Connection Happens Episode 6

Artist and visual storyteller A.J. Spitz joins Christian Hurst for a wide-ranging conversation about creativity, virality, identity, faith, and what it means to make work that genuinely connects with people. A.J. reflects on the rapid growth of his audience, what happens when millions of people suddenly encounter your work, and why virality hasn’t fundamentally changed the person behind it. The conversation explores the insecurities that can accompany increased attention, the difference between validation and connection, and the challenge of finding your own voice while creating in public. They also dig into storytelling as a means of survival, the role faith and personal growth play in A.J.’s work, and how the isolation of the pandemic reshaped his relationship with creativity and community. A.J. shares why discomfort can be essential to growth and why meaningful art often depends on conflict, observation, and an ability to notice the details other people overlook. Along the way, A.J. reveals some of the thinking behind his distinctive stop sign imagery, his hopes for future collaborations, and why slowing down long enough to reflect may be one of the most important things an artist—or anyone else—can do in an increasingly fast-moving world. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit christianhurst.substack.com (https://christianhurst.substack.com?u...)