It is no use being a jack-of-all-trades but a master at none. Bruce Fields, however, defies that notion. As a multi-talented artist, Fields dips his feet and swims in a variety of creative pools. From photography and videography to advertising and marketing, Bruce Fields is a creative extraordinaire. With his persistent attitude and “all or nothing” mindset, Fields stops at nothing to get his creative voice heard.

Image by Bruce Fields

“Some people have one ladder and climb to the top, I have several.”

A Richmond native, Fields’s main motive is to represent his city and contribute to its wildly creative art mecca. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, Fields holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing; however, his skill set ranges in a number of different areas. A self-proclaimed “marketing, advertising, and branding advocate,” Fields uses his creative eye to guide his experiences. “I like being well-rounded,” he explains. “Having all of these different experiences prepares me for the next job. It’s good to be versatile.” Having different interests, however, is not always advantageous in the job market. The challenge he faced when starting out in the job market was applying his marketing degree at an advertising firm. “The hard part was not getting my foot to the door, but actually getting my foot inside.” Many businesses did not view his degree in marketing as an asset. “I applied to thousands of advertising firms,” he says. “Some even in Toronto.” Things looked up for Fields when he applied to an unpaid advertising boot camp internship program in Texas. He did not get the position but the rejection proved beneficial. After keeping in touch with the program director, Fields was advised to apply for internship in Atlanta, Georgia. As a direct result of this advice, Fields was offered a position as an intern and later employment. Thus, this meant he would be working alongside the program director of the internship in Texas instead of under him. “Everything happens for a reason,” he says.

Image by Bruce Fields

As a creative individual, individuality and artistic freedom is an important part of the employment seeking process. Luckily for Fields, his job allows him to be that. “I enjoy the fact that I do not have to wear a suit and tie every day. I’ve never had a job where I had to wear a suit and tie and I don’t plan on having one either.” Another exciting aspect about his career is the opportunity to try different things and work as a creative expert in a variety of fields. “I can say that throughout my career, I’ve worked for a professional football team, ran an online magazine, and worked for a top advertising company producing television and radio commercials that I actually saw airing during the Superbowl.” His ability to work in different areas proves his varied interest to be beneficial.

Image by Bruce Fields

Despite his current success and achievements, Fields does not forget where he came from. As Richmond has progressed throughout the years and the art scene becomes more established, Fields works hard to help Richmond to be perceived on a grand scale in a positive light. “I’ve been in Richmond for 22 years and I still find stuff that I’ve never seen before. It’s refreshing.” Currently, Fields is working as a freelance photographer and videographer. He is also working on several projects with Richmond artists and creative such as Earl Mack and the Chilalay crew. “I go to different festivals and events not to be seen, but to bring awareness to what is happening in our backyard.”

Image by Bruce Fields

Being a creative individual means delving into different areas and exploring many different interests. For Fields, he managed to find balance between all of his endeavors. “Some people have one ladder and climb to the top, I have several.” To other like-minded individuals, Fields offers the advice of taking risk. “Be afraid of not trying,” he says. “Some people go to school for four years for a certain major and end up doing something completely different with their lives. If you’re happy then that’s perfectly fine.

 INTERVIEW BY: M-Lifestyle’s Richard Long

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