Well I know why, so why don't you go read and know why as well!!!
Name: Keemo
Age: 34
Home sweeeeeeet home: Grand Rapids, MI
Website: Keemo Gallery
Myspace: Kemmo's Myspace page
Ebay: Shop Keemo on Ebay
Top 5 can’t live with out art tools/supplies:
1. Watercolors and Ink. I have this little setup that I can take anywhere to paint. The paints are enclosed in a little box. Put a rubber band around my pens. Good to go.
2. Sound. Music, Talk Radio, This American Life. I love streaming This American Life while painting. Nothing makes me sit back and be quiet like This American Life.
3. Time. I need more of it! If you know where to find more time, please email me!
4. People. Just about every one of my paintings is based upon someone I have met or ran into over the course of the day. Without them, no paintings.
5. My Family. This should really be number one on the list. Their support is unbelievable. I would be lost without them.
What brought you into the art world? Have you always had a knack for painting and drawing?
I have been drawing for as long as I can remember. I used to draw everything as a kid. Classic kid stuff; Cars, Monsters, Football Players, etc... Transformers were huge when I was a kid. Used to draw them all the time.
I remember one drawing I did when I was in elementary school. I was probably about 4th grade. It was a drawing of the Detroit Lions Quarterback at the time. Can't remember his name. Anyway, I was so proud of it. Without a doubt, it was my best drawing to date. Well, the quarterback had a towel tucked into the front of his pants to wipe his hands in between plays. On the towel I spelled out the team name. However, I spelled it Detroit LOINS (instead of Lions). That pretty much sums up my life right there. It wasn’t until about 8Th grade that I discovered that it is OK to "color out of the lines", so to speak. Haven’t drawn a quarterback since.
The techniques, medium etc you use in your pieces are usually:
I mainly paint with watercolor and ink and I usually work small. The main reason is that it just fits into my lifestyle and how I work. I work in really small bits of time. 15 minutes here, 20 minutes there, a little ink on one painting, then add color on another painting, while that is one is drying, I’ll start another painting. It is not uncommon to have 3-5 paintings going at the same time.
Usually, by the time 10:00 or 11:00 PM rolls around, I will have a few finished paintings.
Your portraits are not your run of the mill paintings, they have a style of their own. Where do your ideas come from? What resources do find useful?
To some degree, I don’t try to think too hard about my painting anymore. I just try to enjoy the process of painting, and to just let them be something genuine from me. The ideas come from everything. I know that sounds vague but its true. I try to let everything be a potential spark for an idea.
This could be an interaction with a cashier at a grocery store or maybe tripping while stepping off the curb. For example, last week, I pull into the gas station and pull up to the gas pump about 3 seconds before someone else. That guy gave me the finger and then went to another pump. He kept staring at me like I he was going to come over give me a lesson. I thought, “That guy deserves a portrait.” When I got home I started a painting of him.
What would you consider to be your biggest achievements so far from your artwork?
Hmmmm. Biggest achievement? I received an email a few months ago from a person (I’m not sure if I should give his name) who has bought many pieces of my artwork. He wrote that his family really enjoyed my artwork. Particularly, his young son. I think he is about 8. He wrote, that his son was so inspired by my artwork, that he started creating his own drawings and selling them. He even opened an “Art Stand” (replacing the Lemonade Stand) on the side of the road and sold his creations. That makes it all the hours and all the paint worth it right there.
Your portraits are not your run of the mill paintings, they have a style of their own. Where do your ideas come from? What resources do find useful?
To some degree, I don’t try to think too hard about my painting anymore. I just try to enjoy the process of painting, and to just let them be something genuine from me. The ideas come from everything. I know that sounds vague but its true. I try to let everything be a potential spark for an idea.
This could be an interaction with a cashier at a grocery store or maybe tripping while stepping off the curb. For example, last week, I pull into the gas station and pull up to the gas pump about 3 seconds before someone else. That guy gave me the finger and then went to another pump. He kept staring at me like I he was going to come over give me a lesson. I thought, “That guy deserves a portrait.” When I got home I started a painting of him.What would you consider to be your biggest achievements so far from your artwork?
Hmmmm. Biggest achievement? I received an email a few months ago from a person (I’m not sure if I should give his name) who has bought many pieces of my artwork. He wrote that his family really enjoyed my artwork. Particularly, his young son. I think he is about 8. He wrote, that his son was so inspired by my artwork, that he started creating his own drawings and selling them. He even opened an “Art Stand” (replacing the Lemonade Stand) on the side of the road and sold his creations. That makes it all the hours and all the paint worth it right there.
Favorite artist who influence you:
Without a doubt, David Lynch has to be my favorite artist. I saw Eraserhead when I was about 15. It changed my life. If my artwork was a David Lynch character, it would be be the Log Lady from Twin Peaks! As far other painters, there are so many great painters out there. Neck Face, Mike Egan and The Inky Dreadfuls come to mind right now.
For those out there who are just beginning to pursue the art field and possibly sell their work, what would be some great advice for them to ponder before heading out there?
I guess always remember what you are creating art for in the first place. Once you start getting into the world of selling your art, to some degree, your artwork becomes a product. (Like it or not. It does.) People look at your work and judge it based on many things that may have nothing to do with why you created the piece. Not everyone will like your art, no matter who you are so don’t take criticism personally. Just keep doing your thing and enjoy what you are doing and stay true to your own art. (Oh yeah, you may want to be sure to have another job to pay cover the bills and all the painting supplies.)
Without a doubt, David Lynch has to be my favorite artist. I saw Eraserhead when I was about 15. It changed my life. If my artwork was a David Lynch character, it would be be the Log Lady from Twin Peaks! As far other painters, there are so many great painters out there. Neck Face, Mike Egan and The Inky Dreadfuls come to mind right now.
For those out there who are just beginning to pursue the art field and possibly sell their work, what would be some great advice for them to ponder before heading out there?
I guess always remember what you are creating art for in the first place. Once you start getting into the world of selling your art, to some degree, your artwork becomes a product. (Like it or not. It does.) People look at your work and judge it based on many things that may have nothing to do with why you created the piece. Not everyone will like your art, no matter who you are so don’t take criticism personally. Just keep doing your thing and enjoy what you are doing and stay true to your own art. (Oh yeah, you may want to be sure to have another job to pay cover the bills and all the painting supplies.)
And as always you can find many more of Keemo's intriguing paintings at: Keemo's Gallery
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