Today we’d like to introduce you to Jesse Valdez
Hi Jesse, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started Bush Dog Creative in July of 2023. The initial motivation for the company was to serve as a creative outlet and a side job which, hopefully, brought in a little extra income. Growing up I drew quite a bit and took art classes throughout middle school and high school. I never thought too much of it, especially since being an “artist” for a living isn’t generally something that too much weight is placed behind. However, I’ve always felt the need to exercise creativity, whether it be through listening to and playing music, trying to write songs, or being drawn to movies.
When I initially launched Bush Dog Creative, I started really in more of the graphic design realm with modifying pictures I took of buildings around town or sourced from free stock photo sites. One day, I stumbled upon an illustrator’s channel on YouTube and it opened up a whole new world for me. I didn’t realize what was capable with an iPad and creating digital art, nor had I considered the various purposes for which you could design – merchandise, signage, branding, etc. Once I picked up a digital pencil and started drawing again, everything seemed to connect for me since it was an avenue of creating that I was already familiar and comfortable with. Things progressed rather naturally from there.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Eerily, it has been rather smooth, which makes it all feel a little untrustworthy – as though I’m waiting for it all to fall apart. Perhaps that hits on a bit of an unconventional struggle people often have – imposter syndrome. It’s as though I’m waiting for someone to tell me that I actually can’t draw and, once they point it out, everyone else is going to realize it, too. Or, another way it manifests itself is when I’m having difficulty piecing a design together. I start to think to myself, “You’ve just gotten lucky with all the designs before – you really don’t have any talent.”
However, on the opposite side of imposter syndrome I find, ironically, help from the very thing I’m afraid of – people. Having the opportunity to design things that people find joy in or get excited about is really encouraging. It’s such a satisfying feeling to deliver a product to someone that they are genuinely excited about and can’t wait to reveal!
All that to say, I’ve really been encouraged by the relationships I’ve built and the people I get to work alongside. I also have a wonderful wife and children that serve as a great source of support. Of course, none of that would matter, in my opinion, without a bedrock of something greater, which for me is my faith. I believe in a God who loves us and has given us gifts to honor Him and build one another up. This is a constant for me in a world that is always changing.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I create art as a illustrator/designer. What this means is that I draw illustrations, primarily digitally, that then serve as the basis for some type of design product. For me, this has typically resulted in t-shirt designs, stickers, and logos/branding. Essentially, I design for things that I enjoy – a fun t-shirt or hat, a cool sticker, an interesting logo/brand.
In my short time, I’ve had a few opportunities I’m proud of. One is the artwork for the official 2024 Wurstfest stein. Wurstfest is a big festival here in New Braunfels that is rooted in German heritage. It’s a 10-day event that draws a couple hundred thousand people. For this event, I also created a design for my own company to sell as a t-shirt, hat pin, and sticker through The Local – a boutique clothing and gift shop here in town. We moved quite a bit of those and I was pretty thrilled with the response. I’ve also designed a t-shirt for the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo – that one has yet to drop, but I’m VERY excited about it!
Any big plans?
Right now my focus is on growing as an artist, building out my portfolio, and continuing to expand my client list. I have some fun projects on my list that I’m excited about – one for The City of New Braunfels, a couple of branding projects, and I’ve been invited back to design the artwork for the 2025 Wurstfest stein, which I’m really grateful for!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bushdogcreative
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bushdogcreative
- Other: https://bushdogcreative.etsy.com
