When I’m not marketing for the Sedona Arts Center, or painting, drawing, writing and designing – I sometimes play photographer. I’m pretty good at it in fact and I’ve even been called a ‘professional’. Over a decade ago I accidentally stumbled upon a fantastic technique and created an entire series, a few books and show out of it. It was called Nemesis. Using only light and motion, I captured the doppelganger, the polar opposite within my models unique personalities and offered a haunting series of photographs to the world. I was even dubbed the “King of Halloween” after that show. Fantastic! But today, I’m working on something a little lighter…
Within my practices of art, writing, and yoga – I find myself connected to the term Bodhisattva. In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is either an enlightened existence or an enlightenment-being. I’ve also seen it as “One who is destined for enlightenment but wants to take all beings along…” It is in stark contrast to my original Nemesis Collection which was a creative visual project that sought to create haunting images that portrayed the darkness within each of us. I suppose living in Sedona really does me a lot of good, because I connect very well with this here.
So I decided that it was high time that I created the nemesis to my nemesis – a collection of lighter, inner-spirit-type images to contrast the former duality of my most illustrious project. However, even with my usual determination, I realized that with having a family and a lot on my plate, financially this project was almost completely impossible. Until I remembered Kickstarter – the little-known resource for artists like you.
Kickstarter is focused on creative projects. They are a great way for artists, filmmakers, musicians, designers, writers, illustrators, explorers, curators, performers, and others to bring their projects, events, and dreams to life. It’s all-or-nothing funding, so each project must be fully funded before its time expires or no money changes hands. For instance – my Bodhisattva project will only be funded if my project goal is reached by Friday Oct 21, 3:14pm MST. Here’s where I say ‘act now’.
(…or perhaps click here: http://kck.st/pdRRYL)
We all have goals that sometimes are unattainable in our eyes thanks to circumstance, fate or just simple old fashioned luck. The point is – there are resources, people and ways to make your dreams come true. Of course, not all projects get funded, but that’s when we change our attitude, no? The glass is always full as far as I’m concerned. Everything may not exactly happen for a ‘reason’ – but everything that happens can have a reason given to it. So stay positive, try hard and dream big. I always do.
Oh, and back my project!
Remember: grow; learn; conserve; preserve; create; question; educate; change; and free your mind.
About: Kelli Klymenko is an artist, a faculty member and the Marketing & Events Coordinator at Sedona Arts Center: a gathering place where artists can learn, teach, and exhibit their works at the center’s School of the Arts and Fine Art Gallery in uptown Sedona.
