JD Bills used to sell water softeners. Now, the artist's design is our arts guide cover
Caught up in a corporate job that paid the bills but starved his creative spirit, JD Bills decided he needed an escape plan.
The 41-year-old Avon native knew he was meant to be an artist. He spent his childhood drawing Looney Tunes for his classmates and putting cartoons to canvas. Bills was good at it — great, even — and he loved to create. Selling water softeners, he concluded, wasn’t going to cut it.
“I’ve got to figure out how to get out of here, or I’m going to be stuck,” Bills thought.
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Little by little, Bills built a business. He worked on commissions when he could and started a wine and canvas business on the side, keeping his full-time job until he’d established himself enough to put in his two weeks.
Now, he’s a full-time artist with pieces all over Indianapolis, including the cover of IndyStar’s Fall Arts Guide. The design pays tribute to iconic Indy landmarks and celebrates the city that embraced Bills on his artistic journey.
After his exit from the corporate world, Bills headed back to school, enrolling at Ivy Tech and earning an associate degree in fine arts. He pursued a bachelor’s in fine arts at Herron School of Art and Design at IUPUI and graduated in 2015. Three years later, Bills would begin to transition to a permanent art career, making a name for himself with his colorful and dynamic pieces.
Customers and visitors of all ages took note of the playful influences in Bills’ work. His portfolio, which consists mostly of pieces in the pop art style, boasts vibrant animals, bright characters and other vivid designs — all inspirations from the joy he felt painting as a kid.
“Sometimes it’s just about play,” Bills said. “It’s therapy just to experiment.”
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Bills combined that youthful wonder with his business savvy to cement himself in the art scene. He’s worked on projects for institutions like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indy Urban Acres and showcased his pieces at the Fountain Square Arts Fair, Indy Pop Con, the Indiana State Fair and more.
Those connections have even taken him to the walls of Gainbridge Fieldhouse. That giant mural depicting a basketball player in shooting position while a shot clock counts down behind him — that’s Bills’.
He’s found success here because the city encourages its artists, he said. People from Indianapolis love Indianapolis, Bills said, and his designs dedicated to local landmarks and scenery have been a hit.
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The arts guide cover references Monument Circle and nods to other local spots on the periphery. Bills wanted to include as many familiar sights as he could: People love their city, and he wanted to put that on display.
“What I wanted to do was create something iconic,” he said. “It’s a common theme that people in Indianapolis enjoy.”
Landing the cover is the latest in a laundry list of accomplishments in Bills’ burgeoning career. In addition to a number of commissioned pieces and art show appearances, he’s also spearheaded his own festival — Artist Takeover in Fountain Square. This year’s event will take place in October, and all commission proceeds will be donated to charity.
With a passion and drive that hasn’t slowed since his days in the cubicle, Bills said this is just the beginning.
“I don’t think I could not create,” he said. “In my mind, this is just the tip of the iceberg.”
Contact Pulliam Fellow Heather Bushman at HBushman@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @hmb_1013.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: JD Bills found his passion, quit his day job, makes Indy-inspired art
