Taking photos has been a hobby for me for about 5 years but it wasn’t until recently that things started to click in and take off. Now I have a good understanding of how this medium works. Photography, to me, is both a simple and a complicated way to make art. To make a photo is easy: point the camera, expose the film and you’re done. On the other hand, there are some more challenging parts, like knowing when to add more depth of field and seeing light as stops. Being experimental and patient is what it is all about when I photograph.

Black & white film is still my favorite way to shoot. Even when I’m shooting digital, I usually have a second camera loaded with B&W film. Because we see in color, black & white photography holds an extra element of mystery. It requires us to look at the world in different ways.

When I paint, fun is my main inspiration. I create my images with my mind set to go in and make a mess. Painting gives me a sense of freedom that I can’t get anywhere else. I can do anything without being edited, censored or held back by what others think. For me, painting is about having fun and testing my creative mind. Without something like this to challenge me, I feel that I would be just another apathetic drone moving mechanically through my corporate day job world. Painting helps me step into an alternate reality where I can forget about the problems in the real world for awhile.

When I get down and dirty with painting I use acrylics to create tons of texture. I often water down my paints so that the colors can become textures within themselves. I use big brushes to hold in the water, and rags to keep the excess water from running too much. Rags also help me create unique textures.

As I continue to paint I keep experimenting with new techniques and tools to see what happens. It’s my way to get to the next level.

Contact me at arvin.alston@gmail.com