Creating Across Georgia with Kevin Bongang
Not knowing your niche at the beginning of your entrepreneurial journey isn’t uncommon amongst new business owners. For Kevin Bongang, continuing his education helped him discover where his passion lay. This was the first step of many in creating a successful business as a multiservice artist.
Bongang was born in Cameroon, West Africa, and raised in Savannah, Georgia. His first dream job was that of a bird watcher; growing up, he would compare the birds back in Cameroon to the ones native to his new home in Georgia. Inspired by the beauty of the natural world, he began to express his observations through sketching and painting. Uncovering his artistic talents influenced his decision to study art over ornithology. He pursued an education at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) to continue growing his artistic talents. Bongang acquired his BFA and MFA (Illustration) in 2009 and 2013. There he learned to develop his signature style as an artist, but if you look closely, you can often see his love of birds and nature expressed in his work.
YouTube videos and the social media pages of artists Bongang looked up to, served as research in the first stage of exploring the art of murals. The next stage of implementation is where Bongang’s determination shined, he created murals and held art shows at local businesses, building mutually beneficial relationships and his portfolio. Bongang has now worked with major brands all over the country; some of our favorites are Georgia-based Spanx, Mellow Mushroom, MARTA, Jamba Juice, and the TPA Group. In our interview with Bongang, we asked what advice he would give to a designer, artist, or any business owner just starting; here’s what he had to say:
- Having a support system or someone who believes in your dreams makes a world of difference.
- Research and learn from the blueprint laid out by the people that inspire you.
- Stay involved in your community; you never know who you will meet or what you might learn.
- Build relationships. Having a mentor and reaching out to other people in your field can open the door to incredible opportunities.
“I can’t believe I get to make a living doing art. I feel like everyone has a creative side, it just might be suppressed, I want my work to be the vessel that brings it out.”
We had the opportunity to sit down and have a virtual interview with Kevin Bongang, watch the video below to see some of our favorite moments.
Take some of Bongang’s advice using the resources on Grow Georgia. You can connect in your community by attending an upcoming business networking event in your region. Also, finding a great mentor is easier than you think. SCORE mentors are the Country's largest network of professional mentors and operate chapters across Georgia/ Find a SCORE mentor and similar programs by visiting our page on Certifications & Trainings.
We also encourage you to enjoy Bongang's art at his website or connect with him on Instagram.
This article was written by Carley Saul, Georgia Power Social Media Intern. Carley is a recent graduate from the University of Georgia, receiving her bachelor's degree in Public Relations. She is passionate about helping all of its citizens and communities prosper in her home state of Georgia.