Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] Speaker A: Welcome to the Dr. Random podcast. I'm Dr. Sarah, and here's the deal. We don't do boxes here. Every episode is different.
Every conversation has its own flavor, and no topic is off limits. If you're looking for predictable, this isn't it. But if you want real conversations, honest takes, and a touch of intellect in the best way, you're in the right place. This is Dr. Random Podcast.
Hello, and welcome to the Dr. Random Podcast. I'm Dr. Sarah, and today I am super excited because I have a fellow artist on the show today with me, Demetrius Bing. And you can find him on a social handle, Art of Bing. And am I saying your first name correctly?
[00:00:49] Speaker B: No, you say correct. Yeah.
[00:00:51] Speaker A: Great. Okay. I just want to make sure I know same thing with my last name. People are like Laboron Lavaroni.
[00:00:58] Speaker B: No, I get it. I get it.
[00:01:00] Speaker A: Yeah.
So how Demetrius and I connected actually was art Walk one night when I was walking around, looking at all the art around Charleston, and we were at the Hagen Gallery.
And.
Yeah, so his art is amazing. As you can see, he has his art surrounding him in the background.
And as a contemporary abstract artist myself, we both, I think, you know, we have that similarity. Connect on that, but we have very different styles of how we do our art.
[00:01:34] Speaker B: But.
[00:01:35] Speaker A: Yeah. So, Demetrius, do you want to go ahead and introduce our audience to you?
[00:01:41] Speaker B: Demetrius, being 35, local and native, been professional artists from about three years, but I've been painting for about six.
This is my sixth year this year.
I do abstract expressionism pieces, and I do a lot of abstracts. A lot of pieces have my colors of my emotion, a lot of trauma things, a lot of things, even just dealing with on a daily as a young black man.
And my pieces, a lot of my pieces speak to that as my reality.
[00:02:22] Speaker A: That's lovely. And as far as I was actually gonna bring up, you know, you being a Charleston native and you were also, recently you've been recognized in Charleston Magazine.
What would you say, did your early start as an artist feel like, for you, like this pivot into the art world? What would you say really moved you to become an artist?
[00:02:53] Speaker B: I think it was more of a.
Just wanted to express something, and I didn't know how to do it in a proper way.
But I always love art.
I could draw when I was a little boy a little bit, but I kind of like push that to the side. Got more into athletics, more into other sports, fashion stuff.
But I loved just expression, this. These feelings. I just kept. Felt like I kept holding in, and I just started Getting canvases and creating on them every day.
I got little mini canvases from Dollar Tree, like paint, little small stuff just to see if I would really be passionate about it. Then I just started.
I just started doing it every day.
And I created so many pieces and hung them on my own walls and stuff.
[00:03:46] Speaker A: Yeah, your art is amazing.
And would you say that the freedom behind doing abstract expressionism as a painter you talked about.
I think you mentioned trauma and different things.
So what do you feel like when you're standing in front of a blank canvas? Like, your creative process and your inspiration for your work? It seems like it will probably blend some raw emotion, symbolism and color and different textures and pop art influences.
Do you want to walk through with us that and maybe one of your pieces, like, say, is it Man Child or Rebirth? Are those. I'm referencing those correctly.
[00:04:38] Speaker B: Yes.
It went out. Yeah. I've had.
Trauma has normally been the focal point due to.
It's just something that's not given a microphone to, you know, especially in my community all the time. It's like, normally it's just shunned off as being there's something wrong or you can play it out or even figure it out some other type of way.
I'll tell you offhand, one of my. Have a piece right here you want to talk about recently just done. It's called Mother's Tears, and it's about.
If you want me to hold it up.
[00:05:31] Speaker A: Sure.
[00:05:38] Speaker B: Young black man's face. And you can see where he's grimacing kind of in the police car. If you look close. Police cars. His eye.
[00:05:50] Speaker A: Oh, wow.
[00:05:50] Speaker B: And yeah, you can see there's a policeman on. On the back of the hood with a gun.
And you keep looking. It's. It says you look at the top where it's like bars, but like, basically saying, like, once he gets in trouble, he knows where he's going to jail.
And basically I call it Mother's Mother's Tears because this is one of the. One of the most horrifying things that happens to a younger black male or something or anybody. But the police have been a threat. And they don't know where, you know, what happens to them or their selves or their life because it's in the hands of somebody else that's supposed to be there to protect all the time and not look at them as a threat.
That's why the chest right here has red, but it says threatening.
[00:06:43] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:06:43] Speaker B: Kind of washed out. Yeah. Like a splatter of blood.
[00:06:47] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:06:47] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:06:51] Speaker A: And that's a beautiful Piece got some paint on you?
[00:06:57] Speaker B: Yeah, you gotta go.
[00:06:59] Speaker A: Oh, yeah.
And, you know, it seems like. And I think you, you know, I see your social media and it seems like you're very inspired by Boss Guitar, his work.
[00:07:15] Speaker B: Right?
[00:07:16] Speaker A: Yeah. And would you say.
Who. Who would you say is your favorite artist or favorite influential artist?
[00:07:27] Speaker B: A couple of them.
Oscar's probably my number one.
But I. I love Jackson Pollock play Salvador Dali.
I love Keith Haring's messaging, and I think a lot of them had a lot of messaging in their work.
And I think that's where a lot of my times with the symbolism and a lot of the phrases that I created, I got influenced by that and saw that and I was like, okay, I can talk about my experience in my way, in my form, and not to. Not to piggyback on them, but I can just talk about my experiences because what their experiences was. Was different compared to mine.
But, yeah, definitely.
Yeah, was. He was the guy for me. He's like my Michael Jordan.
[00:08:18] Speaker A: Yeah.
My favorite piece by him is. I think it's called the Italian or Italian. Do you know which one I'm talking about?
It's the green in the background. Yeah, I like that one a lot. That one.
[00:08:32] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:08:33] Speaker A: He's.
[00:08:35] Speaker B: I wonder how much that is. Probably like 50 million.
[00:08:38] Speaker A: Probably.
[00:08:40] Speaker B: That's probably worth about that much. Yeah, right.
[00:08:43] Speaker A: Yeah, that. That's something that I find so interesting with art, especially now.
And I'm not sure if you listen to my podcast on NFTs with another local artist here to Charleston. She's now in Brazil, but Ver Casiano and we discussed the whole NFT thing, which is interesting. Have you had artists? Artists? Well, some of them are. They claim to be fellow artists. Have you gotten a lot of emails with people reaching out, saying they want NFTs of your art? I get that a lot.
I'm just curious.
[00:09:17] Speaker B: For the last five. For the last five years.
[00:09:20] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:09:22] Speaker B: Yeah. So I'll be like, like 10. 10 a week.
Huh. It's so interesting when it was really hot.
I'm sorry it went out.
I got you.
[00:09:37] Speaker A: Yeah. It's interesting getting those because it's like, okay. Like, at first I was like, blown away. I'm like, oh, you want to pay this much? You know? And I thought, oh, is this a scam? It's a scam, you know.
[00:09:49] Speaker B: Right, right, right.
[00:09:50] Speaker A: Real. If it's real or if it's a scam, you know, with that whole thing.
But she at least has a good way to navigate the whole process with her book. NFT 101. But you know, I wanted to ask you about basically full circle mean to you personally right now, Basically full circle. What does that mean to you? And what would you say about the themes of resilient survival, intimacy and transformation that run through your work as, you know, a solo show, Full circle. Can you talk about that?
[00:10:28] Speaker B: Yeah, no, for sure. Full circle was.
It was my, I would say one of my classic. I guess if it was my first. It was my baby, it was my.
It was all the emotion and feelings, the strength of doing all the pop up shows, going to all these venues, not knowing if people appreciate your art. Creating numerous nights, painting multiple pieces, being in the rain, lugging out the canvases in the rain, running.
Also being from close to the Navy yard, off of Union Heights, Winslow area. That's where I'm from.
Being probably five minutes away from there.
Just to go all the way where I was going to all these different events all over the low country just to end up to have my first solo show so close to home, somewhere I used to be at all the time at Starrett hall, close to that, where it used to be a gym I used to go to.
And it was really for me, but it was for the community over there that I grew up in.
Neighborhood where there's a lot of killing, drug dealing, prostitution, and everybody looked like me, grew up over there, wasn't doing what I was doing. So I also felt the impact of wanting to inspire you guys. That's still my age, younger than me, girls, everybody, even anybody I grew up with over there and who I am wanting them to be like, hey, we're doing something. It's not just for me.
We're doing something positive. Bringing people together. The energy of people from my neighborhood, my walk of life.
Bringing people from lives that never would have ever met. Just in the one room.
Like you can feel the intensity in the room. It was like it was a bike studio called the Drop In.
And I got the pleasure of Jillian and Chandler to give me the opportunity to have my first show there.
And for the impact of the. I guess I can say for my impact to see 300 plus people show up on my first solo show. Something I'll never forget.
[00:13:00] Speaker A: That's so amazing.
[00:13:01] Speaker B: That was long winded.
[00:13:03] Speaker A: That's exciting. That's so amazing. And what year was that again? Can you tell me what year that was?
[00:13:10] Speaker B: That was 2024.
[00:13:11] Speaker A: 2024, okay.
[00:13:13] Speaker B: Yep, yep, it's 2024.
[00:13:19] Speaker A: And do you ever feel like, yeah, that's just 300 people that's that's a great turnout. Um, there's actually an empty building on Meeting street that's been empty for a while. And I thought, what if we got a bunch of artists together or somebody willing to invest and make it like an art studio, gallery, like, event space?
You know, it looks like it's pretty big here next to Ethos. And I thought, oh, that's like I said, see it all the time. And I. And it's like, it bugs me because I'm like, I feel like we need to get together as artists in the community. Maybe do something with that.
[00:14:02] Speaker B: No, I mean, this. I'm. I'm all about community. So I get it. You know, the. The problem. You know, the only issue is just getting us all together.
[00:14:12] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:14:13] Speaker B: But. And everybody on the same accord and understand that this is just bigger than just the individual, the solo thing.
You know, it's community. You know, how many kids probably grew up and said, I want to do something. Oh, no, I want to be creative.
Had a couple ideas what I wanted to do after. I felt like I tried to reach my goals, to get where I get so I can be able to give tremendously back.
Even like. Like you just said with the studio. I would love to do that. I would love to own one and have every type of artistry in there that you can come take classes, learn from and start young. Start young?
Yeah. Like, you know, how to learn how to sew, paint, all these different things.
[00:15:07] Speaker A: That'd be cool.
Yeah.
[00:15:09] Speaker B: Right. Right.
Everybody like our style. Like all the other styles.
[00:15:15] Speaker A: Yeah, that would be cool. I. It's funny you mentioned sewing. My mother and my grandmother sewed a lot. They. They would used to let us go pick out the.
What do you call, like, the.
However the prints are.
Yeah. Like, you pick out what it's going to look like, like, say, a pair of short. Like short overalls. Then you pick out the fabric.
I. I don't know. I guess it's pattern. I don't know. Anyways, as kids. So I just. I just never got into sewing. But kudos to those who do it. So.
[00:15:53] Speaker B: Yeah. No, yeah.
[00:15:56] Speaker A: Yeah.
But really cool about. Yeah. I actually have local here.
Hello. From.
What's it called? Sewing. Don't tell.
That's his car.
[00:16:09] Speaker B: That's beautiful.
[00:16:09] Speaker A: The local shop. Isn't that pretty?
[00:16:11] Speaker B: It's beautiful.
[00:16:14] Speaker A: And yeah. I hope to do a collaboration maybe with our art on pillows. That'd be cool.
[00:16:21] Speaker B: That'll be dope. That'll be dope. I love that.
[00:16:24] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:16:27] Speaker B: You inspired me with that one.
[00:16:29] Speaker A: Yeah.
Yeah. That's so awesome. I love that. One thing I like to.
I think about once, you know, I can't even explain it, but sometimes I think that artists have this vibe or extra chromosome or extra atom in our body that's in there, like the creative whatever it is that runs through us.
Because I feel like, at least for myself, you know, I loved in high school and even before that when my grandma taught me how to paint, but then I always felt like when I was doing my legal career that, like, something was. Was missing from my life. And I just felt like I was always thinking, I just want to paint. I just want to paint.
And I'm so glad that I listened to that and just did it because it's so fulfilling for me. And I can't explain it. I almost get, like, emotional talking about. It's weird because I think when you're a true artist or creative, I don't know if you get this, but, like, I almost feel like I have to get in front of the canvas or I need to go out and do photography. Like, there's something to me, like, peaceful and serene about editing my digital photography or painting. And I'm sure you probably have the same, like, draw to it.
[00:17:46] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, for sure. I.
Oh, Michelle, I know exactly what you're feeling is that it's. That it's almost like sugar. Like you need it once you've started. And you.
You know what I mean? Like, it's like you just. You. If you haven't done it in a while, like, some days I get the itch. Like, oh, man, it's been like two or three days. What's going on? I gotta do something.
[00:18:12] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:18:12] Speaker B: If it's drawing, doodling, even just like some of the. Some of the little bus that I do, I like to do the bus.
So I've even, like, drawing on them. And they've been really, really good. And a lot of people have them in their homes. They've been selling out. But even just doing different forms on different things has been.
Get it out.
[00:18:36] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:18:39] Speaker B: And I know exactly what you're talking about.
[00:18:42] Speaker A: Yeah.
And it's. And to me, part of it, too, that's so fun to me is that you can just blast your music and listen to whatever you want while you're creating. I think that's part of the best, too, about being an artist.
[00:18:56] Speaker B: Oh, yeah.
[00:18:59] Speaker A: Yeah.
And it's something to say too. And people buy your work and support you as an artist.
It's so special. It means a lot.
And the fact that you know, thinking that your piece is going to be in their home or maybe even if they bought it for somebody. You know, it's like when you buy an original, you know, the original pieces are so like priceless.
[00:19:28] Speaker B: Right. Dumb. And I cried when I saw my first original.
Yes.
Like you said, it's just a powerful feeling that somebody wanted to make something that you create with your hands, that they value it that much that the price that you put on it.
They found that it was enough to purchase, to put somewhere to display and show for others or they loved it, connected to it so much.
[00:19:56] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:19:58] Speaker B: And
[00:20:00] Speaker A: yeah, it's so cool. And like how even now with like AI and everything, they're saying that like our original work as artists is going to become more valuable because it's, it's in our mind what we're creating and only we can do that. And then we take what's in our mind and take the brush on the canvas and most of the time it comes out how we envision it. Sometimes it doesn't. But the fact that whatever is there at the end is like, you know, that's you, that's your fingerprint on the world. That's your staple. There's gonna be no other piece like your original. There's only one.
So.
[00:20:37] Speaker B: Right.
[00:20:37] Speaker A: It just makes it so valuable.
Yeah.
[00:20:43] Speaker B: And no, for sure.
[00:20:46] Speaker A: And would you say, are there any other avenues with your art that you find rewarding that maybe.
It sounds like. I think I saw some history where you work with kids or you have a desire to possibly become a teacher. Is that still true?
[00:21:03] Speaker B: So, yeah, I've been, yeah, I've been visiting schools for about two years now, like visiting here and there. But because I, because I still work a full time job. So like on my off days I would go sometimes spend the whole day or sometimes which is the middle of the week, or I would say spend a couple hours, go talk to kids, look at their creative process.
One thing that I think that needs to be spoken on is how they use more therapeutic, well, use more therapy in school to see that the creative works that they're creating is from things that they go through at home and continue to connect, connect those dots. But that's what I saw.
One little child told me she was painting red, red over and over and then red, orange and then red and orange. I'm like, why are you painting it like that? She's like, one of these is for my daddy and this one of my mommy's boyfriend, where they argue all the time. And it stuck with Me?
Yeah. Because I can. I could relate. Growing up knowing about static. Growing up in your home and not knowing what to do with it.
[00:22:19] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:22:20] Speaker B: You know. You know, but I mean, I would.
I'm hit or miss, but I would. I also. But the teacher thing, I would love to be a teacher, and I also would love my career to blossom in the same way where I can travel the world and be these things. If I could do it all at once, I would love to do it.
Yeah.
And I mean, the kids. Kids need to be heard. They need to be seen, and we have. We need to listen to their voice.
[00:22:59] Speaker A: That's a good.
Yeah, that's wise. That's good advice.
That's. It shows that you have.
That's a good heart to have passion for kids.
And for those of us that do have it, I think it always is hard for us to imagine not having that, you know, compassion.
[00:23:19] Speaker B: Right, right, right.
[00:23:20] Speaker A: But, yeah, it is very important and should be recognized, you know, so that's. That's great that you have that mindset.
And what would you say, speaking of mindset, what's been the biggest mindset shift for you? Or would you say, you know, I deal with this even being Dr. Sarah, like, you have imposter syndrome. Like, am I really Dr. Sarah? And do you feel like, as artists, we sometimes have imposter syndrome, too? Or like, wow, we're really here. Like, we're doing all this work. It's kind of. It is kind of, like, amazing that all this stuff comes out of us. And it is a gift. I feel like, you know, what are your thoughts. Mindset on being an artist and dealing with, you know, like they say Andy Warhol approached his art is basically a business. Which is interesting.
[00:24:19] Speaker B: That is interesting. Yes. But there is. We'll talk on that, too. But I do have imposter syndrome. But I also realize that if you still believe that you're an imposter, you'll never grow.
So I had to, like, also know that I've had it, but it doesn't own me. You know, like, in. In moments that show up that I felt that things that I didn't pray for, but they. I still got rewarded from, you know, God or being seen for certain things or my work being appreciated by certain people or certain group or industry. Yeah, I've had imposter syndrome, like, in the last two years. I've been like, why me? But then also I say, why not me?
[00:25:12] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:25:13] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. You have to have you. It is a point where you have it, and then you Start realizing, like, you never. You train to do something all your life or lots of years. You trained yourself not to be sure of how good you are at something. Doesn't make sense.
[00:25:31] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:25:31] Speaker B: Because, like, you already know that, okay, If I did this for 20 hours, if I did this for a whole year, I got to be at least a little decent.
[00:25:39] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:25:41] Speaker B: Right, Right, right, right.
Yeah. No, and. And to the. The Warhol thing, I, I.
There is.
There is a part where you do have to understand that the business of art, there is a business to it.
You just have to learn the discipline and learning that you just can't be willy nilly just in.
Because you create art and too. Emotionally. Emotionally, there's certain parts of the works or how you feel. Somebody makes you feel all the time.
[00:26:19] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:26:21] Speaker B: Yeah. You have to. There's gonna be a lot more thinking.
[00:26:28] Speaker A: Yeah.
I think that you just made me think of something you said.
I'm trying to think of what you just said. I'm losing my train of thought. I have, like, a lot of things going through my head right now. That's, like, the artist thing in me. But I think that, yeah, like, as artists, it's like, it's vulnerable being an artist because, you know. But I think you're right. Like, to grow, we have to kind of get over that. We have to just create and put it out there. We kind of have to. I feel like, wouldn't you say, like, we have to just make that decision? Like, we just got to put it out there because, you know, it's. It's like. It's like that. That. That first step of putting it out there is very vulnerable and scary, and you're like, oh, my gosh, like, is this good enough to put out, at least for me? And it's so nice when people are like, you know, it is. I don't know if people give themselves, like, understanding how important it is as artists when they compliment our work and say it's beautiful or it's gorgeous, that's, like, huge, you know, that people are giving us that feedback. It's so important.
[00:27:42] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, for sure.
Show.
[00:27:45] Speaker A: And something really exciting I want to share with the audience is that when I met Demetrius at Hagen Art Gallery here in Charleston at Art Walk, I was with my friend and we were discussing his art, and I was just like, whoa, this is amazing.
Something kind of fun and exciting. On a note, if you want to share with.
I know you can't go into detail, but just, like, a brief to share with the audience, I think.
[00:28:11] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll say. Yeah. That's a lot of stuff I already said to, you know, and other stuff. But, yeah, I say it in a nice way.
So basically, I was contacted and selected my pieces, seven of my pieces on this final season, Season five, and it's the finale of the franchise, Outer Banks.
[00:28:41] Speaker A: Love it. I love that.
[00:28:42] Speaker B: Yeah, I'm excited about it.
[00:28:44] Speaker A: It's such an exciting.
[00:28:45] Speaker B: It's a really good show out.
[00:28:47] Speaker A: It's so good.
[00:28:48] Speaker B: Right? It's.
It's cliffhanging. Real cliffhanger. I love it.
[00:28:52] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:28:53] Speaker B: And I love. I love how the characters can seem so relatable.
[00:28:58] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:28:59] Speaker B: And love it. What.
[00:29:01] Speaker A: What do they always say? Are you a.
You a Pogue or are you. What do they call the other kids in that show? I'm drawing a blank.
[00:29:10] Speaker B: Oh, I know you're talking about. I forgot the other one. I know. Po.
It's the other one. The Po is more of the. The kids that grew up there. Natives probably have probably, like, quote unquote, like the poor kids kind of like.
And I can't remember the other one. They're more like the rich kids kind of like.
[00:29:28] Speaker A: I forget. What name did they say? I don't know why I dropped it.
[00:29:30] Speaker B: I can't think of the name because
[00:29:34] Speaker A: it's been a while since I watched it. I'm waiting for the new season to come out.
[00:29:39] Speaker B: Me too. I'm excited.
[00:29:43] Speaker A: But, yeah, that's really fun.
So if the audience is listening. Yeah. Charleston's kind of fun because there's some shows that get filmed here. We have.
I know there's, like, the reality shows that are here and then Outer Banks, though. It's like. I don't know. It's fun. I love Indiana Jones and, like, all that. So I think that's why I like it too, because it's like.
[00:30:03] Speaker B: Right, right, right.
[00:30:04] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. And it kind of falls into line, to be honest. Like, the whole.
What do you call it, the thing with, like, artifacts and stuff? Because I did my dissertation research, actually, on digital artifacts, so it's kind of interesting that, like, archaeologists.
[00:30:27] Speaker B: Right, right, right.
I can tell the story about how it happened if you want.
[00:30:32] Speaker A: Oh, sure.
[00:30:33] Speaker B: Won't be long.
[00:30:34] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:30:34] Speaker B: Okay.
Make it short. I. I drive a bread truck. Like, literally bread loafs of bread. I deliver bread to grocery stores.
[00:30:44] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:30:46] Speaker B: Restaurants. And as I'm pushing the bread to go into this family, dollar met one of the set guys and he walked up to me and he said, hey, aren't you Art of Bing? And I was like, yeah, I'm on the Bing. And he's. He's like, how I want to get you caught. Contacted with somebody. We've been looking at your work. I said, okay. And obx. And I'm like. My mind didn't think of it like that because I was in the heat when it happened. I was like, it's hot as hell. I don't know. I wasn't thinking about Otter Banks. I was like, okay. And then I spoke with Missy Ricker, which is growing to be a really close friend of mine now.
He said she wanted some of my works in there. And I thought it was gonna be like, one or two maybe. Then it turned out to be seven. And after that, it just. We just kept growing this bond. Kept talking, talking, talking. So they came by the house, picked up the ones that they want to. They wrapped. They got em wrapped. And then they had them in the set for about two weeks.
And then they had to reshoot again. They had to come back and get those same ones to reshoot a scene and. But a total. Probably two, three weeks. About three weeks. So it was just so funny to Serendipitous just to meet, like, as I'm doing my regular job that I do. Nine o', clock, basically to connect with this guy that knew me for my work.
Yeah.
[00:32:08] Speaker A: Yeah.
That's an amazing story. I love that.
[00:32:13] Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you.
[00:32:15] Speaker A: Yeah.
Yeah. As artists, too, people don't know. It's like, we have to have our other jobs too, to, like, support us.
[00:32:25] Speaker B: Right, right, right. Yeah.
[00:32:26] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:32:27] Speaker B: That's the big misconception of everything about being artists.
[00:32:34] Speaker A: Yeah. My dream is to still get in a gallery or have a gallery studio where I can, like, have my studio going and then maybe like the gallery storefront, I think, be amazing.
[00:32:44] Speaker B: You can do that.
[00:32:46] Speaker A: Yeah.
And I guess with.
What would you say, how do you stay present and seize the moments, especially as your presence and influence in the Charleston art scene grows? What would you say, like, what. What would you say maybe is your next.
Like.
I don't know, do you have, like, some fun goals you want to share? Or.
What would you say with the Charleston? Seeing what you know, how are you feeling about your. In that.
[00:33:24] Speaker B: Okay, the first part. I feel the one thing that I did do that I always tried to stay humble, but also short, but also now. But a sense of surety being solid.
Because I remember the work that I put into it to be where I'm at.
[00:33:44] Speaker A: Huh.
[00:33:45] Speaker B: I'm in my storage studio right now. There's probably about 150 200. Almost 200 different paintings right here, right next to me.
[00:33:53] Speaker A: Oh, my gosh.
That's amazing.
[00:33:55] Speaker B: Everything.
Everything's not a masterpiece because everything's not always done.
But the work ethic I put in to get where I was at or where I'm going or where I feel like I've climbed to. Just the beginning for me, because I'm just still hungry.
But also for the. What you said, the Charleston scene part.
[00:34:17] Speaker A: Mm.
[00:34:21] Speaker B: I'm incredibly grateful. I'm very.
That's the part that sometimes the imposter syndrome. Because it's like, what about me? That they felt. People felt that was so intriguing about me and my work part.
But then I think about it, and I remember what I told you earlier. I just have to be sure about it.
[00:34:42] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:34:43] Speaker B: I want to continue to grow, and I also want to. I want to go other places, but take Charleston with me.
Wear it as a bra, badge of honor to be from here on a raise here.
And I want to be able to go internationally. I have some. One thing international, but I want to be like, yeah, it's the tour I'm on with the. The poinsettias with Jonathan Green. Yeah.
But I want.
[00:35:17] Speaker A: Do you want to tell the audience about that?
[00:35:19] Speaker B: It's a. It's about. I think it's about 15 or 20 of us on this tour. Right.
[00:35:25] Speaker A: What would you say in your art journey is. Is there anything that stands out to you as far as. Like.
Like, in your art journey, does anything stand out to you, like, a significant time, maybe, where it was just super amazing or maybe you had a struggle? Anything you're comfortable with sharing with the audience as an artist, as part of your journey?
[00:35:52] Speaker B: This year is pretty amazing.
Last year was really amazing. Beautiful and decorative, if I have to say, from being.
I think everybody knows about it, being in this horrendous car accident last March 18 last year. And, yeah, so I couldn't. A lot of my body, I couldn't move the way I needed to. My arm, my knee, leg, piece of my eye lid got cut off, but they had to sew it back on. Was scarring on my face.
Yeah. I from. And I always tell this story because I always tell people if I can pick myself up, I couldn't pick. I couldn't use this arm. All I can do is paint with his arm. And this eye was closed for a month.
And just being able to do my first mural in June, in the summer, while I'm still rehabilitating. I couldn't stand up. Couldn't stand up.
So I had to sit in a chair like this and paint on walls.
[00:37:09] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:37:10] Speaker B: And summer. The summer heat.
Then going on to do later on, do commission piece for Salon Live, which is a wonderful hair salon downtown.
Love those people within. And I worked with inch projects, which has been very helpful and very open to giving me different jobs. So I did that, the mural, and then the Outer Banks came and it was amazing, and that changed stuff. And then. Then I did Pechacucha this year.
Going in this year. Oh, yeah. I had my solo show and last October, full spectrum at Drumming studios.
Aaron Drummond's been a help to me, and him and Jonathan been like mentors to me in my art, in my creativity process.
Trying to help me think of ways outside of the box that I always thought about myself. So building that relationship all this year, last year, going into now and then, like, yeah, I have. I have no complaints.
And then Charleston Mag. Yeah. I can't forget that. That was beautiful.
[00:38:35] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:38:36] Speaker B: Then.
Yeah. Oh, yeah. One more.
I'm coming out with a Peninsula mag coming out. I'm gonna be on that. Featured on that.
[00:38:45] Speaker A: Very cool.
[00:38:47] Speaker B: Yeah. So I. I'm very grateful.
God has been good to me. I don't know what else to say. This was so beautiful.
[00:38:55] Speaker A: No, that's amazing. I love that you're shouting out to God, too. That's. That's amazing. That's important because I feel like you're going to continue to be blessed even more by doing that.
[00:39:05] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. He. Oh, yeah. I. I remember that day I said when I was 29, when I first started doing art, and I said, God, I want to have a purpose.
And I said, I just want. If I don't have a purpose, I don't think I need to be alive.
[00:39:21] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:39:22] Speaker B: And I took it that far because not putting pressure on God, but also letting him know that I'm serious about changing my life at the time, being, like, the alcoholic, had a drinking problem. So he gave me the gift of creating, and I think it very serious what I do, and I honor that gift that he gives me to be able to do this, you know, so I'm very grateful.
[00:39:47] Speaker A: Yeah, I love that. I'm also very outspoken about my faith, too. So that's awesome. And I feel like it'll. It shines through in your work, you know?
[00:40:03] Speaker B: It does. Thank you.
[00:40:04] Speaker A: There's like a. There's like a vibe to it, you know, I feel like.
[00:40:08] Speaker B: No, yeah, yeah, no, for sure.
[00:40:11] Speaker A: And that's. You know, I didn't know that about your car accident. Story. So that's a lot of resilience that you have in you to be able to, you know, pull through with that. And also.
Okay, so audience, if you're listening, we experienced a little technical difficulty, but no big deal. We, we are handling it.
[00:40:29] Speaker B: We are, we are killing it.
[00:40:32] Speaker A: Yeah. And so I actually wanted to ask you a question about.
Just curious. What would you say is the most common thing, how people describe your art? What do you hear from people? Is there like, would you say there's anything that you hear from others?
[00:40:52] Speaker B: A lot of things that I hear, I hear people, they connect with it. They understand how the message I'm trying to give it out and it makes them think.
And a lot of. They said, a lot of times I hear where they. I hear a lot of this. They say a lot of the art that I see, this good art, there's not art that makes you think about life or different things you go through. And they say, I create those things.
[00:41:20] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:41:22] Speaker B: And I was like, wow, okay. And a lot of things I've heard it looks like a street art graffiti kind of like style looks like. And.
But they have these deep messages and biblical messaging and all these different things that I believe in.
Yeah. So I get that. I get that a lot.
[00:41:44] Speaker A: That's cool.
Okay. And would you say. What would you say is bringing you like joy or flow in the studio right now?
[00:41:58] Speaker B: That's. That's funny because I. I actually started to paint more happy things.
[00:42:03] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:42:05] Speaker B: Yeah. I really don't have too much. I could say, uh huh. You know, you know, you can sit there and be like, I can make something really bad, but I'm just. The journey is the part that I've been living in and continue to live in. So when I actually get to where my other goals that I want, I didn't let nothing that I went through pass me up.
[00:42:27] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:42:29] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:42:29] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:42:31] Speaker B: And
[00:42:35] Speaker A: would you say basically what.
I don't know. What would you say is your most vulnerable part of being an artist?
If you're willing to share what you feel like, like the vulnerability of being an artist. And I know we kind of touched on that a little bit, but like, yeah, you know, kind of something that you feel like maybe could be. Maybe it's unique to you or it could be a common denominator for all artists. You know,
[00:43:14] Speaker B: I could say vulnerable. Most vulnerable part probably me is people get into going into spaces after you done revealed yourself so much on canvas and you see the people comment, like interact with your post and then. Or like in shows when they get to look at it and they sit there and sit with it.
And that's probably the most vulnerable moment that you are as an artist too also is having people receive your work and, and try to interpret your work right in front of you.
And you, you know, that, that, that face or that little, I just saw this before or it's not interesting to me type of thing. You always think that's gonna happen because you want to, you want us to, you want to be able to touch people and people that actually get what you're saying. That's what everybody wants, some type of relatability like, you know, as creating as yourself. You want people to be like.
I could feel that. I understand that. Yeah, I can see that what you're going through, what you've been through.
[00:44:21] Speaker A: And I guess like, would you say there is a strategy behind say when you're, how, how often do you like, do you do a lot of art pop ups around town or a lot of art shows or are you in any current galleries at the moment or in any shows? I know you mentioned the one.
Just curious if there's any others where people could maybe go see your art. Just curious. And do you have a website? I don't think I asked that.
[00:44:53] Speaker B: Yes.
Yeah, I have pieces in the lookup gallery downtown right across from the Gibbs.
[00:45:04] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:45:05] Speaker B: I have a couple pieces in there.
Egg and fine art. I have pieces in there. And what I'm doing now, what do I have now?
I do, I used to do a lot of pop ups, but now like a lot of my free time due to me working still and creating at the same time and still being able to go to events and network because that's a very important part of being artist. Networking.
[00:45:32] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:45:34] Speaker B: So I make time to network and I make time to actually go out. I. A lot of people don't think I go out a lot no more, but I go out kind of like by myself.
Get that energy from being out sometime. I'll go out, don't say nothing to nobody and just sit down at the bar something by myself, grab a drink and I just sit there and just consume it. And then I'm already fueled up for the next couple days or weeks.
But yeah, no, I don't have anything out besides those places right now and pop up size.
I limit myself to certain things. That's one thing artists have to learn too.
Just because you asked doesn't mean you have to do it.
[00:46:16] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:46:16] Speaker B: If it, if it doesn't coincide with which you're trying to Build, you know, after a certain point where you start understanding that your time is more valuable. You're more. Your time is more valuable than you creating, than you being at this event where, you know, you might. You might think it's fun, but you might have the same amount of fun creating.
[00:46:37] Speaker A: Mm.
[00:46:39] Speaker B: Mm.
[00:46:40] Speaker A: Yeah, I. I hear that, but that's. That's amazing. So you're currently in a. Like a show. It sounds like it. It kind of travels around. Right. That one you mentioned.
[00:46:53] Speaker B: Oh, yeah.
[00:46:54] Speaker A: International.
[00:46:55] Speaker B: Yes. The Points Upon Saturday.
[00:46:58] Speaker A: That one. And then you're in two galleries right here in Charleston.
That's amazing. That's like. That's a lot like.
Yeah, that's. I think that's, like, big deal. That's. That's huge, in my opinion, so.
[00:47:13] Speaker B: No, no. Yeah, yeah. No, it is. I. No, I love it. I'm proud of it.
[00:47:19] Speaker A: Yeah. That's big.
And, you know, just curious. Have you. Okay, now I'm trying to think of the name.
Oh, goodness. It's gonna come to me. Hang on.
Oh, my gosh.
I'm trying to think of it. There's this movie that surrounds around art, and I wanted to ask if you've seen it. Let me see if I can remember the name.
[00:47:48] Speaker B: There's a cartoon called Intergalactic.
[00:47:52] Speaker A: Okay.
I don't know that one.
[00:47:54] Speaker B: You should watch it. You'll love it.
[00:47:57] Speaker A: Great Expectations. That's it. Have you watched that?
Okay. I highly recommend watching it.
It's different as an artist because it's kind of like one of those things where it's like, if that was to happen, that would be, like, amazing.
So. But it's about this kid who kind of helps out this, like, gangster guy that was in trouble. And then later on in life, he gets basically this gift of this studio in New York, like, really prime, and has this huge show, and he thinks it's from this girl that he grew up with, like, her grandmother who was super wealthy, and they had no connection with it the whole time. And he had no idea it was this guy funding it that he helped out.
[00:48:39] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:48:40] Speaker A: It's a really. It's called Great Expectations. I mean, as an artist, it's a really interesting movie to watch, I feel like.
But it's. It's entertaining, so I just thought I'd mention it.
[00:48:52] Speaker B: No, no, Michelle, send it to me. I'd love to see it.
[00:48:55] Speaker A: Okay.
And you know something? I know we talked about the studio space here that's available, getting artists together, creatives. I think it's almost like we. Have you noticed, kind of the more thing that we call ourselves now are creatives over artists. Have you, have you noticed that?
[00:49:14] Speaker B: Right, right. I've seen that. I've heard that.
[00:49:18] Speaker A: And so as creatives here in Charleston. But yeah, I'm sure we have some local networks and things, but I don't know, I would like just love to, I don't know, like get, get social things going, network as artists to do more things together as artists and support each other, you know, and I know there are things that happen, but you know, especially I think in our genre of art, abstract, express impressionism, contemporary, abstract art, I feel like we have a hub we need to support. And it's interesting because as realism or landscapes, which are beautiful. And I have so much respect for all artists that do all different kinds of work in different genres of art. It's funny because I actually in my home decorate with more of the traditional art along with, you know, abstract, contemporary.
So I have like a kind of a mix in my place, which I like. I think that makes it fun. I don't know.
[00:50:26] Speaker B: Yeah, no, that, no, that's cool. That's dope.
Yeah.
[00:50:30] Speaker A: And, but yeah, if you were to give any advice or wisdom to anybody listening out there who may be, I don't know, it could be any step in their life as a creative and artist. Maybe they haven't started or maybe they've been doing it for a while. Can you think of anything you'd want to share with everybody listening?
[00:50:55] Speaker B: Don't take everything offensive.
That's one, that's one thing.
[00:51:00] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:51:01] Speaker B: Be open to critiques.
Always feel like you don't know enough.
And what else?
Network.
Network. Because if, if you, if you want to sell your work and you want people to connect with your work, they have to connect with you too.
[00:51:25] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:51:27] Speaker B: Or you just ultra super talented and they just care about your artwork and don't care about you. One or the other.
I mean it's either or, you know, But I, I, I feel like for me, I've, I would suggest connect with people because they, you know, they go a long way. Like getting to know people. You don't have to be buddy, buddy, buddy with everyone, but connect with someone.
They connect, they're open to wondering about you. Also be inquisitive or.
[00:51:57] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:51:57] Speaker B: Interested about them a little bit. I would say, I would say that do all the shows that get you seen that make sense for you.
If you gotta pay, pay. If, yeah.
If you, you know, if you got to be somewhere and sets up, they give you a table or a booth and it makes sense for the audience and be prepared.
You know, I, it took me a while to do prints. I was against it and I finally got the print system going.
[00:52:27] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:52:28] Speaker B: And it, it's been really the last. I started like maybe like three months ago.
And you know, if I started the Prince shows and stuff, I can imagine how much, you know, I'll sell prints now for 11x14s, 150 a pop, you know, so also don't cut yourself off for that Prince Avenue. I would say that. And I've been told that for so long and I just was so hard headed.
[00:52:56] Speaker A: Oh yeah, yeah.
[00:53:00] Speaker B: Oh yeah. No. And what else I would tell somebody. I would tell somebody, create the best you can. Don't create the best and be trying to be somebody else. Yeah, you.
[00:53:14] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:53:16] Speaker B: Being you. Being you. You go a long way under. Don't. I've been understanding like how many people would love to be you and are interested in you and how interesting you are.
You know, that'd be one thing I would say.
[00:53:33] Speaker A: Yeah, that's a really good point actually.
That's important because.
Yeah. Be yourself as an artist. Do what you do.
Because I have found that you try to go off of your, I don't know, you just get frustrated.
[00:53:51] Speaker B: Nah. Yeah. And, and yeah. Stick to your process and don't be lazy.
Don't make something. Don't make something. Whip something up and think somebody's gonna like it just because you made it. No. You gotta sit with it sometime.
[00:54:05] Speaker A: Yep.
[00:54:06] Speaker B: Some, sometimes some pieces you can make because you did it 5,000 times before, you can make it in five minutes.
Some pieces that you got to sit there and let it sit for a while. Do you finish your complete idea and thought to it?
[00:54:23] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:54:23] Speaker B: Everybody don't get that.
[00:54:26] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. I've had some pieces take months.
So you know, and I know here are some artists where I've heard they do a painting for five years. And I think I have to think when a painting, they say they're doing something for five years. I'm thinking they were doing what you were just saying. They're looking at it a lot, staring at it a lot, trying to figure it out what they want it to be.
You know, I don't think it would be a daily layering on of the paint in five years. That would be insane.
[00:55:00] Speaker B: That's wild. That'd be a thick painting.
[00:55:03] Speaker A: How heavy would that be?
[00:55:05] Speaker B: That would be extremely heavy. A thick painting that the paint would be. It almost be 3D coming out off the canvas.
[00:55:12] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I Struggled. It's interesting you're talking about the prints because I kind of struggled with where I said that if I sell an original, I would stop the printing for purposes of that person buying the originals. And it's gonna be more rare.
Even though the original is the original, you know, that holds a different value as opposed to. Opposed to prints, you know, prints on canvas, prints on paper of, you know, a copy of an original, you know.
[00:55:43] Speaker B: Right. Right.
[00:55:44] Speaker A: But.
[00:55:45] Speaker B: Right.
[00:55:46] Speaker A: I. I'm kind of still deciding if I want to go that route or not, but I think that's what I'm gonna stick to. But, you know, I think that.
One thing I have found is that I don't know, like, I.
Basically how it works. If people want to order stuff, you know, on the way, like your website probably like your prints or do you do those more in person so the audience knows if they wanted to get a print of your work, would they need to show up in person to like a show of yours or would they be able to get that from your website?
[00:56:27] Speaker B: So. Oh.
So I have the process set up now on artofbing.com this website.
[00:56:35] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:56:35] Speaker B: That you can. I have limited prints. So.
[00:56:38] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:56:40] Speaker B: So there's.
There's. Where you go on there. There's a print section, so you can go get prints. There's the painting station and there's the sculpture section.
[00:56:49] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:56:50] Speaker B: So. Yeah, so they go people. A lot of my prints right now.
I've sent out prints all over Vegas, Florida, Texas, multiple.
I'm trying to think. There's so many places Kansas.
But I mean, like, the thing is about it, which you don't want to stop as an artist. That's the business part of it. So the business part about it is saying, do I want to make prints of this painting that I love, but this other person got one of. But also there's somebody that was willing to pay maybe 150, maybe 100 whatever for the print. And once it. But can't afford the original. But the original is gone.
And they still like a collective art and they like looking at it. We were to stop somebody from buying it. The opportunity just because, you know.
[00:57:49] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:57:49] Speaker B: Because I mean, the original. The original always going to hold a different value anyway if they get it appraised.
[00:57:56] Speaker A: That's true.
[00:57:57] Speaker B: Like you said.
[00:57:58] Speaker A: Good point.
[00:57:58] Speaker B: So.
So I. I started looking at it like that and I started saying at that. At. The original is gone. It's gone.
[00:58:06] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:58:07] Speaker B: But you still got the image.
[00:58:09] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:58:10] Speaker B: So, you know.
[00:58:12] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:58:13] Speaker B: So I could continue that extra cash flow for Me being able to transfer from work worker to full time artists, I had to learn that.
[00:58:22] Speaker A: Yeah.
And, and technically, actually if the print gets out there more, when somebody buys an original, it could even create more interest in it and could even make the price go up more on the original, you know.
[00:58:38] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:58:39] Speaker A: So. Yeah.
[00:58:40] Speaker B: Don't shut it, don't shut it down. I mean, think about it. I, I probably sold maybe 35 prints in total since I've been starting the princess. Maybe like four months ago, three months ago, and 150 a piece. I mean, what effort did you have to do? Because you already got to create. Buy all your paint, buy all your supplies, put your time and energy in, that's extra income to help fuel the business, you know, that you didn't even think about this is out there. And it's usually all you gotta do is put in the mailbox or they get it and get it mailed to themselves.
[00:59:20] Speaker A: Yeah, true. Very true.
Yeah.
I, I, my process and I was going to ask you with originals, I just handle that myself, my website, you know what I mean? Like if somebody wanted to buy an original, I would handle the shipping of that obviously. And.
[00:59:43] Speaker B: Right, right. That's what I do.
[00:59:45] Speaker A: Yeah.
Or you know, giving to them. My exciting thing is to take the original, help them hang it in their home and then you can see possibly they may need more art or they want to gift art and that's a good way to, you know, see a space. And then you're being an art creator or you know, an art consultant for that person who buys your original piece too.
[01:00:09] Speaker B: Right. No, right. That's, that's how, that's how mine's been selling. Word of mouth and yeah. Heard from collectors, you don't have a piece of art of things work. Really.
I was like, wow. I said it's like that. It was funny to me. You know, it's funny because it's me and, and I'm right here and listening.
[01:00:26] Speaker A: Yeah.
[01:00:26] Speaker B: And it's like, it's like almost like plaything cards now. Or it's, you know, it's seeing the value and a person go up. So they're like, I want to be part of that and I support this movement and love it. So. Yeah.
[01:00:40] Speaker A: Yeah.
That's such a great feeling.
[01:00:44] Speaker B: Right? Yeah. That was beautiful. I love it. I love it.
[01:00:47] Speaker A: Yeah.
What would you say from your collection is your favorite piece?
Oh.
Even if you've sold it or not sold it. Do you have a favorite?
[01:01:02] Speaker B: I think it was, I love them all. Like my children, they all come out different ways. And I love all the shapes and sizes they are. I think my favorite one is I sold to my friends that I. It's a 48 by 60 piece.
It's called it. After my show at Drumnit Studios, it was the main focal piece. It's called Reset the Table.
[01:01:27] Speaker A: Okay.
[01:01:28] Speaker B: And it was a figurative face of my reflection, of me and how my face changed in my ideas and what I became and what made me to be what I am.
And you can check it out, you can check it out on the website. It's on Instagram too. It's called Reset the Table.
But it was, it was such a meaningful, powerful piece that I've seen in so many reels, so many videos, so many pictures. People just took pictures by. They loved it. And you know, sometimes they say you get a masterpiece here and there. I think that was my masterpiece.
[01:02:10] Speaker A: Okay.
[01:02:11] Speaker B: And that was probably my favorite because owning what my life had became as an artist, even being able to call myself an artist, being self proclaimed now versus hearing other people's. Give me that, you know.
[01:02:34] Speaker A: And.
What would you say when you go and you know you're gonna start a new painting? Like, you're like, okay, I'm in front of the canvas.
Is there anything you think the audience would find interesting that you want to share? Like maybe your thought process, game plan, something fun that maybe, you know. Because I feel like what happens is people who aren't artists, they're fascinated a lot by us who are artists or creatives. And so anything you say is probably going to be interesting. But just curious if you think, like for me it's about, I. I don't know. Just to give you an example, I have to put on my painting clothes and my music.
[01:03:27] Speaker B: That's true. Okay.
[01:03:28] Speaker A: Whatever you would find.
Like, what's your kind of, you know, kind of like.
Yeah, okay.
[01:03:40] Speaker B: I put on my Adidas shorts with the paint all over my Crocs.
[01:03:44] Speaker A: Okay.
[01:03:46] Speaker B: And I turn on my music sometimes I go solid.
Now when I first started with all this energy and this pent up aggression and anger, frustration, I used to just play all music loud, ferociously. But now I've learned how to create a sense of peace, a sense of silence.
I've learned how to tap into my zone when I want to versus trying to create it, the energy of having it.
[01:04:22] Speaker A: Okay.
[01:04:23] Speaker B: Yeah. I think I've had to.
The duality of, okay, this is bad before when you started, but you're not, it's not that bad now, so you're going to keep being Angry and upset and create out of upset. Or you're going to. You got different flowers. You're not smelling the flowers that you're giving that God's blessing you with. Are you going to keep living in the past?
So I turn my music on. Joyful R B music. I'm in my vibe. I used to drink. I used to drink painting a lot.
Now I don't really do that. I just play my music, go with it, eat my little snacks here and there, sit on my chair. Yeah, I'm eating. I eat a whole dinner plate sitting there painting, looking at it, picking it out.
[01:05:04] Speaker A: Yeah.
[01:05:05] Speaker B: Yeah. And challenge myself. I always challenge myself.
Yeah. So that's my thing. And I'll do that probably when we get off here. Probably about three hours and then cutting time.
[01:05:22] Speaker A: Awesome.
Okay.
Well, Demetrius said, are there any other stories or anything you feel like you want to share with everybody listening today?
[01:05:37] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean I think what I would tell everybody from my, my stories.
I get that a lot. I get this question a lot. They say, how did this. How'd you get all this happened so fast.
[01:05:54] Speaker A: Yeah.
[01:05:55] Speaker B: How this happened so quick? How's it taking this? You know, like I've had people tell me what you. I said, I've been paying for five years. And I told this guy and he was talking, he said, what you've done in five years, I wish I could have did. And, and I've been doing it for. Trying it for 50.
I was like, wow. And it shook me, you know what I'm saying? Like thinking about it.
But I would tell people right now if I was to talk to somebody and tell my story.
Go back to yourself.
Find the reason why you do it.
Like, go back to the story. Stories of myself.
I go look at my articles and read how vulnerable I was and I go back and tell my, tell myself like, okay, you get a good job. I talked to the little kid me a lot. It's a good job.
Like, you proud of me, man? I'm trying to make you proud, you know?
Yeah, that's one of my things that I do. But like far as story wise, anything. I got some stories. Let me think.
I remember I met this wonderful. I remember this whole year I've been meeting wonderful couples and stuff and they, they've read up on me or did like a.
It came to a presentation or pecha kusha conversation and my Pedro Kucha presentation, I was saying my, saying what I had to say on my presentation. It was 20, 20 slides.
Heartbreaking, heart wrenching because it was so Tough to say about you. Talk about yourself in 6 minutes and 40 seconds and fully get everything out.
And as this couple.
And his name, the male name was Dave. And he heard my penchacuccia conversation. He was sitting in the crowd. You can't see in there. It's like three or four hundred people in there.
And he told me, he told me he heard my presentation. He read up on it, read up on it afterwards, looked at my Instagram and he told his wife that she was in Jersey. He's like, I gotta. We gotta get some work for this guy.
And you know, some.
So they came to my storage unit where we was at and where all my artwork is, and they came and purchased five pieces on the spot.
And the reason why I wanted to tell that story is because if I wasn't open and vulnerable and they didn't see my heart and my artwork and like who I am, they probably would have never done. Oh, he just another guy that does art, you know.
[01:08:42] Speaker A: Yeah.
[01:08:42] Speaker B: And that's just like, maybe like use that as an inspiring thing, an inspiration thing to be like stay open, stay, stay listening.
Don't be fast to speak because.
And then two weeks later I'm. I'm at their home delivering the bigger piece and they got it all around their homes. And just looking at yourself like. I've seen people hang my artwork on their walls. I've been in the houses and stuff. But just to see how the impact my life been to somebody else.
They didn't experience the things that I've done. That very eye opening.
Very eye opening. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[01:09:32] Speaker A: That's cool.
[01:09:34] Speaker B: Trying to think. Any stories? I think I'm trying to think anymore.
Maybe I'll put it right in the book. Well, go ahead.
[01:09:45] Speaker A: Yeah.
How more touching on how faith has played a role in your life and your art. Would you want to speak on that?
[01:09:54] Speaker B: Yeah, no, that's fine.
You have if. If you believe in something. And I believe in God, Jesus Christ in my life.
And he's.
He gets the God of giving and take it from away, but he's my battles dealing with him understanding that I was trying to figure out why my life isn't a certain way, why I haven't done this and what is it going to be and the trials and tribulations of believing. Getting upset with me believing and like looking at it like, why do I have to believe so hard? And nothing seems like my belief in hard works that God said I should be doing isn't working.
But he's always watching. He's Watching when you thinking he's not. So I have to believe in myself.
I remember one time I was talking to somebody about it and it was talking about how they said, you can't be too arrogant or anything. I said, I'm not arrogant. I just, I believe in myself. And this is my God given belief that he gave on my heart that says that this is what he made me to do.
I'm just spreading the good word, you know. And yeah, he made God made me believe that anything is impossible for me to be sitting here painting paintings and selling them and being seen because 10 years ago, five, 10 years ago, I wouldn't even think that was something I would be doing.
So yeah, yeah, no, but the belief, belief I have, I have belief. I believe every dream that, that I want will come true.
To this, to this part right here. I sat down with one of my friends, Kristen Ferguson, and she's a life coach. And I was telling her about my belief and what I believe in God and how much he's taking me and carrying me and exalted me in certain situations in my life I shouldn't have been out of. And she said, well, write down, what are your goals?
And I wrote down my goals and I wrote down, as an artist, I want to be able to call myself an artist and feel comfortable saying that to myself. Yeah, first, till I say it to others. So that was one of my goals. And then financially, because nothing wrong financially, having goals as an artist or as a person, period.
My financial goal was to sell art piece. It was five goals, four or five seller art piece at 500. This is when I first started.
Sell art piece for a thousand seller art piece for 5,000, stellar art piece for 10.
And then the last thing was be a millionaire.
And I never wrote these things down before because I was like, right, power, the power of the pen, the power of the tongue. I have a piece called that. Power the tongue, by the way, but also a face with a stink tongue coming out with the Bible verse on it.
Check it, check it out. But when she wrote that down, I wrote that down, wrote these things down. She said, okay, put it away, but go look at it and check on it periodically. And through the years, I scratched, yeah, everything off the list. Not a millionaire, but scratch those things off the list. Because I had faith that God said, okay, you be, be broad with what you want.
Be brav. What you think I can believe you to be, to take you to be. And I believe that because every step that I said, God, I'm gonna Lead us in your hand. You show me what I need to do.
He says, let me show you.
Let me show you.
And every thing that I've been through, a lot of things I shouldn't have been here.
And for him to have me where I am at, the total blessing and a testament to Praying Mother.
Praying mother, family.
But, yeah, playing grandmother and everything.
[01:14:11] Speaker A: Amen to that.
[01:14:13] Speaker B: Yes, ma'. Am. Yes, ma'.
[01:14:14] Speaker A: Am.
Awesome.
Well, your testimony is inspiring, and you're making me remember that I need to.
I do a thing with my friend every year. We write down goals or things we want to do and accomplish, and I do that a lot, but I forget to go back and look at it, actually, so. But yeah, it's. I think that a lot of artists and creatives will share that moment where we think, like, while we're here, like, I still need to remind myself, like, oh, I have a website. Like, my art was in a, you know, an art show in Venice, Italy. You know, that's, like, amazing.
My.
[01:14:56] Speaker B: That's amazing. Yeah.
[01:14:58] Speaker A: My art's stuck in Italy right now. Like, five pieces. I need to figure out how to get it back.
[01:15:04] Speaker B: Wow.
[01:15:05] Speaker A: Huh.
But. But yeah, there's this. Those moments where you're, like. You do have to remind yourself, like, where I am now. I was dreaming about, like, five or 10 years ago, you know.
[01:15:18] Speaker B: Right.
[01:15:19] Speaker A: Which is amazing.
[01:15:21] Speaker B: Right. Your. Your journey. My journey. All our journeys is different.
[01:15:25] Speaker A: Yeah.
[01:15:28] Speaker B: People don't see that sometimes. And it gets cloudy because our industry is about what you're doing, what I'm doing compared to what this artist's doing. It's just natural.
Yeah, but all our journeys is different.
[01:15:43] Speaker A: Yep.
[01:15:44] Speaker B: I want shoes. I want my own pair of sneakers.
[01:15:48] Speaker A: That's cool.
Like, with your arm on the sneakers. I love that.
[01:15:53] Speaker B: Yep. I want my art. I want a collection of maybe three to five sneakers with even, like, with Carhartt. I want car overalls with my paintings on them.
I would like that as a collab. So. But Asics. The Coney.
Asics. The Kony, Nike Crocs. Yeah, Shoot. New Balance, anybody?
[01:16:16] Speaker A: I think it's going to happen. It'll happen.
It'll happen.
[01:16:20] Speaker B: That's one of my goal. That's one of my goals.
[01:16:24] Speaker A: Yeah. I think it'll happen for you. You spoke it. It'll happen.
[01:16:28] Speaker B: Believe it. Yes, ma'. Am.
[01:16:30] Speaker A: Yeah, I've. I've thought about myself as having my paintings as labels for wine bottles and, like, champagne, like Dom Perryon or something, you know?
[01:16:42] Speaker B: Oh, that's cool. Did you. You got to reach out to him? You reach out to him? Not.
[01:16:46] Speaker A: No, not yet.
[01:16:48] Speaker B: I. I didn't reach out to them. I didn't reach out to all of them multiple, multiple times. And then they like, sick of me. Like, okay, give this guy a break. Golly.
They didn't say, we're not doing collabs right now. But yeah, reach them.
[01:17:03] Speaker A: Yeah. You just gotta try. You gotta give it a chance. Right?
And yeah. So every buddy kind of listening to the Dr. Random podcast today. And if you're in the art community, I'm sure you'll see, you know, art of being out there and hopefully, you know, wherever your goals are to go next. And yeah, and I just want to thank everyone for listening today to the Doctor in a podcast and support Demetrius Bang. And I'm gonna let him share right now with you guys what, you know, what platforms he has and how you guys can get in touch with him if you are interested in purchasing his art and or collaborating with him. Whatever you want to do. So if you want to share with. With everybody listening.
[01:18:02] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. No, My Instagram at Art of Bing and Bing B I N G.
I get that a lot. People ask me that.
My Facebook just regular. My real name, my first name, Demetrius Bing.
Tick tock. Art of Bing.
And I'm trying to think what else I have. My website is artofbing.com and I'm. You can reach me in any of those platforms.
It goes directly to me. I don't have no in between. You can contact me anytime and I will get to your message as soon as possible possible because it's just me, so.
And I want to give also a special shout out, if I can, to my cousin, Aubrey Dunbar. He does. He's my business partner. He's been here from the beginning, since.
Okay, I did the artisan fair in 2024. He came down and started recording me and doing videos. And now he does my marketing for my website. And I wanna, I wanna give him a special shout out because I always want to make sure that he knows how valuable he has. He has been. And to me, as a cousin, friend, business partner, he was there when it wasn't making no money like that.
And he was there, helped me with the first show, full circle. And we've been working together and it's been great. And he's older than me, but we still get along. I get on his nerves because of the way I just do things.
Yeah. But I tell him, I said it works this way. If you do it this way, it'll change, you know, my Thinking. His thinking. But now, special thanks to Aubrey.
I appreciate you for everything, man.
We're gonna take it to the next level soon.
[01:20:04] Speaker A: That's amazing. And also, yeah, giving those shout outs is amazing and yeah, awesome. And I know you're gonna be very successful. Oh, yeah.
[01:20:20] Speaker B: Can I do one more? Then I just want to shout out my mom. Love your mom. Thank you for everything. Thank you for telling me my. My heart sucks sometimes.
I need that critique. She tell me straight up. She's like, yo, I don't know what that is. But then like, my mom has been there supporting me through it when I started and just kept coming to shows after shows and now she's not. Hasn't been able to come as much. But I know she's there in spirit and she's supporting me and love you, mom. Thank you for everything.
Everybody sees her on Instagram anyways. A little short lady.
Normally we got the same matching shoes on and stuff, but thank you.
[01:21:01] Speaker A: Yes, moms are special. All that's.
And yeah.
And I know you're going to be very successful in all your endeavors. Anything you know, you put your mind to, obviously you're already on that path and it's going to keep going.
So. Yeah. And I'm appreciate that.
And I was so happy to have you here on the Dr. Random podcast today.
Thank you for coming on and yeah. And we'll see each other out in the art community and out in Charleston. So.
Yeah. And then I just want to thank everybody for listening today to the Dr. Random podcast and, you know, support us local artists here to Charleston nationwide international artists. You know, we need some loving and support.
[01:21:54] Speaker B: We need it. We need it.
[01:21:56] Speaker A: Yes. And thank you to all those who already do love and support our work.
[01:22:01] Speaker B: Right, Right. Thank you.
[01:22:03] Speaker A: Yes.
And all right, so as always here on the Dr. Random podcast, we're gonna say ciao, ciao,
[01:22:22] Speaker B: Sa.
