“Art is the Artist” by Sunny Perera
Beyond the Short Official Premiere
Stephen Zhang is an accomplished water media artist and design professor with a passion for creating large-scale watercolor paintings that showcase his fluid, expressive, and empathetic style. Stephen's artwork has received widespread recognition both nationally and internationally, winning awards from prestigious exhibitions organized by the American Watercolor Society, the Transparent Watercolor Society of America, Watercolor USA, American Illustration, and the Chinese National Art Exhibition, among others. Two of his paintings are currently exhibited at the US Embassy in Equatorial Guinea. His work has been featured in publications such as Watercolor Artist, American Art Collector, Art Connoisseur, and International Artist.
FROM THE DIRECTOR
“I've always wanted to create a film that visually and emotionally told a story deeply bound in passion yet still portrayed the struggles that accompany an artist trying to find freedom in their work. Stephen's belief in embracing spontaneity and uncertainty was a method to stray away from the rigidity of preconceived "rules" of the craft and in turn, discover new ways to create. I think back on conversations I've had with peers over the years and l've come to realize that no matter how accomplished one is in their career, many of us carry the same doubts when creating any piece. Whether I was talking with seasoned filmmakers, musicians fresh in the scene, or traditional artists with flourishing careers - no matter the field, the reflections of passion and the internal setbacks echoed the same. It wasn't until we each embraced spontaneity in the face of uncertainty that we found new freedom within our work and in turn created a deeper understanding of why we pursue the things we do.”
-Sunny Perera
Credits
Director// Sunny Perera/ @sunny.perera
Water Media Artist// Stephen Zhang/ @stephenzhangart
Producers// Thomas Farmer/ @thomaspfarmer
Sunny Perera
Executive Producer// Onstead Institute for Education in the Visual Arts and Design Peter B. Hyland
DOP// Thomas Blanks/ @thomasblanksdop
Assistant Camera// Olli Taylor/ @oliveportal
Gaffer// Jon Rafael Birondo/ @jonrbirondo
Swing// Micah Clarke/ @_mcmedia
Editors// Ed Cullie & Stan Rick
Colorist// Alton Stephens/ @alton.stephens
Sound// Robby Patt
Extras:
Micah Clarke
Keeley Flynn/ @keeley_flynnstone
Jon Rafael Birondo
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