Oil painting, storytelling, art & business, entrepreneurship and more with Geraud Staton, executive director of the Helius Foundation in Durham, NC.

Geraud Staton is a Durham-based actor, portrait painter and entrepreneur. Geraud has been acting with Little Green Pig, Manbites Dog and 10×10 of the Triangle for nearly a decade. His latest appearance was in Killian Manning‘s Uncle Sam Wants You. He is currently the executive director of the Helius Foundation, a non-profit that provides free coaching and mentoring for qualifying entrepreneurs. And once a week, he still manages to paint.

Time break-down:

[0:00] Episode intro and Geraud’s bio

[0:54] The many varied paths Geraud has taken in his life and career, and how art intersected with those….

[3:23] How did Geraud discover visual art and theatre?

[5:32] Why oil painting vs. pastels, watercolors, acrylics, etc.?

[7:14] Finding inspiration for paintings

[8:29] The story of the ‘Medea painting’ and the ultimate decision not to provide the answers to viewers. Don’t take their own story from them (even though it’s tempting!)

[11:29] What was it like to be in Killian Manning’s dance-theatre piece UNCLE SAM WANTS YOU?

[12:45] Let’s talk about the Helius Foundation: coaching and mentoring for necessity-driven entrepreneurs

[14:44] Helius received over 100 applications for the Launch Durham program

[16:05] What is the most necessary information for people wanting to make the leap into entrepreneurship?

[17:40] Geraud’s experiences starting several of his own business and the origin of Helius

[21:51] Balancing the growth of Helius

[23:34] What does the practice and experience of art-making offer to Geraud now and why is it an important part of his life?

[25:35] How could the arts and business support each other?

[27:11] A top tip for artists who want to become entrepreneurs and a cautionary tale

[29:24] What does 2018 look like for Helius and Geraud?

[30:38] Thanks and sign-off

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