Today we’d like to introduce you to Leason Beckford Jr.
Hi Leason, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
My journey started on the beautiful Caribbean island of Jamaica. I came to the United States at the age of six. During that transition, watching cartoons became my source of entertainment. I would watch classic 90’s shows like Batman, Captain Planet, Looney Tunes, Tom & Jerry, and The Jetsons. So my love for drawing started when I learned to trace cartoon characters from coloring books.
As I got older, my passion for drawing grew as well. If it was paper and I could get my hands on it, I would draw on it. I remember taking an art class during my sophomore year of high school. Some of the techniques I learned in that class blew me away. From there, I knew I didn’t want to be anything else but an artist. I also wanted to visit New York City because I learned it was one of the meccas for art.
As time passed, my love for drawing led me to the world of graphic design. I enrolled in Valencia Community College (now Valencia College) to pursue my Associates of Science in Graphic Design, but that only lasted one semester. After that, I decided to move to New York City to pursue what I thought I knew about graphic design.
Unfortunately, New York City was much more fast pace and aggressive. So before I returned to Orlando, I decided to join the military. I needed the money, discipline, and whatever technical skills I could gain. So in 2011, I joined the United States Marine Corps. Even with the lifestyle as a Marine, my passion for art never went away. I would always split my time between family and design during my downtime.
After dealing with a few injuries, I was medically discharged and had the opportunity to head back to New York for a second time. But this time around, I decided to take my interest in art more seriously, so I attended the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in Manhattan. My time at SVA exposed me to the vast world of design. I was able to take classes from live drawing, painting, sculpting, typography, graphic design, motion, and many more.
During my time at SVA, I had the opportunity to intern at two organizations. The first was PROVE (Project for Return and Opportunity in Veterans Education), a non-profit focused on helping veterans smoothly transition into student life. The second was Hachette Book Group/Grand Central Publishing, a leading US trade publisher and a division of the world’s third-largest trade and educational book publisher.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design, I was ready to hit the ground running, but life had other plans. My wife was tired of the New York City life and wanted a change. So we decided to move our family back to Orlando. While preparing to relocate, I came across an internship with the Orlando Magic. I applied and was hired for the 2018 – 2019 season, which happened to be their 30th Anniversary. That experience was a fast-paced and engaging head dive into the sports industry. I had the opportunity to work on graphics and animation displayed throughout the arena. From the content to the players, this experience was one for the books.
The journey continued when I pivoted to their NBA2K team (Magic Gaming), which allowed me to freelance. I was responsible for building their seasonal and promotional graphics for social media. I had some autonomy because I had to develop new concepts. It was a great experience because I witnessed the development of the NBA2K league. From there, I got more freelance opportunities. One of the biggest ones was working with Vivid Zero, a start-up agency in California.
Vivid Zero’s environment fostered the evolution of my design capabilities. I was able to work on various projects that were focused on in-depth research and development. Our clientele included Showtime, ABC News, Black News Channel (BNC), NBC Universal, PUBG, America’s Most Wanted (AMW), etc. That experience lasted over a year. Unfortunately, in December of 2021, I had to take some time off due to a prolonged back injury.
These days I have learned to modify how I pursue my art. Because of my back injury, I can’t sit at the computer desk for too long, so I’m limited to doing personal work on my iPad. This pivot has opened the door for me to explore more of my digital art. I see my digital art as a form of therapy, especially through treatment for my back injury. As this journey progresses, I continue to work on my digital art and the next phase of my career.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
No, the road was not smooth. From joining the military to art school, those transitions came with their own set of challenges.
When I decided to join the military, I had to prepare my mind for the rigid experiences that the Marine Corps brought. After getting out of the military, I had to prepare my mind for civilian life once again. The struggle was detoxing from the military while maneuvering through school with a family.
My most recent struggle is with my back injury. I have been learning how to adjust and live with chronic pain.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a graphic designer and a digital artist. I have a strong passion for experimental design and logo design. One of my favorite parts of being a graphic designer is the creative process. I love taking the client’s idea and bringing it to life.
I am proud of the body of work that I’ve produced, especially my digital art. I love experimenting with dramatic abstract painterly forms. What sets me apart as an artist is my work ethic and ability to challenge myself.
Once committed to a project, I like to see it through from start to finish. I investigate inside and outside the art field for new ideas because I view the world as an imaginary playground.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson I’ve learned along my journey is that learning never stops, from discovering new techniques to staying on top of industry trends. I realized that the willingness to learn plays a pivotal role in evolving as a creative individual.
Contact Info:
- Email: mail@lbeckford.com
- Website: https://lbeckford.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lbeckford/
