Campbell Walker, AKA Struthless - Artist
Campbell Walker aka Struthless is an artist who cleverly combines art with political and social humour.
Struthless website: http://www.struthless.com
Struthless on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/struthless69
Verbatim from the transcripts — each quote links to the moment.
“People really care a lot about both money and cocaine.”
“The work leads to that, as opposed to the other way around.”
“I don't think I want to put any more toxicity out in the world. And I think I've done enough.”
“You're never as bad or as good as they say you are.”
“Maybe if I die, my art will get bigger.”
“The delusion helps battle, for me, nihilism, which I think is a more realistic place to end up on than optimistically putting out content to connect with people.”
“I don't know, I, I'm definitely not high art, but I would love to piss them off and one day be in one of those galleries. That's bucket list shit.”
How do you build a sustainable creative career/brand?
Pick a single image or medium and repeat it every single day rather than jumping between different creative projects; consistency, not raw creativity, is what actually builds a career and eventually reveals your style.
How do you manage the overwhelming opportunities that come with online success?
You can't say yes to everything — only commit to the really big opportunities, because saying yes to all of them will take over your whole life.
How do you find a therapist if you've had bad experiences with mental health professionals before?
Lower your expectations and standards rather than searching for a perfect match — accept you might not gel with everyone, so when you do find someone you connect with it feels like a bonus.
Walker's first video to reach a million views compared the cost of doing five bags of cocaine in Australia versus flying to Mexico for the weekend; a viewer later claimed (via a screenshot) to have actually done it.
Walker drew constantly as a kid until an art teacher harshly dismissed his work, causing him to stop drawing for a decade until he started copying a stoner housemate's drawings for fun.
While working in sculptor Mark Shatner's studio, Walker was told that art is about building a 'brand in someone else's head' through consistency, not pure creativity. Shatner told him to pick one image and medium; Walker chose ibises he saw in Hyde Park and drew them daily for a year, eventually evolving the drawings into comic strips with jokes.
Walker made a satirical 'bro science' documentary claiming vegans get better ecstasy highs, intending it as a shitpost; it drew praise from some vegans but provoked death threats from angry 'bro science' meatheads.
Walker revealed long-held childhood trauma to his mother and fiancée, which prompted his mother to recommend a therapist; he began sessions, used Australia's mental health care plan for subsidised visits, and is now considering medication.
While trying to sell old clothes on Facebook, Walker wrote a sarcastic post about adopting a minimalist nomadic lifestyle. A journalist friend interviewed him for a genuine story and he kept the bit going, publicly trashing his agency coworkers as 'yuppie scum'; it became a front-page News.com.au story, enraging his workplace, and he quit soon after.
Drawn from the episode transcripts.
After a 10-year break from drawing following harsh criticism from a school art teacher, he restarted by copying a stoner housemate's drawings for fun. A mentor, sculptor Mark Shatner, then advised him to pick one image and medium and repeat it daily; Walker chose to draw ibises every day for a year, which evolved into the comic-style illustrations and jokes that built his Instagram following.
From episode 548→After disclosing childhood trauma to his mother and fiancée, he started therapy (found via a personal referral), used Australia's mental health care plan to get subsidised sessions, cried through early sessions, and was recently told by his therapist that medication could help him, though he remains hesitant about it.
From episode 548→As a satirical joke, he posted a sarcastic 'minimalist lifestyle' rant on Facebook while trying to sell old clothes. A journalist friend interviewed him for a genuine minimalism story, and he kept the bit going, publicly trashing his 'yuppie' coworkers on the front page of News.com.au, which led to him being called into a meeting and quitting soon after.
From episode 548→Mentioned on 1 episode Campbellwasn’t on.
Every episode featuring Campbell Walker on The Daily Talk Show.
