kimmo_matias_personal blog: October 2007

I don't usually brag about this kinds of things and not in this case either. I'm only sharing a happy moment with all of my readers, that's all! If anyone wishes to make more of it, well, then those people can just shove it down their throats. So, the story goes... Today I received a letter from Alfred Kordelin foundation. Some time ago I sent a grant application to them - and the answer to that was: yes! So this year I will start doing research and wire myself all over the place and in the beginning of next year I will start designing and producing the second edition of my menswear fashion line. I initally started the line in the beginning of this year with a small 'tester' collection.

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This weekend we are celebrating Mika's birthday (which was last week), my birthday (which was this week) and my future collection (which will see the light of day in the beginning of 2009). Three adorable creatures of course, haha - so lots to celebrate! This made my day!

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This will not mean I will be abandoning other creative arenas I love to play in. So I will still continue to do music and paint and photograph etc but next year my focus is and will have to be on this menswear collection, so that will be the main thing. But as I think I've written before, all the things I do are a natural part of me, and I love all my babies. Lot's of love and light to everyone, hope you all have a brilliant weekend! Shine your light and The Light will shine back at you... Sometimes patience is a virtue - though no way in hell would I say I possess such a virtue! I am the most impatient person I know, when my temper ignites it only takes 2 seconds to light the whole damn house on fire (figure of speech of course) so I guess I do not need to add I feel quite passionate about things?? And just in case you think I'm joking, let me tell ya, I ain't! Hahaha.

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I believe that sometimes life makes us struggle for our desires, to question our motives for doing things. It is a hard battle yet precious one, because to feel fulfilled we need to do something we love and we need to do it for the right reasons. My beliefs have been put to test many times and the rule number one is: never give up - this is where the patience is a plus. Rule number two is: never give up dreaming and your will to learn more. Rule number three: do your best and don't expect to get things for free - the reward is always sweeter when you know you have earned it. Rule number four: nobody succeeds all the time. When you're best is not good enough, then the thing you are reaching for might not be the right thing for you - or simply it's not yet time for you to have what you want. This means you need to learn something first, so you need to be honest with yourself and think about what you want, how you can reach it, are you doing it for the right reasons. Universe is an interesting place - let the energy flow through you. The minute you think you know it all and place yourself above everyone else, you will fall down from your high horse and stop growing. And I am not writing this in a way that I'm lecturing you nor am I "teaching you", I'm simply stating what I believe to be true. I've had plenty of struggles in my life and this is what I've come to learn from it. Usually when things are at their worst, something good is just around the corner. Have faith and fight agaist the dark thoughts - that is what I do, sometimes the light wins, sometimes the dark wins but ultimately there is always a reason behind things - even if we cannot see them. Kisses and hugs to everyone!

This week's artist is David Gremard Romero, who I recently discovered. Instead of introducing him to you myself, I let the artist speak to you through his own artist statement.

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The central preoccupation unifying all my work is an engagement with the practice of the old masters, particularly those of the Baroque and Rococo periods. Their perfection of craft, their exploration of narrative modes, and their explicit connection to history and politics are a source of continuing fascination and inspiration to my work. Embedding contemporary iconography and themes in a classical figurative craft, I seek to tease out the hidden relationships and continuities between classical art and current culture. As a gay, Catholic, Mexican-American artist, the complex themes of race, sexuality, subjectivity and identity find themselves entwined within the baroque parade of Mexican wrestlers, mythic hermaphrodites, imagined superheroes, and beastly cherubs that populate my imagination, my drawings, and my paintings. -David Gremard Romero-

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You can find more David Gremard Romero paintings and other info at: http://www.gremardromero.com/home.html

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