STEAMed Magazine October 2016 | Page 22

I first “met” artist and entrepreneur Erik Wahl during a #k12artchat Twitter chat on a warm Thursday evening in the summer of 2016. That evening, the group was trying something new and started the chat with a live video Q&A prior to the scheduled chat time. When I logged on, I didn’t know what to expect. Would this be an artist sharing about his process? A successful businessman discussing the need for creativity in the 21st century workforce? Turns out...it wasn’t either/or. It was either/AND. Erik Wahl defies labels, moves past barriers and pushes us all to rethink our perceptions of teaching, creativity, and success. I knew at that moment that I had to interview him for STEAMed so that you, too, could learn from him passion and experiences. Here’s a peek inside the genius of Erik Wahl: What are your objectives and goals as an artist?  Why are they important to you? My goal as an artist is to inspire new ways of thinking. Often, that means being provocative in my thinking, writing and painting to break up pre-conceived patterns of thought. I want my art to awaken curiosity. What does success look like to you?  How has being an a