Brisbane artist Steen Jones is seemingly living every 12-year-old skater kid’s dream. He’s covered in tats, he gets paid to make a myriad of art, utilising everything from watercolour to aerosol, and he runs his very own company, Few & Far Co, that sells unique tees, hoodies, skateboards, cushions, pins, bags, prints, towels, and pretty much anything else you can think of.
From humble beginnings as a carpenter, he soon found himself working as a tattoo artist in Melbourne, before making the jump to street art by way of huge outdoor murals in Fitzroy. But when he’s not busy making art, or running the Few & Far Co empire, you’ll most likely find him trading crypto. We asked him to spill the goss on how he got started in his artistic and trading journey.
PTV: Hey Steen, tell us a little bit about the kind of art you produce.
Steen: Nowadays, mostly murals and canvas work. My career started in tattooing, however, it wasn’t for me. In a nutshell, it was too small and too slow for me. My brain thinks fast — and I like to work fast… so tattooing just wasn’t for me. That said, I absolutely loved it and the industry so I kind of took everything I learned and loved and re-adapted it in my own way — which is how the murals came about.
What’s the meaning behind ‘Have Paint, Will Travel’?
It’s inspired by an old classic western movie and tattoo flash — ‘Have Gun, Will Travel’ and I just liked and remixed it. For some background, prior to COVID I was living and working on the road (and all over the world) for around nine months every year, and did so for about the last five to six years before that. Travelling and creating are two of my biggest passions, so naturally I wanted to combine and find ways to monetize them.
Why did you first dive into crypto and how did you get started with it?
I heard about it through the grapevine, just through friends — about four years ago. Bitcoin was about $4K USD then. I heard and saw what they were earning and had a lot of FOMO. I figured it was worth the risk given the potential reward.
How do you fit cryptocurrency into your life?
Easily — especially now with Zipmex. I don’t have the time, or patience, to spend all day trading — so I needed and wanted something that I could quickly log on to and see what’s going on real quick. It’s perfect.
Do you use crypto for purchases or purely investment?
Investment. I take some cream but hold and re-invest it.
Has it changed your approach to business, particularly with Few & Far Co?
Yes and no. It’s business as usual for Few & Far Co, but we are moving into the NFT world as we speak.
Exciting, can you tell us a little more?
I can’t let it out yet — but it’s going to be a world first. We are super, super, super excited. Follow @fewandfarco if you’d like to keep your finger on the pulse — or stay ahead of the pack!
How did you educate yourself on crypto? Do you have any good resources for beginners?
I decided the best use of my time and energy was to actually pay attention to people devoted to, and very successful in, the space. I didn’t feel like it was very wise to continue taking uneducated punts when I could take educated ones.
Jesse McInnes is always my go-to. He’s a young, very successful tech investor from Sunny Coast that’s always dropping gems and showing real results — which is very important to actually trusting someone, in my opinion. He also runs the largest (paid) crypto group in Australia.
How do you pick a good investment?
Pay attention, buy early or the dips — and make educated or calculated decisions. Trading emotionally isn’t the move. That said, No risk, no reward.
Do you have any tips for people looking to get into crypto?
I do. Don’t invest more than you are willing to lose and if in doubt, zoom out!
Anything else you’d like to add?
Drink more water.
Interested in exploring the world of online crypto trading? Zipmex will get you started with $20 free to see what it’s all about. Head over to Zipmex to sign up.
