artist and an author, Adam is a wildly creative person. When he says artist, though, it’s not to be confused with the artists you see in a museum. Adam’s definition of an artist runs a little differently, making the notion that art is just a form of creative expression; the artist is the person who makes and does a lot of creative things.

Speaking of doing a lot of creative things, Adam’s found a new love for public speaking. He’s able to learn and grow through more public speaking engagements, and gain more insight from other speakers and conferences he’s attended, as well.

Despite Adam’s many talents and skills, he does not want to present himself as an expert in the industry. He says, “I don’t want to be too serious because I’m not a serious person. And JK (just kidding) is literally in my name.”

If there’s anything Adam wants to spill out into the world, it’s the desire to keep making, creating, and pushing the bar. The title of this episode is “Don’t be Afraid, Just Try” for a reason. Adam wants his audience to look to his experience not just for inspiration for their moodboards, but to push themselves creatively and not worry about the outcome. The reward’s in the journey.

For more from Adam, be sure to listen to the full episode.