I had started painting around this time two years ago. I did it because it got dark really early, and I was going bored out of my mind. I had picked up sewing couple weeks prior but after 2 misshapen pillows, I withdrew my plans of being the next Betsy Ross.
I've been a video artist since 2005. I say 2005 because that's when I had my first show. It was in a gallery in Helsinki called 00130gallery, a group show with many other artists and a show I couldn't attend because of the distance; but regardless my first show and the start of my video art career.
I had never painted before other than my freshman year at Pratt. I vaguely remember telling one of my professors that I didn't need to paint or draw because I was a filmmaker, and in filmmaking, we use cameras.
I painted and painted and soon I had about 10 paintings that I was somewhat satisfied with. My friend owned a coffee shop so I asked him if I can have a show and with 50 dollars or so, printed a poster and made some DIY pamphlets. I invited some people from the neighborhood and some friends and we had ourselves an opening.
I knew I wasn't an established painter and I knew the quality of my work wasn't the best so I had priced each work relatively affordably. The total of 10 paintings would equal $1000 and by the end of the night, the show had sold out.
I had become a proud artist with a sold out show. Knowing that it was mostly people that I knew who bought my work because it was cheap, I didn't take my painting career too seriously, but maybe that was the point. Maybe because I didn't take it seriously, I was able to show it without feeling shy or worried that someone would criticize too badly.
Maybe that was the issue with my career as a video artist, because I had cared for it too much, and walled myself from criticism and comment; I didn't fully put myself out there.
After ten years, I had finally learned how to approach my video work. Its just ironic that it was because I started painting.
photos from ilovevideo.tumblr.com
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