Today we’d like to introduce you to Camden Noir
Hi Camden, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
In 2006, I began collecting artwork on Priority Mail labels from the post office and compiled them into a scanned collection. With enough labels to fill multiple books, I shopped the idea around to publishers and Label 228: a street art project was released in 2009.
I immediately started working on the second book, and spent 12 years trying to get it published, but the industry had changed. Publishers were closing their doors faster. Agents were inaccessible and editors kept the phone off of the hook.
Instead of continuing to knock on random doors hoping someone would answer, I built my own house and created the work myself. I collected the work, formatted it, printed it, and marketed it.
Will it become successful? Time will tell.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
For more than a decade, the book was rejected. I was told it was because similar works were already in the process of being published, or that I didn’t have a large enough social media following. This was in 2011, when social media was in its infancy. Unless you were Tom from MySpace, or Tila Tequila, there weren’t many social media celebrities back then, so the excuse of not having an online presence was tough to hear.
I tried to bring the book to publishers personally at book stores and conventions, but they were “unavailable.”
I felt the work needed to be seen, and I felt helpless at every turn so I used my own resources to print the book.
Now come the problems with promotion and marketing, especially with such a small social media following.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I recently gave up a career in tattooing to become a full-time writer. That’s half the story, but I’ll save that for a later time. Writing is something I’ve wanted to do since grade school, but never dedicated myself to the craft so that I could focus on other things.
When I’m not writing, I am working as a full time sculptor artist and “stay in bed dog dad,” to my beautiful Australian Shepard.
Currently, I am working on a series of sculptures using little, green, army men as the medium. I glue them together to create larger pieces, typically with an ironic nod to the military.
The sculpture that I am most proud of, so far, is the large, pink, peace sign made out of the small toys. With the base, the sculpture will be about 7’ tall when completed, and will be the largest of the series.
What makes you happy?
When I find out what happiness is, I will follow-up with the appropriate answer. Until then, I will continue searching.
Pricing:
- $25 through the retailer for Label 228: a street art project.
- $40 for unsigned copies of Label 228: Volume 2
- $55 for signed copies
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Camdenoir.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/label228project/
- Other: https://Label228.substack.com
