We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gregg Optekamp. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gregg below.
Gregg, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
It’s a period of discovery and everyone finds their own way through their creative journey.
Believe, let go, create. Believe in yourself, let go of what you think you can control and create what comes naturally to you.
This was the Mantra I used in order for me to create new designs, as well as creative ideas. This pushed myself to learn more about myself as well as being an artist.
When I first started I would go to all the second hand stores and I’d find old paintings. Some days I’d have 5 paintings and the most I came home with was 14. Then I would take them apart and paint over them. I would use the frames for my art and learnt how to custom paint frames to match the paintings.
At one point I had a stack of over 400 pieces of glass from the frames I had been disassembling in my apartment, which was also my studio.
As everything seems to work as it’s supposed to I started painting on the glass because I had nothing to paint on one evening. Slowly through patience and fervor I learned about reverse painted glass and how to create my own paints which were able to attached specifically to the glass and also gave a unique texture of paint. It took me about 90 sheets of glass before I figured out the balance. Now I was going to create my vision on glass which became acrylic glass and other forms of materials.
I felt invigorated and new this would evolve my passion.
This process involved me going into the different art stores, finding different materials and creating my own paints. Through the process I created something new and exotic for myself to experience an experiment with and kept me excited about creating.
No matter what, as long as you allow your mind and the adventure of art to take place, don’t follow the rules of color and paint you will find your own way and develop your own style.
That is creative art experience which I loved the most.
I remember just going into the art store and buying a ton of different paints and materials and just trying to see how they work together. It was a real fun adventure trying to discover and develope and the experience is available to anybody who trusts in themselves, while letting go.
Gregg, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
So, my wonderful sister had visited me from Australia and we painted a painting together and my girlfriend had told me ,”hey you’re pretty good ,why don’t you give it a try”. I always thought about my parents my father was very creative and so was my mother and they always taught me to think outside of the box and go for it as well as never give up. I thought to myself, ” I’ll paint 10 paintings in ten days and see what I feel like and how it works out”. In less than a year I was developing some unique styles and was noticed by some socialites in Houston.
I was asked if I wanted to be part of a charity and donate some paintings.
I thought what a great idea I would love to do that and they sold for a few thousand dollars. This really opened my eyes as I thought ,”wow I can contribute to society by painting and therefore helping others that are in need by auctioning my art “. That gave me a whole new perspective on being part of the world and contributing to a cause or many causes that I found were important to me.
Slowly I was known as Greggarious with 2 g’s and I named my operation GreGGariousART.
Being that I was so enthusiastic about this new adventure I painted a couple 1000 paintings to learn, in just a few years.
I was on a mission and it was my everything, everyday.
This helped me develope and learn. At the same time I got to learn more about myself. It was a nice surprise as it was therapeutic and it brought more insight to my life.
When I let go there’s a zone that I connect to and I’ve met many artists that feel the same frequency. It’s like magic.
I felt a spiritual, universe connection when I painted and at times I would just feel it. It’s an amazing experience to do so.
Everything kind of went in phases. As far as what I did in the beginning, it was just learning and honestly speaking it will always be a journey of learning. I really enjoy my gold leaf trees as they actually move in the wind or the air conditioning. I also enjoy my reverse painted glass that’s lit up and has many applications amongst other things like doors and tables etc.
I love using lights with my artwork and I love making tall columns with lights in them, which have also been very popular lately.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
So in 2021 the world changed and the art scene & the economy started diving and people didn’t have a lot of money to spend on art and I could feel the change. I thought to myself what do I do how do I survive this, how do I keep the momentum in my excitement for this ?
There’s a point where painting is great but you realize that the starving artist reality can absolutely come true.
There was a time in the beginning, We had just had hurricane Harvey and the flood wiped out a lot of Houston and for a month there was no business anywhere. I’ll never forget where I was missing days of food and drinking coffee just not to be hungry weekly. I literally sacrificed everything I had and knew in order to succeed in the art world. I remember one night, I collected dimes and nickels to make it to the drive through at 3 in the morning. Arriving at Jack and the box for the affordable tacos and coming home with my gas on empty then eating those 4 tacos for $2.00.
It was like it was the best meal I had ever eaten. I could almost hear Angels singing, I was so happy to eat. So knowing how bad it could get I needed to take action.
So I packed up the car and I drove to South Florida. I found a cheap air BNB. I talked to different business owners everyday and all day. Luckily I recieved certain projects and it kept me alive and hopeful.
I was able to put my art in a few stores and restaurants. I also never took a day off and pushed myself daily to succeed. I wasn’t living the high life and it was a struggle but I knew that there was opportunity. Many people were wealthy and many were in good moods. It just felt like an opportunity that would work out for me. After some networking I met a wealthy real estate investor who owned a bunch of buildings and apartments and he allowed me to work for him. I felt very fortunate and very grateful for this gentleman and his wife who believed in me. I created paintings for a lot of their units and that kept me alive for almost 2 years, until I came back to Houston.
The moral or the point of the story was that I had to go out and get it, I had to network, I had to show up and most of all, I never gave up.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
In my experience I had a lot of interest with different charities. Showing up and making a point of it being very professional and clean so you can present it to different charities. When you’re at the events you get to meet different people and you find a grouping of people that enjoy your art. I really enjoyed painting and understood that you also have to be one that goes out a few times a week, visit different galleries and restaurants. Promote your art because no one is going to come to your house looking for your art. It was a wake up call and to succeed I to put the work in. It’s a must, for any artist I believe, if they want to be successful.
There was a time I would go to hotels at 5 AM to meet the night manager at hotels, when they had 15 minutes for me so I could maybe get an opportunity for example. The art game is a great hobby but if you want a career in it you really have to go out and get it.
I wish everybody The best on their creative journey. This was just my experience and I hope you have a beautiful day.
Contact Info:
- Website: Greggariousart.com
- Instagram: Optemized_greggariousart
- Facebook: Gregg Optekamp
- Twitter: Optekamp
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