In this episode of Connection Happens, I sit down with artist and visual storyteller A.J. Spitz for a wide-ranging conversation about creativity, virality, identity, faith, and what happens when your work suddenly reaches far beyond the audience you expected.

A.J. reflects on the rapid growth of his platform, the strange experience of having millions of people encounter his work, and why increased attention hasn’t fundamentally changed who he is. We talk about the difference between validation and connection, the insecurities that can come with visibility, and the challenge of staying grounded while creating in public.

We also dig into how the pandemic reshaped his relationship with creativity and community, the role faith and discomfort have played in his personal growth, and why storytelling can become a form of survival as much as expression.

From there, the conversation turns to the work itself. A.J. shares some of the thinking behind his distinctive stop sign imagery, the importance of conflict and observational detail in storytelling, and why slowing down long enough to notice what others overlook can give art its emotional power.

A recurring theme throughout the episode is the tension between reach and meaning: what happens when the numbers grow, the audience expands, and the real goal is still simply to make something that connects.

It’s a conversation about art, attention, identity, and staying human when the world around your work starts moving very fast.