Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Kingston.
Hi Brian , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in the South Bay and my work is clearly influenced by the celebrated ocean lifestyle and culture. I have always been extremely interested in art, photography and design but never pursued it as a career and graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in economics…but a couple classes from a minor in art. I always sketched a ton as a kid and my friends were into it but I never really became serious about art until I jumped into photography. This was before digital when everyone became a photographer. I really got into all types of film, grain, color, even different formats from plastic point and shoots with light leaks to professional medium format. My first art show was at Java Man in Hermosa Beach over 20 years ago, which featured color and black and white photos from a 17-day trip to Spain. As the years went on, my approach morphed after slowly starting to pick up a paintbrush again and a 10-week Illustrator class at Otis College of Art and Design. It opened my mind to the design world! You can see that influence in my art today with my ocean-informed panels which are a mix of fine art, photography, and design.
But there are two sides of me…ha. By day I am the CFO for the LA-born and based sunglass company goodr sunglasses, following eight years as an owner / CFO for an ad agency. I still reside in Manhattan beach with my wife and two children, and annually I compete in the 32-mile Catalina Classic Paddleboard race and Pier-to-Pier Swim.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been smooth because I never relied on my art as income. Art has always been a release for me more than a means to an end. I am a math guy by trade and an artist at night. It’s a great balance to switch gears and work on things that inspire me and motivate me. That freedom also gives me the ability to try and fail….which is always part of the process in art. Enjoy the process.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As I mentioned…I kinda dabble in various mediums and formats. I like to keep things interesting and fresh and often find myself jumping from photography, painting, graphic design, and lately even back to pencil and paper! My most recent work is a mix of all really. I take Illustrator and Photoshop and manipulate photos taken by me or my friend and digitally, create patterns around it and resin print or transfer them onto wood panels. Some are applied to the wood panel with resin, a lot like a surfboard, and lightly sanded.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Doing what you love and continually finding joy and challenge in the process.
Pricing:
- Varies but generally 48×48 piece is $3000
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bkingston.com
- Instagram: @bkingston
