Erik Wahl an Inspiration

How does Erik Wahl combine his worlds of graffiti art and business? How does he shift from being an artistic iconoclast and into the corporate lecture circuit? How is he in-demand as one of the most requested speakers in the world on the subjects of creativity, change, leadership and the psychology of performance?

This is his story.

At an early age, Erik was told by his well-meaning teacher that “art was not his strength”. Being a disciplined student, Erik listened. He put down his crayons and paintbrushes and did not pick them up again for another 20 years. In the meantime, he studied hard and learned to play by the rules. Erik concluded, like most, that strong grades, a solid college education and a good conservative corporate job with predictable growth would be sufficient.
But after 10 years in the corporate world, Erik could sense his talents were wasting away inside of him. However, it wasn’t until he lost everything that he came to find himself. A heartbreaking death to everything that he had worked so hard to achieve was the birth of his story.
Playing it safe was no longer an option. It was time to get drastic.
In a time of self-reflection, frustration and anger, he became determined to break free from the addiction of security that had lulled the passionate version of himself to sleep. By intentionally going against the grain of this addiction, Erik’s early artist was re-awakened. He poured himself into his own new ideas, writings and art with reckless abandon and spent his free time in the art community. In other words, Art became his rehab.
But Erik also quickly discovered that the artist community also had limitations and was equally as frustrating. Although most artists had incredible ideas and vision, they lacked the practical application to create a business of actionable substance. They did not have the tools or training to make a living. Their vision did not translate and often succumbed to the cliché of being secluded because the world did not understand their incredible vision.
Then came the epiphany: we are all capable of so much more than we have been preconditioned for. There is tremendous unexplored potential that exists by combining our analytical mind and our natural creative abilities. Shortly thereafter, The Art of Vision was born. Fearlessly determined to break through the system, Erik and his wife, Tasha, created a company capable of “setting the captives of corporate america free” from the same robotic mind-numbing path to which he had previously fallen prey.
His career skyrocketed! Passion! Profit! Over 14 countries, 500,000+ audience members, and most importantly, the freedom to play by his own rules!

Erik Wahl is not a pretty picture of figuring out the system. He and Tasha are the chainsaw breaking through the system and not stopping until they create a new and better version. He is now one of the most sought-after speakers in the world on the corporate lecture circuit, but he has retained the raw, unbridled passion of his arts to channel his ideas in a fresh and entertaining way. The rest of his story is yet to happen, but it continues to grow each and every day.
Erik has dedicated his life to his passions, one of which is to unshackle you from those similar chains that have, at one point or another, previously held each of us down. Art is far more than a finished product; Art is a new way to view the world. He wants to remind you to never give up seeking the art of vision you have inside of you. He wants to tell you that whatever well-meaning lie you were told as a child that crushed your dreams simply wasn’t true.
…because you are an Artist.
Also if you are using this to help sell the paintings you can use any part of this to help raise understanding of the value of the art
Can Art Change the World?
At each performance, Erik donates two of his paintings to the company who hired him. Erik recommends that the company can hang the artwork in their offices as a reminder of his performance or auction off the paintings for a charitable cause of their choice. What started off as a nice gesture 10 years ago has turned into a powerhouse of impact! After doing the math, The Wahl Group can announce they have raised over $1,500,000 for charitable foundations and associations around the world through the auctioning of Erik’s artwork.
Erik chooses not sell any of his artwork on the commercial market to ensure he is able to escalate the value for his clients and the charitable organizations they donate to. In fact, he recently performed at an XPrize Gala event in San Francisco, and his live performance painting of Steve Jobs was auctioned for $27,500 for the XPrize Foundation.
A recent interview quoted Erik as saying, “I know it sounds crazy, but I have never wanted to sell or commoditize my art. The payout has never been about dollars, but about making an impact on the world. I am delighted that the art has raised good money for great causes.”

• $1,500,000Number of dollars raised by Erik's artwork for charitable organizations around the world!
• 500,000People who have watched Erik paint work for charitable causes!
• $27,500Amount raised for charity to purchase a Steve Jobs portrait at an XPrize event in 2011!
• 1,235Estimated number of pieces of artwork auctioned off for for charitable causes!
• 14Number of countries Erik has painted in where work was auctioned off for charitable causes!
• 1Erik Wahl.