Courtesy of Ike Wynter.
Ike Wynter (@ike_wynter) is a Milwaukee-based wood artist known for creating sustainable art using reclaimed, unpainted wood found on streets and dumpsters. It started as a hobby, but after going viral on social media during the pandemic, he now creates custom pieces for major clients like Mike Tyson, Crayola and the NFL.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
Shruti Singh: Talk me through your creator journey. When did you start as a wood artist and then when did you start content creation based on that?
Ike Wynter: I randomly stumbled upon this art form in 2016. It started as a hobby, and then I noticed TikTok becoming a thing, like 2019 or 2020. I didn't really know what I was getting myself into. I was like, "Can a wood artist journey exist on this platform?” But it was cool because no one knew who I was, so no one knew anything to expect. It was just a clean slate and a fresh opportunity to pursue my art as a hobby there. And the funny thing is, it was never meant to be a career.
My first viral video was when I built a piece of art for Mike Tyson. I teased that I was building a piece of art for a celebrity that everyone in the world knew, and that video just took off, cause everyone was trying to guess who it was. And then, yeah, there were a handful of moments — the SpongeBob piece was one of them — and then the Crayola box was the thing that really took off and went viral on social media. Everything changed from there.
SS: Wood art is — especially the type that you do — inherently nostalgic just because of the fact that you repurpose material, and a lot of your best-performing videos — SpongeBob, Crayola box — tap into this nostalgia and childhood memories. Why do you think that resonates so well on social media?
IW: I think people are just yearning for simplicity, and they're so attached to childhood. So many of my generation, they're in this adult life and in a family life with kids, and if they're scrolling on an app and see something from their childhood, it kind of makes them pause for a second and take a second look at what they're watching and viewing.
SS: An occupational hazard that any artist has is burnout or artist's block. Would you say being a creator intensifies that at all?
IW: You know, there are moments of having burnout as a content creator and an artist, but I would say it always comes with a perspective of, "I get to do this for a living." And as much as I would like to say it's frustrating sometimes, I literally get to cut wood and listen to music and post videos on the internet for a living. I just think it's a huge blessing. I can't really get too stuck in the rut of looking down at the couple of cons of doing it. It's everything I ever wished for and hoped for.
SS: On making a living, because your work is so time-intensive, how do you balance having that versus the financial reality of being a creator? What does your monetization strategy look like?
IW: I come from a family of entrepreneurs and risk-takers, so there'd be no other way that I would like to live. I'm the least money-driven person you've ever met. As long as I have enough to keep my lights on and have a studio here and get a cup of coffee every day, I'm pretty simple as a human. I don't get too into the monetization on TikTok or other platforms, I don't rely on that money for views, and I'm grateful that brands see the value in my art and are willing to collaborate with me.
SS: I was wondering what that pitch process is like. How open are brands with you on what their scope is for a certain project?
IW: Brands know how unique and niche my world is, and they have context to the type of collabs I do, because everything that I do has to have a story to it. It has to have a purpose to it. I'm not out here creating content just to collect a check. I think brands respect that, and the second I get on a call with them, I kind of just set the precedent of like, "Hey, I would love to work with you, but there needs to be an engaging story to tell. I want to collaborate. I don't need somebody telling me exactly what they want, and I have to break my mold of what I want to do." I'm just pretty straightforward, and if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out.
SS: The NFL, obviously, has been a big one, and you have been leaning into more NFL projects recently. With football season underway, do you see that relationship evolving?
IW: I love working with the NFL, and all the teams and all the players. It’s my childhood dream come true. Every time I get the opportunity to do something alongside the NFL, it's just like mind-blowing to me, but I still have to show up every day as an artist to earn the next gig. I think a big misconception is that I worked with the NFL once and it was a big project, so now they must be hiring me for a bunch. It's not really the reality of it, but I had the opportunity to work for them, and now I have to show up every day as an artist and keep my eyes and ears open for what other players and teams I can build for. There are 800 players in the NFL; there are 32 teams. Every team has 20, 30, 40 companies that are aligned with them that are all trying to work with brands. So, there are literally like 4,000 emails I could send out right now to do a collab that's NFL-related. So, there are just endless opportunities once you go down the path of what you're trying to work towards.
SS: What does your social media feed look like, and are there any creators that you think deserve more followers?
IW: I love watching speedrunners of video games. Super Mario 64 speedrunning is my whole algorithm. I have two creators, @nickresets and @bryceisright64. Those are the two guys that I watch their lives every week of them speedrunning this video game from our childhood. It kind of ties in with the nostalgia of what I do, like '90s video game culture and stuff. But it's mainly that, and Milwaukee. I love Milwaukee content. I've seen the growth of Milwaukee influencers become a thing, like there was zero content creation for Milwaukee and Wisconsin when I got on this platform, and now there are tons and tons of creators and people promoting the city and things happening in our city. So, I love following Milwaukee culture stuff cause I really embrace our hometown and I love everything that happens here, and I'm proud of all the creators that are from here. It's just so cool to see.
Courtesy of Ike Wynter.
This Q+A is part of Verified, a newsletter that is published by Washington Post Creator, a new business outside The Washington Post’s newsroom that is focused on the creator economy and content partnerships with independent creators. Learn more about Washington Post Creator.
