THE FRIENDS OF REDBUBBLE GROUP: INTERVIEW by BYRON

State your name

My name is Byron.

I was born when I was very young, and over the last 44 years have steadily grown to become older.

My Mother was a hamster, and my Father smells of elderberries, and for the record – I like to fart in their general direction!

I have one sister who I ignore. She enjoys ignoring my ignoring of her. When we get together we are both ignorant.

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… and the groups you host?

With the support and assistance of many fabulous RB members, I host the following groups:

PHOTOGRAPHY CRITIQUE & ADVICE
TUTORIALS LIBRARY
FRIENDLY GENERAL DISCUSSION
THE REDBUBBLE CURATED ART GALLERY

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Why is art and creativity important to you?

I have always been creative.

At the age of 5 I got my first piano, started lessons at 6, and wrote my first piece of music shortly after that. For the next 20years I studied piano getting to 6th Grade AMEB – but failing the exam due to breaking a finger 4 weeks out from the exam.

After highschool I went on to buy the Atari1040STE computer and the Notator/Creator music sequencing software and have written in total more than 200 pieces of music. My home recording studio cost about $30K.

For me, music was the only way I could truly express myself. I had [and still do have] a lot of difficulty explaining how I feel.

Besides that, my father is a builder, so I was always playing and making toys in his workshop. I could build a house now if I had to, but back then I made toys, dozens of billy-carts, a cricket bat, bows and arrows, and jewellery – once I taught myself to solder.

Being creative is extremely important to who I am. Even at work I try to be creative as much as possible by designing new software, databases etc. I am a god with Excell.

While I love music, and of course photography, I probably love designing and building databases the most. Its a very visual endeavour.

Cooking is also another form of creative expression for me.

I started photography back in 1996 after my Aunt suggested I buy a camera.

I am also extremely passionate about writing [geez louise I love writing!].

Being creative is who I am. I am an artist. The medium is irrelevent.

I joined RedBubble for my photography, I have only sold t-shirts, and I am most well-known for my writing.

Aint that a kick in the goolies, huh? Thousands and thousand of dollars for camera equipment sure was money well spent! – It turns out that all I really needed was a pencil and some writing paper!

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Where did the inspiration for your group/s come from?

I was invited into all of them.except for the Curated Galleries group, which I started myself.

The group that takes most of my time and energy is the Photography Critique & Advice Group.

I am passionate about teaching and learning. I firmly believe it is a two-way street. I teach so others may learn, and I learn from them as well.

Having a mentor, or someone to just tell you exactly what they think about your work is probably one of the most important things a new artist can ever have. I hope to be inspirational to other members. When I see them apply something I have mentioned to them, and see their work improve dramatically – there is nothing quite so rewarding!

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What do you enjoy most about being a host?

Having lots of time to surf RedBubble chasing my own interests!

pffft! … haven’t done that in years!

Probably the interaction with other artists.

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What do you think artists get out of being a part of your group/s?

In PC&A Group… I hope they find the inspiration to be more than they are today.

Our motto [for want of a better word] is:

TEACH ~ INSPIRE ~ LEARN ~ EVOLVE

I hope that our members get something of that every day.

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Share something cool (big or small) that’s happened in your group (or as a result of your group)

Kallena Kucers has had an exhibition and has had her work selected by another gallery…

I remember about 18months ago Kallena submitted a photo of a dead wasp for critique.

It wasn’t the best of photos, and I explained to Kallena what I thought was wrong with it, and more importantly why I thought those things were wrong.

It was a hard and somewhat bitter pill. Ask Kallena – she will tell you. But she applied the stuff I taught her, and her work went from average at best to simply extra-ordinary almost overnight.

I am so proud to have known Kallena, especially when I see how well she is doing now with her art.

She is the validation for everything I have done on RedBubble for the last three years.

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What life skills do you think have helped you be a good host (e.g. something you’ve learnt in a job or parenting skills)

I was a Security Guard for more than 10 years. I worked as a bouncer, as personal protection, as concert security, you name it I did it. I was also a Private Investigator for nearly 4 years. I have been to more domestic violence incidents than most people have had hot dinners, and even talked a suicide down off an 18th floor balcony.

I have investigated more than 200 incidents [including violent assault, rape, break and enter, Burglary, theft of vehicles, drug possession and distribution, I have investigated a couple of deaths, but never a murder…] and terminated the employment of more than 30 people.

In ten years I only ever hit someone once, but then he was holding a carving fork and had just stabbed someone with it. For the record I broke his knee by stomping on it sideways, and hit him so hard that he was unconscious before he hit the ground. – Not bad for a pacifist, huh?

I never ever hit anyone ever again after that.

I got my start in the security industry because of my ability to talk-down any situation without resorting to violence. I stayed with that company for 10years.

So I would have to say that my patience and experience at conflict resolution is probably my most advantageous life skill, that and I can kick ass if I have to…

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If you had unlimited money, contacts, resources and time, what would be the ultimate group activity, project or event for one of your groups?

Buy every photographer the one dream camera they have always wanted.

Buy every graphic artists a WACOM CINTIQ 21ux graphics tablet [MatthewDunnart gets the first one!]

Buy every painter all the paints and brushes they could ever want.

And every writer what ever they desire to do what they do too!

If I missed anyone out there, Bmail me and I’ll send you a check for whatever you want too!

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As a sign off, share one work you’re particularly proud of

This is quite difficult. I only have a couple of pages of art on RedBubble. It is the stuff of which I am generally most proud.

Some I like more than others for various reasons. One might be the moodiest shot, another might have the best grain, and another might be the best post production work I have done.

so I would have to say, really, my whole portfolio.

But to give you something for this conclusion…

This is the first thing I ever sold, so it has a very special place in my heart.

I didn’t realise until after I uploaded it that it had the typo… which strangely enough makes it very funny:

Cheers,
-Byron

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To gain more insight into the insides of my insidious intellect, especially in regards to outrageously excessive alliteration, check out these:

50 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT BYRON

ANOTHER 50 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT BYRON

BYRON’S COMMUNITY INSPIRATION INTERVIEW

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Now go away, or I will taunt you a second time!