Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon Forward.
Hi Brandon, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
You know how some people say, “I’ve been doing this all my life”? Well, in my case, I’ve literally been practicing since before I could walk.
When I was about six months old, my dad was attending Texas Southern University and teaching art part-time at the YMCA. Whenever he couldn’t find a babysitter, he’d bring me along. He’d lay down a massive sheet of paper, hand me a brush or a crayon, and just let me go crazy. I definitely wasn’t creating masterpieces back then, but the spark was lit—and I simply never stopped.
As I grew, my skills naturally progressed. Throughout grade school, I always signed up for art classes. For me, it was a guaranteed A, but honestly, it didn’t matter if I was in an art room or a history class—I was always drawing. Sketching actually helped me focus and lock in on what the teachers were saying. To this day, some of my absolute best work comes when I’m surrounded by noise. It’s like the chaos around me fades into static, and my mind entirely zones in on bringing my vision to life. Growing up, my art won a ridiculous number of awards and gained a lot of recognition. Between my artwork and my infectious smile, it quickly became what I was known for. 😁
My only real struggle early on was that I didn’t realize how unique this gift was. Because creating came so naturally to me, I took it for granted and didn’t fully see the value in my talent. If I had, I probably would have made a few different decisions as a young man. I made some mistakes back then that cost me my freedom for a while. But I’m a firm believer that beauty can grow from the darkest places. They say it takes 10,000 hours to truly master a craft. During my time away, I put in those hours twice over. It was a period of intense focus that elevated my skills to an entirely new level.
Stepping into adulthood, I finally recognized the power of my gift and decided to build on it. I expanded my reach beyond traditional drawing and painting, mastering the art of tattooing and large-scale murals. That evolution led to the birth of Artshow713—a creative company specializing in custom art pieces, high-end tattoos, murals, custom apparel, and brand merchandise. We’ve been growing steadily for several years now. To take things a step further, I also have a book coming out soon, which is a curated showcase of my artwork and journey over the years.
For me, art is so much more than a career or a passion—it is my place of peace. It keeps me grounded, cool, and calm, even when the world around me feels like it’s on fire. There is nothing quite like watching how my work moves people and sparks genuine emotion. To be able to share that feeling with others is a beautiful thing.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth road at all. But even when the path got rough, it remained a constant journey of sharpening my skills, which ultimately paved the way for the business opportunities I have today.
As I mentioned, because I didn’t recognize the true power of my gift early on, I didn’t rely on my art to carve out my path. Instead, I got caught up in the streets and the drug trade, which eventually cost me my freedom for several years.
But beauty can always find a way to grow out of dark situations. I chose to spend the vast majority of my time behind walls locked into my craft. Without access to the internet, reference photos, or the everyday visual resources most artists rely on, I had to learn how to create entirely from my own mind. I had to build a mental library of the world. Once you truly master the geometry of shapes, the behavior of light, and the depth of shading, you don’t need a photograph to guide you—your mind becomes the camera.
So, while my physical freedom was temporarily on pause, my creative vision became boundless. I walked out of that experience with a level of skill and discipline that nobody could ever take away from me, and that is the exact foundation Artshow713 was built on.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize primarily in pencil, pen and ink, and acrylic paint. While I work with a variety of mediums, these are the three where I’ve put in the tens of thousands of hours required to achieve true mastery. But the beautiful thing about art is that it’s like the sum of the world’s knowledge—the more you study and practice, the more you realize it’s impossible to ever fully master it all. It is a lifelong devotion.
Beyond fine art, I’ve translated these skills into large-scale murals, custom tattoo work, and apparel design through Artshow713.
Stylistically, I am known for a contemporary, realistic approach. Because of my past circumstances—where I had to learn to create entirely from memory and imagination without visual aids—I developed a unique ability to pull vivid, detailed scenes straight from my mind. Today, I use reference materials to speed up my workflow, but that foundational, raw style of translating pure thought to canvas is already permanently baked into my DNA.
What I am most proud of is overcoming the obstacles life has thrown my way. I took a heavy past and channeled it into a passion that sustains me mentally, financially, and spiritually. Even better, it has allowed me to use my platform to give back and inspire others.
What sets me apart from everyone else is the understanding that art is ultimately an individual sport. My only real competition is the man in the mirror. Sure, there will always be artists who can shade, blend, or paint differently than I do, but absolutely no one can create what I create. Others might be able to duplicate my work, but duplication is not creation. True creation comes from nothing. I am a creator, and there is only one me.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
My favorite book of all time is Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Even though the primary focus of the book is on wealth building, the real, raw knowledge to take from it is simpler and much more profound: you are whatever you consistently believe you are. If you lock in the belief that you are elite and you begin moving, thinking, and executing as such, in due time, you will become exactly that.
The exact same rule applies to the opposite mindset. I see it every single day. Think about the most exceptional, high-achieving person you know—they weren’t born that way. It took time, dedication, and years of consistent, daily work to get to that level. On the flip side, the worst, most unsuccessful person you know didn’t get there overnight either; they put time, dedication, and consistency into being a loser. Excellence and failure are both habits. You simply have to make a conscious decision in your mind about which one you want to be, practice it daily, and the outcome becomes inevitable.
To keep that fire lit and constantly push my own boundaries, I’ve also surrounded myself with other heavy hitters. Becoming a part of the Houston Art Curators group has been a massive catalyst for my growth. I am competitive by nature, and being in the room with a group of incredibly talented, hungry local artists has forced me to constantly level up and go hard. It’s a beautiful thing when your community doesn’t let you get comfortable. It keeps you sharp, keeps you humble, and keeps you hungry.
Pricing:
- Pricing is discussed in private.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.arthow713.com
- Instagram: https://Www.instagram.com/artshow713
- LinkedIn: https://Www.linked.com/in/brandonforward
