Location: Upstate

  • Cole Bullock

    Cole Bullock

    “You need to get out there, doing things, while you’re a student.” 

    Cole Bullock is a Recreation Specialist at Perry Correctional Institution in Greenville, SC. He designs and runs creative and athletic programs for inmates. 

    Interview

    Transcript

    Cole Bullock

    I’m Cole Bullock. I am a recreational specialist at Perry Correctional Institution in Greenville, South Carolina.

    Haley Hansen

    How long have you been working there?

    Cole Bullock

    This is my fourth year in June.

    Haley Hansen

    Can you walk me through your typical workday?

    Cole Bullock

    Yes. So a typical workday for me would be to open up a multipurpose facility that Perry has that has a couple classrooms, but more importantly, a gymnasium. And so first things first, I walk in, I prep everything, look for any sort of contraband items that might have been left over, get all the lights on, make sure all of my rec workers who I hire on certain inmates that I’m allowed that I allowed to kind of conduct different cleanings and programs and stuff, I get their stuff ready, I prepare their the workouts of the day, which would be a pre designed class of my own creation, and they’ll post them on certain boards.

    Cole Bullock

    And usually when the guys start coming in, we’ll start the bell being kind of a calendar for the week, when I’m looking for, you know, as far as the programming aspects of things, and we kind of just let the show roll.

    Cole Bullock

    Right now currently, we’re in our Pickleball League. So, inmates have had a chance from their dorms to sign up and create a team of doubles or singles. And so, we are just now building out the tournaments for them.

    Cole Bullock

    And as well as our Hobby-Craft program, as well, which is a program that allows for men to purchase certain items such as arts and crafts, different wood. Ah, surprisingly, different types of like saw blades, which you wouldn’t think they’d be able to have, but to do woodworking as well as leather working as well. So, different kind of tears that they’re able to build up to. And I will illustrate that with their programming and their needs and making sure that they’re, you know, in compliance with everything for what the state likes to see them. Have.

    Haley Hansen

    You said that your background was in sports ministry, right?

    Cole Bullock

    Yeah, so I double majored and Bible Theology and then Sports and Fitness Leadership. And so coming in, I guess, that degree specifically, if you transfer it to more of a secular university, that’s kind of like a sports ethics degree. As far as how the credits match up.

    Haley Hansen

    Ok. Would you say that has helped you a lot at this position?

    Cole Bullock

    Yeah, I mean, the the biggest thing for I think a degree is that once you have it on paper, you essentially have to learn how to put it into practice.

    Cole Bullock

    So I think, although my degree has certainly given me the framework to, you know, understand the need for why to do what I do, but the big process, I think of learning is just doing the reps on site. So there’s, there’s not really much preparation as far as what it’s like to train yourself for prison except for go to prison. Right. So but for the most part, yeah, I think the degree my degree itself has kind of inspired me on the idea that, hey, this is a very valuable career to jump into, because there is a need in order for recreation, you know, the hot topic, word is always rehabilitation, rehabilitate these guys, and you know, so we can bring them back out society and make them productive members.

    Haley Hansen

    What do you say was the biggest adjustment or challenge that you faced, when you started at Perry?

    Cole Bullock

    The biggest thing, the biggest challenge for us is just getting everyone on board with the idea that recreation is something that you would want in an institution. Depending on who you’re speaking with, it just, it’s a challenge to get everyone to kind of connect the idea that rehabilitation and physical fitness are actually a good coupling. You could have some staff members who could perceive the idea that guys are getting physically fit as a threatening thing, meaning they’re, you know, enhancing their physical capabilities and given them maybe that advantage when it comes to anything like physical altercations.

    Cole Bullock

    So, that was my first I think major hurdle was just establish, “Hey, if you program correctly in this institution, good programs create good security. Creating competent individuals that exert their energy in a healthy way, where they are establishing themselves in some some discipline and also giving them something that they enjoy. Which is a privilege that they really don’t want to get taken away from them. So, they kind of adjust their their mindset to be able to keep what they like.”

    Haley Hansen

    You mentioned, you are in charge of getting materials for the hobby crafting class. I imagine there’s some overlap in the conversations you mentioned with that, too. Like talking about how getting physically fit can be perceived as a threat you mentioned, like the saw blades and stuff?

    Cole Bullock

    Yeah, yeah. So oftentimes, we’ll get new staff members and they’ll do their orientation, and they’ll they’ll kind of walk into our hobby craft room. And you know, you’ll see their eyes get this big because they’re like, “They’re they’re allowed to do this? I don’t I don’t understand.”

    Cole Bullock

    And as long as like I said, as long as it’s programmed correctly, the Hobby-Craft, I’ve seen guys create things where I’m like, “There is no way you could have possibly made this, you know, behind bars, this is incredible. This looks machinery.” And you know, if you speak with them long enough, it’s like, “Listen, you know, I had nothing to do but learn this craft, and so day in and day out I had plenty of time to fail and improve upon my ability, and eventually you get pretty good at it.”

    Cole Bullock

    And so, some of these guys make amazing things. Some artists here draw like you with a picture off, you know, with a realism. I mean, it’s quite shocking the talent that happens when you you know, give a man enough time and I would say initiative to do something rather than nothing.

    Haley Hansen

    Do you think the hobby crafting creativity side of it is about as important as the physical fitness? Or do you think one is more helpful?

    Cole Bullock

    Yeah, these are, these are two sides of the same coin, the objective for us is probably the worst thing that you could do to someone who’s incarcerated is put them behind door, lock it away. And then in 40 years, unlock it, and then let them out and see if they’re any better for society, right? Since you you’ve only compounded the problem.

    Cole Bullock

    So the idea is we just want to keep them busy, wanting them to maybe perceive themselves in a different manner. So if you’ve ever coming in, and maybe life has handed you a deck of cards that’s not so favorable. And then when you’re back in prison, you realize “Hey, I am a little bit more talented than I thought. I got these crafts that I’ve learned, I can actually use this to make money on the street.” or “This is something that actually I prefer doing instead of, you know, hustling.” These are the moments that we’re trying to create with the inmates and especially with with working out is, you know, especially for those who are suffering with addiction, if they’re able to kind of place their energy and their mind and their efforts towards something that can create that dopamine effect within the mind. And it’s also healthy for them, you know, we would prefer them, you know, transferring their desire for the drug and replacing that with physical fitness.

    Haley Hansen

    Did you—would you say that you had something is an element when you were working there where you realized, like, it was a job that fit you?

    Cole Bullock

    It’s one of my favorite questions. Because just like many people, I’m coming into this institution with the idea, yeah, I’m gonna meet some broken guys, right? I’m kind of used to that being from a ministry background, and I’m completely okay with that. But, I had no idea what to expect. I mean, you know, I’m walking into a prison with Hollywood movies, given me the context for what I’m about to, you know, encounter, you know, so I don’t know them, and they’re gonna get stabbed, am I gonna get cussed out, am I gonna get, you know, there’s no telling. And I get my hined here. And I see an ecosystem that yeah, it’s complex. And it’s complicated and can be dangerous at some times. But more importantly, I see is just a desire for men to, to do something. To redeem themselves. To give themselves, essentially, another chance at life. And if you don’t think there’s nervousness behind the bars for freedom there is, because they understand and listen, if I’m gonna waste 20 to 40 years sitting here, you know, walk in a circle, I’m gonna walk out into a world that I don’t understand and going to be set up for failure. And so, a lot of us get nervous about that. And they want to be active, they want to, you know, try to see where, where their talents lie, where, you know, what, what society is, how it’s changing on the outside, and how can they be doing things in here to adapt to that reality, I simply want to provide that ability for them to change and adapt and to be successful. So, when they get back to their families are not burdensome to the community or for themselves. So, I grew great compassion, when I learned that the plight of someone that’s incarcerated, which is a far cry from when I came into, because like many people, I looked at those who were incarcerated and went, “Well, they did the crime. So, whatever happens behind bars happens, I don’t really care”. I can’t help but to care now, just because of the fact that I’ve seen it, I’ve seen the humanity in them. And I just want to support that. Someone’s looking to do better and get a redemption story in their life. I want to give them every tool that they can possibly have to make that dream come true.

    Haley Hansen

    Working with inmates, it’s a, it’s not a very visible profession. So, if someone is interested in doing that, are there any programs or organizations you’d recommend them check out?

    Cole Bullock

    Yeah. There’s a lot of groups there’s groups all the time that go into prisons. I think the main thing is if you if you want to know whether or not prisons a good fit for you, as far as a career, if you wanted to work programs in prisons, you just got to get your feet wet. A lot of ministries will come in here and just do support groups, sometimes colleges depending on you know, whatever program is happening will actually will come in here. I know we have a sociology class that we have students from the University I’m not sure which one comes in here and does class with the guys.

    Cole Bullock

    So ultimately, really, what I would suggest for people is if you’re if you’re looking and you want to be interested. Volunteer, in some capacity, contact that institutions chaplain and ask, “Hey, are there any groups that come in that would essentially support inmates or give me a chance to just interact with the guys” , and I’m sure he’ll connection to the correct third party when you’re in that environment. Just placing guys who have been on lockup back in the regular population that doesn’t tend to go well, you know, you kind of have to slowly reintroduce them back into society, a social capacity, because if you’re alone by yourself for years and years and years, you lose some skills, right? And you kind of get to slowly work yourself back into being able to handle other people and different, you know, situations.

    Haley Hansen

    Alright. Do you have any advice for current students who might be interested in this sort of thing you’re doing?

    Cole Bullock

    Yeah, well, I’d say just for any any field is that if you’re going to go through four years of university, and think that when you leave with a piece of paper, that that’s going to be kind of your ticket to get this dream job, you’re in for, unfortunately, a shock.

    Cole Bullock

    I had one of my mentors had established this idea that you’re going to go on your graduation day, you’re going to look to your left, then you go look to your right, and you’re going to notice hundreds of students all with this, essentially the same piece of paper, what’s going to distinguish you amongst the masses of people that graduated that year. And the idea is, is that you need to get out there doing things while you’re a student to increase your marketability. So, shaking hands. I think I’ve opened more doors, in my path in my career by a handshake than anything that a degree has ever offered me. So, they really want to be able to be networking and finding the right people to speak with, especially during school. That’s, you know, someone that’s able to give you some hours, you know, that’s similar to your field. I think that’s just irreplaceable, within your time at school.

    Haley Hansen

    And before we end today, is there anything else you think it’s important to say, for this, project?

    Cole Bullock

    Yeah, I think that speaking from my heart, corrections is a industry that needs support. It needs more of the public’s support to help us accomplish, I think, a goal that everyone should agree on. And that’s this idea that if we’re going to release these guys, we got to make sure that we’re being responsible with what we’re doing with them while we have them with the State. So, that’s a, that’s a group effort.

    Cole Bullock

    That’s, that’s a community effort. And that has to be a willingness for people that although you may have a certain opinion about those who are incarcerated, completely find, but that certain person might live in a neighborhood near you. So, it’s an investment to care about the guys that are behind bars. It’s an investment to have an interest in their improvement and their well being.

    Haley Hansen

    Alright. Thank you.

    Cole Bullock

    All right. Thank you

  • Daniel Dorriety

    Daniel Dorriety

    “I’ve always had a passion for welding… I’ve always been the kind of person who likes to work with his hands. The more you do, the more you try, the better you get.” 

    Daniel Dorriety is a welder by trade and works at General Electric building gas turbines. He is part of a special process team for repair engineering, focusing on joining development, handling the welding on every part of the gas turbines that get fixed. 

    Interview

    Transcript

    Daniel Dorriety

    My name is Daniel Dorriety. I am a fabricator slash welder by trade. I worked for General Electric. I’ve been there for 24 years. Prior to that, I worked in some other Welding Fab [Fabrication] shops. But G.E. has been the most of my career.

    Haley Hansen

    You said you’d been working there for 24 years?

    Daniel Dorriety

    Yes, ma’am.

    Haley Hansen

    Can you walk me through like a typical workday?

    Daniel Dorriety

    Sure. So, we build gas turbines. At Greenville, I work for the repair engineering side. I am part of the special process team for repair engineering. So I focused on the joining development, which means all the parts on the gas turbine that get fixed; I handled the development of the welding, the braising, and the laser cladding repair of these parts. I have, typically, a dozen projects at a time that I work intermittently between each other. Today was more admin, catching up on documentation, more than anything. I kind of plan that out, because I’m on vacation in the next two weeks. Typically, my role specifically now is for laser repair. So, I run a C.N.C.[Computer Numerical Control] laser clatter; I do 3D Adaptive repair of gas turbine components that are by definition, unweldable. Hence why we’re using a laser. This is a fairly new change for me; that’s something I picked up about two… two years ago. The 22 years prior was all welding and brazing, and then, welding on gas turbine parts my entire stance; we did new mate manufacturing the first few years I was there, and then I switched to repair. So, I’ve been repairing and refurbishing gas turbine parts for nearly 20 years now.

    Haley Hansen

    For someone who doesn’t know anything about the industry, can you elaborate on the difference between welding and laser repair?

    Daniel Dorriety

    Sure. So, welding is it’s a manual process, and you’re using just a welding machine, and has a lot of human interface. So it’s, it’s a lot of variability between operators, not all welders are the same, right? So, it’s hard to establish control critical guidelines, you know, if you have to have a very stable process, it’s hard to control that when you have the human factor involved. And gas turbines are made of components that are very difficult to weld. By nature, they are super strong, and they hold up the very high temperatures in the engine. And that equates to alloys that don’t like to be welded. So they’re in a nutshell, very brittle and a crack. So, the difference between manual welding and laser is that laser is a more controlled process. It’s a C.N.C.[Computer Numerical Control] process that has a program driving it, right? So, you can control your heat input, your travel speed, the amount of filler that’s added, you can control all those precisely, and the density of a laser is so much more precise that your heat affected zone is smaller, which just means that you’re not going to introduce stress and cracking into the base metal nearly as much as you would with a manual welding process. Plus, it’s faster. And it’s an automated process, right? So, you can control it. You can’t weld everything with a laser, but we try to focus on the parts that are the most critical. Everything else, is pretty much a manual repair from that point.

    Haley Hansen

    How did you end up in the field that you’re working in, right now?

    Daniel Dorriety

    I always had a passion for welding. I went to Career Center in high school, took some welding classes, and loved it. I’ve always been the kind of person who likes to work with his hands. So, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I like to build things. The fabrication side is not just welding, but it’s building structures. It’s, you know, whether you’re building a trailer or building a house. I’m building my second house now, and I’m doing all the work myself, right? I just liked that work with your hands and have something to see when you’re all done. Welding was something that I was good at it. I was always kind of into art. When I was young, I did a lot of drawing. And I think that helps me with welding.

    Daniel Dorriety

    You know, it’s a lot of hand-eye coordination, just fell in love with it. I stuck with it. And this is where I’ve ended up.

    Haley Hansen

    Being able to like to visualize the finished product I imagined helps a lot.

    Daniel Dorriety

    Especially on the artistic side. Yes. You know, typically, in my field, they give you a drawing, and you have to make it, right? So, there’s not a lot of visualization in that. But outside of G.E., I know I do gifts for people. I do fire pits. I built fire pits and that’s where the vision comes in, right? You have to have an idea in your head and then create it.

    Haley Hansen

    Did you, go straight into professional welding right out of the career center and like high school?

    Daniel Dorriety

    Pretty much. Yeah, I started in a [work] Co-oping in my senior year of high school. That would be my second year at the Career Center. So, instead of going to class my senior year, I went straight to work, Co-op, and then, when I graduated, I was hired full-time into the company I was working for welding, and then I continued on at Tech[Horry Georgetown Technical College] and got my associate’s degree. Then, eventually, I switched over to General Electric and have been there ever since.

    Haley Hansen

    What was your associate’s degree in?

    Daniel Dorriety

    Industrial Technology, with a major in Welding.

    Haley Hansen

    Do you have, like, a defining moment in your career or your creative journey where you realized, like, that was what you wanted to do for the rest of your life?

    Daniel Dorriety

    I guess the only thing I can really remember, is that my uncle had a fabrication shop. He built trailers. I found that fascinating when I was young; pretty young. I was probably in middle school, and I would go over to his shop and see what he was building and see all his tools. I just thought that was fascinating. And I wanted that for myself. And I think that’s how I kind of went down this road. 30 years later, I now have my own shop, and I’m starting to do stuff freelance on the side with a goal of eventually being self-employed, but G.E. is a pretty good job. So, I’m gonna stay there for a while.

    Haley Hansen

    I’m sure they’re glad to hear it. [Dorriety laughs] What would you say was the biggest adjustment or challenge you faced when you started your current role?

    Daniel Dorriety

    Maybe working with people? You know, all the different kinds of personalities.

    Haley Hansen

    That would do it.

    Daniel Dorriety

    You know, being a welder, especially the first place I worked at, you kind of got a rough crowd. I worked with a lot of field hands, guys that are used to working on the road and a lot of different personalities. And then, switching over to GE, a much more professional environment. So, that was definitely better. And then migrating into working for repair engineering, where I’m working with all very professional people, you know, that are engineers, and PhDs, and again, very different personalities, right? So, it’s learning how to fit in the world from one extreme to the other.

    Daniel Dorriety

    So, one of my primary jobs is, developing a repair but also transferring that repair to the shop so that they can do the repair. And then I have to train the operators, right? So, I’m the interface between the operator on the floor doing the work, the engineering staff that controls the process, and then our engineering staff that owns the process, right? So, it’s working with a vast difference in personalities is probably the biggest challenge. And we’re global too. So, we work with people in Singapore; we work with pink people in Saudi Arabia, shops all over the place, language barriers, and cultural differences. So, I’d say people. People are the biggest challenge.

    Haley Hansen

    Kind of related to that, can you recommend any specific skills that someone aspiring to your profession should develop?

    Daniel Dorriety

    Practice. It goes just along with everything, you know, if playing a guitar, for instance, I can’t play but I imagined that the more you do, the more you try, the better you get. And the same things for welding; I mean, you’re not going to grow and have better opportunities. If you don’t try be the best you can at it, right? You’ve got to put in the time, and you got to put the effort in; it takes a lot of practice to get good at welding; it’s not something you can just learn in three weeks; it literally takes months to years to get proficient, much less expertise. If somebody chooses to be a welder, I’d say that patience and practice. And a lot of it.

    Haley Hansen

    Are there any organizations or programs, or maybe, like, annual events that you would recommend for folks who are interested in your field, in South Carolina?

    Daniel Dorriety

    Well, the tech centers are bringing back trade schools. I went to Greenville Tech, their program was pretty decent. There is a private organization called ArtLabs that has a more intense and faster program that’s more specific to getting people employed and getting into work faster, versus going to Tech[Horry Georgetown Technical College], that kind of, kind of drags things out because they want to add extra classes to your workload and things that don’t get you into a job shop faster, right? So, I would probably lean towards art labs, they come with a very good reputation for their program. You know, other than that, working with people, making connections with experienced people, I’ve had a lot of people come up to my place that wants me to do things for them, and that are fascinated, and they want to watch and they want to learn and then they come back and I help them. Not necessarily a school, but this kind of gets them started just enough, where, they can do things at their house, and they can practice.

    Haley Hansen

    Do you have any advice for current students or young adults who are pursuing a creative career in welding?

    Daniel Dorriety

    Just don’t be afraid to try. Don’t let the fear of the unknown hold you back, I think I would have probably been freelance much earlier. If while, one, I had a family, so I had to have a steady income and benefits. So, that kind of helped me where I was. Still, the fear of the unknown kind of holds me back because I do have a stable good job. And I hate to walk away from that and struggle, right? So, I’ve been trying to build my own thing on the side.

    Daniel Dorriety

    In addition to keeping my stable pay slash benefits, who knew the day I enjoy making things? I do a lot of retirement gifts for people at G.E. I’ve probably made 30, 40, 50 of them over the years. Some of them have turned out really good, very artistic. Some of them are okay, but in the day, it’s fun. But I’m afraid if I get in a position to where it’s a consignment job, or I have to do it to make a living, that the fun will disappear.

    Haley Hansen

    Oh, I know that feeling.

    Daniel Dorriety

    Yeah. So, I don’t want to get in that position to where I don’t enjoy it, right? So, I don’t know. It’s the fear of the unknown that still gets me. I don’t know how to compress that yet. Small doses I guess.

    Haley Hansen

    Before we end, is there anything else you think is important that you say here?

    Daniel Dorriety

    Just, I always told my daughter that if you can find something that you enjoy… that you can make money at it. Then you never really have to work for a living. I never quite figured that out for myself, but I hope she does. So, just try to follow your passion and make some money at the same time.

  • Matteo Miles

    Matteo Miles

    “Take your work seriously, and your client will as well.”

    Matteo Miles, from Greenville, South Carolina is a self-employed and full-time traveling artist and painter. Specializing in painting murals, he travels around the region creating artwork.  

    Interview

    Transcript

    Matteo Miles   

    My name is Matteo Miles. I’m 28, I live in Greenville, South Carolina, and I’m a full time artist, painter, specifically in murals. So it helps you do murals and kind of travel to other areas of the region and the country as well. 

    Haley Hansen   

    Are you self-employed? 

    Matteo Miles   

    Yes, I am. 

    Haley Hansen   

    Can you say, like, what your typical workday is? 

    Matteo Miles   

    So typically, what I’ll do is kind of start off by either answering emails or DMs of, like, inquiries, and just get those out of the way. And probably just, most of the time, it’s answering questions, especially for people who haven’t had any mural work done specifically, is what the business is that I’m doing right now. So I’ll respond to those, and either get people scheduled or, you know, kind of giving the information. And then after that, I’ll go in and work on some proposals that may be required for people that have moved forward in getting a mural done, whether that be getting together a vision board full of ideas, taking measurements, or doing the designs and drawings, and kind of going back and forth. And I call that pretty much the whole like planning process of it. And then if I have anything going on that day, any projects to start, then I’ll probably go on-site to wherever I’m working on, whether that be a restaurant or a hotel, and then kind of mapping out and prepping the space, if it isn’t day one for a project. But I typically like to at least try to work on at least two or three murals a month, and sometimes they will overlap. But that can get kind of chaotic, depending on the project, and what it could require. But on a typical day, during the week, if, if I’m not actively on-site at a project, it’ll just be kind of the administration stuff with planning and drawing. Takes up a lot of that time. 

    Matteo Miles   

    How did you get started painting murals? 

    Matteo Miles   

    So I got started painting murals, pretty much a transition from doing canvas work. So I’m assuming this is just like another part of the question, another question kind of talking about how I got into it. But I always started doing murals was I worked at a hotel over here in Greenville, South Carolina, and I was bartending and they had this big chalk wall in their lobby space that someone else had initially done when the hotel opened. And that person, you know, wasn’t able to come back. So I was like, oh, well, I, you know, was already doing chalk signage for Starbucks and stuff like that. So I was like, why not give it a go. So since then, I was able to change it out and rotate the themes, and along with the seasons with the artwork. So with that in mind, it became public art. So I was able to present that, you know, pretty much for free, and then you know, I would get paid to just change it out. But through that, I was able to get other people reading my name, and then kind of looking me up and asking me to come to their space, or, you know, if they said they had chalk murals and whatnot, or a permanent mural, and that’s kind of how it got started with kind of, you know, networking and getting other opportunity for larger walls and not just on canvas. 

    Haley Hansen   

    Did you have any education in visual arts, or were you self taught? 

    Speaker 1   

    I was self taught for the majority of the time. Of course, throughout grade school or high school, I would take the art classes required, or like AP, any kind of advanced, you know, exercise that I could get with it, because I just, I loved it. I was always drawing since the second grade and, just, any reason to not do other homework. And just to, and just focus on like, whatever required any kind of art, whether that be like science class and stuff like that. And then through high school, there was a institution called the Fine Arts Center. That was for high schoolers, kind of like a magnet trade school to get people started into college as well, but this one just focused on arts and liberal and music and stuff like that. And so after that, I did a couple years at Greenville Technical School over here, and that focused on, that had an incredible art program. 

    Speaker 1   

    But I did that for a couple of years, and that really helped me get a better gauge on the community, and like my mentors, including professors, and, you know, people who are really trying to take it more seriously and engage, you know, their own work into real life and into career aspect. So, that definitely helped me take it more seriously. Of course, it got a little bit heavy with trying to regulate, you know, I was living on my own already and then I had two jobs and stuff like that. So it was a lot to carry. But it really was manageable. You know, it was just you learn a lot about discipline and, you know, what art school or whatever you’re focusing on in creative work requires. But it really did help having like my mentors and the professors there kind of guiding me. I did have to take a break for about a year just to focus on work, but I was still selling my own personal freelance canvas stuff, and I eventually returned back to finish up my studies. And then after that, went to mortuary school for a few years, worked in a funeral home, and decided that my passion took even further a backseat. And I wasn’t really making art anymore. And then after that is when I found that hotel opportunity to do public art. And I’m like, “Well, let me just jump on this and see where that goes.” And over a span of maybe about three years, where I’m at now, I was able to kind of kickstart you know, going full time and, but learning every day about everything, and then everyone else in that community. Yeah. 

    Haley Hansen   

    You said that you’ve pretty much been, like, artistic your whole life. But was there one defining moment where you realized that you could and you wanted to make a career out of that? 

    Matteo Miles   

    There was in, I’d say it started in about middle school, when I would do art, or participate in art shows, I just had more of a business mindset, like track on it. So that was all I was determined to do was to really make it into a business and say, “I want to make a living off of this, I can’t do it by you know, just appreciating my own work.” Of course, I appreciate my own work, but just to be realistic. And I tried to share that concept with other people, then, you know, our professors as well, just so people didn’t think that the super high privileged could be the only ones being able to make art today as an adult in our generation. So I think that’s something that we all work on in education at the moment just to make everyone aware about that. 

    Haley Hansen   

    What would you say the biggest adjustment or challenge you faced was when you started being self-employed, working as a mural painter? 

    Speaker 1   

    One of the biggest challenges that took me a while to learn was how much things cost, but also the like, kind of underestimating what actually was required to get a project done. And at the end of it, having that learning experience of being like, “Oh, well, this required so much more than I at first intended to,” with supplies or equipment. And at the end of it, you kind of just didn’t really gain much out of it other than having the job finished. But that was just learning scenario, that’s probably one of the things I share with other people who are trying to go into actual murals, is just make sure you have your, your estimate correct, and your numbers good for your client. Because it’s, you can’t go back and try to change the numbers just because you thought you needed a more expensive paint or needed a scissor lift that you didn’t initially put into your proposal or a number, you’re just gonna have to like eat it. 

    Matteo Miles   

    Also be just taking your work seriously so that your client does as well. And that equals your own value. Because you can do the work, you can do what I call portfolio building, which I think is really important, which is doing your mural work. But if you’re first getting started and you’re gaining that experience, you know, you kind of give some slack to your prices, just so, you know, you make it easier, you’re able to portfolio build, and I think that’s important. And later on, as soon as you’re getting more experience, you get more value, then you can kind of up those prices. But don’t feel discouraged that you’re not just doing your work for a penny, you know, on the dollar just, you know, kind of realize that these are stepping stones in every career and every type of creative work too. And they only get better. 

    Haley Hansen   

    Are there any specific skills that you would recommend to someone who’s trying to start a career in your field? 

    Matteo Miles   

    I think special skills, probably first, drawing and painting, getting good exercise. With large scale, for some reason for me, it feels easier to draw large scale, that idea seems really intimidating for people who are used to drawing within boundaries of you know, a smaller form, so just exercising with that. Also your body is super important, because you’re using your whole body. So exercise your body, stretch, make sure you’re able to have endurance, whether it’s inside or outside on ladders, scaffolding, scissor lifts, weather difficulties, whether it’s outside or inside, accessibility, not being afraid of heights, and not being afraid of strangers, not being afraid to perform in public, because that’s a big deal of it too. I had, it took me a while to kind of build up that, that shell of anxiety, like to reduce anxiety from being in public trying to draw or paint and not being able to focus because there’s people around you, people want to talk to you, people are interested in what you’re doing. 

    Matteo Miles   

    And sometimes that little like, “Oh, thank you” or “Yeah, I am drawing this” is fun, but, it’s exciting, but it’s so hard to like keep clicking back in that gear of like focusing on your drawing, because you’re not like in your studio, being able to do your own thing whenever you want. That’s, that’s one thing I’d say to definitely learn is that public, just awareness. Exercise your body, and your eye, your hand eye coordination, to think big, because when you’re up close, you spend 10 hours working on something super up close, and then you like stand back, it’ll look completely different. So sometimes you have to shift things up close on purpose, though, stand back, it looks different. So those are probably the three things that I would recommend for someone who’s wanting to go into mural paintings, and that’s just kind of the physical of it. And then business is a whole other ballgame. Yeah. 

    Haley Hansen   

    Are there any organizations or programs or events that you would recommend for people who are interested in, like locally or statewide? 

    Matteo Miles   

    There are mural festivals happening all over the country, they’re very easy to look up, there’s plenty of resources to find them. I’d say there’s about maybe well over 10 that happen every year all over the country. In my region, in South Carolina, we have our local art festivals, like Artisphere, or I think there’s one in Asheville, and then Charleston I believe, and Columbia, like Soda City. But those, they will incorporate sometimes some larger work or live performances by a mural artist or other people. So that’s for like the festival part and also going there to look at what other artists or muralists are doing. And you really learn a whole lot about that. I feel like I didn’t start doing that until maybe like last year. I was learning about Asheville’s big art, mural scene. And then also I went to Miami for the first time this year to look at Art Basel. I think Miami is a super huge mecca for murals within the United States, it’s probably one of the largest. And then there’s always, always local city of resources for RFQs, request for proposal that cities and people will post those goes for funding for grants and scholarships and opportunity for people interested in doing the mural work. 

    Matteo Miles   

    Because the most common question that I get asked from artists who want to do murals is, “how do I get started? Who do I ask?” And I’ll say, “if you haven’t done one yet, if your neighbor or family member or friend hasn’t asked you to come into their home and paint their bedroom wall or something, if it’s not a rental, then that was to me, it’d be a good place to start.” And what I got started with was a great opportunity was in a hotel space. But if you don’t have the opportunity, I’d say start with residential, that includes the bedroom, kitchen, ceilings that are pretty cool, and also baby nurseries, as well, those are a great start to do. You can do them for $1,000 to $3,000 per project. That way for people to agree with, and then you could start going into like restaurants or, you know, hotels or sides of buildings, and you know what the professional people are doing. 

    Matteo Miles   

    So I would say that that’s a good start. Because eventually, honestly, how it goes is once you do one or two of, you know, give it your best shot, mostly, most of the time that person’s going to share it, or people are going to see it and they’d be like, “Wow, I would really like something like that.” And it’s all word of mouth honestly, as well. It’s a very short one just because it’s very taxing on your body. So that’s another challenge that I faced was like, I’m 28. So I think I could probably do murals for another, hopefully 10 years is the goal. And then hopefully more after that if I’m still good at that checkpoint. But yeah, that’s another thing too is what makes it a little bit more challenging. Do you have any more questions? 

    Haley Hansen   

    Do you have any final advice for current students who are interested in pursuing a career in the creative world? 

    Matteo Miles   

    I’d say, stay in school as long as you can. Because there, most of the time there will be a section in, if you’re doing specifically Visual Arts on outdoor art, sculpture or murals. And I remember vividly, when we got to that part of the course or the curriculum, I was like, “I don’t need to learn.” I was like, “I’m never going to be doing that.” I go “that sounds too complicated.” I go “I don’t want to do that.” But, and then I didn’t really listen, and, but that’s what I would say to people or to students. It’s to just pay attention to maybe that portion, just since we’re getting a little bit more education and actual muralists out there now that are younger and kind of starting that generation. So I would say to if you’re, if they’re interested in it, it does pay off. Just pay attention in school to that part. And then yeah, and just try your best to connect to other muralists online to because I’ve met, I’ve met a lot that really do, they do like to work with each other. And I’ve met a few that rather would not work with other artists. I think, I don’t know why that works, I just think artists are just like that. But there are a lot of resources and helpful tips that people could share with each other. Yeah. 

    Haley Hansen   

    Awesome. 

    Matteo Miles   

    Good stuff. Awesome. Well, thank you Haley. 

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  • Edward Howard

    Edward Howard

    “Do your best and never settle for seconds.”  

    Eddie Howard, from Greenville, South Carolina, is the Director of the Recording Arts Program at the Fine Arts Center. Establishing the program in 2007, Eddie Howard teaches both younger and older students how to record music.  

    About

    Eddie Howard was born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina, where his love of music and recording was passed down through the family. In 1958, Howard’s four uncles on his mother’s side built the first recording studio in Greenville, where Howard spent most of his childhood. “My dad used to love to hang out at the studio when I was five or six years old. For years, really, all my life, we would go hangout at the studio—sometimes at night or on weekends when they were doing their sessions. So, I kind of got the studio bug from that,” said Howard.  

    From 1971 to 1974, Howard played guitar in a band for the last few years of high school. “We finished high school in ’72 and hit the road, and the band got very, very busy, and we were staying gone so much,” said Howard. “I didn’t like traveling that much, so I decided to come to Greenville, wanting to get into the studio business.”  

    Howard returned to his family studio business and began working there in the spring of 1977, where his career path in the recording business grew. After a few years, Howard owned three different recording studios and was a consultant in building several others. Howard’s involvement with the Fine Arts Center began when the jazz program director, Steve Watson, asked him for advice on creating a recording studio for the arts magnet school. Howard agreed to assist and continued to help Watson run recording sessions even after completing the studio. Subsequently, Howard played a pivotal role in helping the Fine Arts Center launch its first recording program as an afternoon class in the fall of 2007.  

    Since the development of the program and as the Director of Recording Arts, Howard’s typical workday involves teaching a morning class consisting primarily of younger students as an entry-level course of recording basics and an afternoon class of older students build on their experience in the studio to tackle more complex projects. 

    From Howard’s experience in the recording arts and helping to develop the recording arts program, he offers advice he gives to his current students and upcoming creatives interested in a recording arts path. “Some of the biggest things I try to do with them is teach them how to be self-disciplined, manage projects, manage their time, and just do their best,” said Howard.  

  • Jim Craft

    “The importance of learning the craft, learning the principles and elements of art and design and really understanding how to apply them, cannot be overstated. Design theory ends up being the currency of whether or not you can develop a particular visual way of expressing yourself, whether it’s sculpture, ceramics, architecture or another field.” 

    Jim Craft, who lives in Greenville, was a studio artist for ten years and then transitioned to academia. He was a professor of art at North Greenville University for 16 years and then moved to West Palm Beach, Fla., teaching at Palm Beach Atlantic University for 10 years. He earned his B.A. and M.A. from Bob Jones University and his MFA at Clemson University. 

    About

    As a studio artist, Craft worked in nearly all traditional media, including drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, and printmaking. He marketed ceramics, sculpture, and art to galleries and designed and produced ceramics for the High Point, N.C., furniture market. Craft secured commissions for paintings, murals, and architectural installations, including one at Our Lady of the Rosary in Greenville, S.C. 

    “It was really fun having a studio and being an artist, getting up every day and making stuff, showing my work at exhibitions,” said Craft. “But, it’s just not a realistic long-term goal. Even my friends who were wildly successful as artists had to supplement their income with other things, and it’s good to have those kinds of things in your pocket. So, I wouldn’t discourage anyone from getting a degree in graphic design or advertising or any of the design areas.” 

    Craft had also earned a degree in education, and making the move to academia was the best fit for him and his family. Teaching allowed him to mentor and guide aspiring artists, and the range of their career journeys was vast. 

    “I had students who have ended up in retail and selling in galleries or auction houses, traveling internationally even. Keep your alternatives lined up and be realistic about a career in the arts. You don’t have end up in a studio to stay in the arts. I had a student who ended up being an international buyer of fine rugs from all over Europe and North Africa and the Middle East. She was a painter, and she understood artistic principles and elements. You can focus on that and keep that, but keep a number of alternatives in your pocket just to be more widely marketable. It’s all the same – whether you’re looking at a Persian rug or a really nice ceramic vessel.” 

  • Cole Bullock

    Cole Bullock

    “You just gotta get your feet wet.” 

    Cole Bullock is a Recreation Specialist at Perry Correctional Institution in Greenville, SC, where he runs creative and athletic programs for inmates. With a background in Bible theology and sports and fitness, he sees his work as a form of ethical service fostering discipline and confidence through healthy expression. 

    About

    Cole Bullock didn’t grow up imagining he’d work in a prison, but today he finds deep purpose designing and running recreation and hobby-craft programs for inmates at Perry Correctional Institution in Greenville, SC. A double major in Bible theology and sports and fitness, Bullock says his degree helped him understand why the work matters but not what it would feel like. 

    He works with long-term, often violent offenders, and believes that structured recreation especially creativity and physical fitness leads to better security, better behavior, and even better mental health. “I’m creating confident individuals that exert their energy in a healthy way.” New employees are often stunned by the quality of the art they see inmates produce art that’s photorealistic and precise. “It looks machine-made.” 

  • Daniel Dorriety

    Daniel Dorriety

    “I’ve always had a passion for welding… I’ve always been the kind of person who likes to work with his hands. The more you do, the more you try, the better you get.” 

    Daniel Dorriety is a welder by trade and works at General Electric building gas turbines. He is part of a special process team for repair engineering, focusing on joining development, handling the welding on every part of the gas turbines that get fixed. 

    About

    Daniel Dorriety is a seasoned welder at General Electric, repairing massive turbines with laser precision. His path began in high school, where he took welding at the Golden Strip Career Center and discovered the satisfaction of building something with his own two hands. That experience, paired with an associate’s degree from Greenville Tech, launched a lifelong career in the trades. 

    Today, Dorriety specializes in special process welding a technically demanding role that involves everything from torch repair to laser applications. Off the clock, he runs his own small welding shop and dreams of full-time self-employment. What drives him isn’t just the metal it’s learning. “The more you do, the better you get,” he says. 

    He encourages students interested in trades to explore short-term training programs like Arc labs, and to stay open-minded about alternative paths. Welding isn’t just about physical skill, he says it requires patience, communication, and constant adaptation. Whether it’s collaborating with engineers or mentoring newcomers, Dorriety takes pride in the craft and the community behind it. 

  • Matteo Miles

    Matteo Miles

    “Take yourself seriously, and others will too.”  

    Matteo Miles is a professional muralist based in Greenville, SC. Known for large-scale, hyper-realistic public art, he blends creative talent with a strong business sense. Miles believes in creating work that speaks for itself and builds community along the way. 

    About

    Matteo Miles built a career from scratch literally by picking up a paintbrush and offering to finish a mural that had been abandoned at the hotel where he bartended. That spark ignited a career now filled with large-scale murals across the region for clients like Starbucks and local businesses. 

    A graduate of Greenville Tech and the Fine Arts Center, Miles knew from a young age that art was his calling. “I always wanted to do something creative,” he says. But the transition from sketchbook to scaffolding wasn’t easy. He learned to price his work fairly, navigate contracts, and build stamina for long painting days. His advice? “Take yourself seriously, and others will too.” 

    Miles now completes multiple mural projects a month and approaches each one with both artistic vision and professional discipline. His work is deeply tied to place celebrating community stories, local icons, and shared identity. “You’re creating something that lives in people’s everyday world,” he says. 

    For young artists, he recommends gaining both technical and physical readiness. “You’ll be on your knees, on ladders, in heat or cold,” he says with a laugh. But the results? They’re unforgettable. 

      

  • Laura Ybarra-Kane

    Laura Ybarra-Kane

    “You have to be very, very comfortable with making mistakes.” 

    Laura Ybarra-Kane, a native of Columbia, South Carolina, services as the Manager of Education and Interpretation Planning at the South Carolina State Museum. She holds an Anthropology of Education in Museum Studies degree from the University of South Carolina.  

    About

    Laura Ybarra-Kane discovered her passion and career path at a young age. When visiting family in San Antonio at age four, Kane remembered walking into the planetarium and hearing Star Trek’s Captain Picard speak to her. She was in awe. She remembered, “I went into this planetarium and was like this is it! This is what I want to do, this is amazing.”  

    From then on, Kane kept her passion throughout her school journey to follow the path that would lead her to a career in museums. When transitioning to college, Kane went with the mindset of wanting to be able to work in museums, but she didn’t have a clear understanding of the field. “I went into college with many different majors, but I ended up landing on the Anthropology of Education and Museum Studies,” said Kane.  

    After receiving her degree from the University of South Carolina, Kane began volunteering at her current job, the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia. As a volunteer, Kane gave tours and worked with the curating team for six months before being hired part-time. For five years, Kane traveled with a portable planetarium, teaching students the wonders of astrology, before transitioning to the EdVenture Children’s Museum, also in Columbia. After five years with EdVenture, learning and working within schools, Kane returned to the South Carolina State Museum as Manager of Education and Interpretation Planning.  

    As Manager, Kane has many different duties and responsibilities, and so her typical workday includes wearing many different hats. As an interpreter, she observes how individuals interact with each exhibit within the museum and how they interpret the space they are in. As management of education, Kane assists with all things that involve teaching. “We do all things education and inspiring wonder,” said Kane. Additionally, Kane oversees all accessibility efforts at the museum and serves as the liaison for South Carolina on education resources. 

    Among all her work and experience, the project she is most proud of at EdVenture was opening the first Makerspace in South Carolina. “That one stands out with me as the first time I got to do a lot of experience and a lot of mistakes,” said Kane. She also offers advice to upcoming creatives interested in a career within the museum field: “Just try it, see what you like because you never know what you might find.”  

    https://scmuseum.org/visit/accessibility-mornings
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